Disagreeing With “Captain” Ed

“Captain” Ed Morrissey, of CaptainsQuarters blog, well deserves to be a leader of the conservative side of the blogosphere, for his judgments, clarity and energy. He’s, also, a stout friend and a strong believer in independent thought and open forums of civil discussion.

So, when I occasionally disagree with him, it’s in that spirit. But, also my spirit as a Sergeant who doesn’t give up, and who makes his own judgments on the front lines.

Ed comments on the discussions among some non-Left leading bloggers about the likely drubbing Republicans may take in the November elections:

It's this relentless sameness that has damaged the Republicans among their base and killed their enthusiasm. The GOP has proven themselves to be not much different than the Democrats, and the argument that Democratic control would be worse is not ever going to generate much enthusiasm.

I don't believe we're seeing a blue tidal wave. However, the Republican Party's midterm woes come from Republican failures to match their actions to their rhetoric.

True enough, but a half-truth. And, a half-truth is still not whole cloth, and the holes should be recognized.

My Republican and conservative credentials and track-record are as good as anyones’, as is my willingness to criticize Right or Left when off-base. I differ with some Republicans who think that the Rx Medicare program is a needless waste, as I differ with some Democrats that it should be transformed into a colossal waste. I differ with some Republicans who see the Harriet Miers or Dubai incidents as signs of presidential wrong-headedness, as I disagree with Democrats who fail to respect facts of both’s reasonableness. I differ with some Republicans who overly concentrate on “pork’s” evils to the point of relegating this very relatively small distasteful part of the bloated budget to ultimate prominence to the ignoring of the far huger sums involved in any of the bloated bureaucracies, as I disagree with Democrats who are part of this natural process of political compromises but stand aside trying to appear uninvolved. I differ with those Republicans who saw the 2004 results as a triumph instead of a marginal squeaker, as I disagree with Democrats who failed to respect the American voters’ decision and instead waged despicable continuing war in utter disrespect for governance.

I differ, most of all, with those who say that the Republican caucus in Congress, particularly in the House, have not acted like Republicans. Time and again, it’s they who have stood up for and passed legislation that is as Republican or conservative as can be, either in support of the president’s agenda or to differ conservatively with it, only to see their stances ignored within the conservative blogosphere, allowing the liberal leaning MSM to also ignore and letting it write the public agenda and perspectives on it.

Simply, I believe that many conservative pundits are suffering from battle-fatigue, just as I said last May:

I think all three may be suffering some variant of PTSD, worn down by defending difficult positions at the forefront of the battle against irredentist Democrats in Congress and their fifth-column in the media.

There’s a natural element to strength of Democrats at this mid-term election. There’s a natural effort of Democrats to field a strong team of candidates. There’s a natural war weariness with any “long war.” There’s a natural opposition research of Republican hypocrisies or criminality. There’s a natural MSM trumpeting of Democrat memes.

There’s an unnatural willingness among many conservative commentators to buy into these liberal efforts and natural strengths, and to chastise those who are targeted. It’s a circular firing squad. Avoiding defeats, or avoiding worse defeats than necessary, and retrieving victory, will not come from in effect buying into or self-generating such half-truths or half-heartedness.

Republicans and conservatives should take their natural lumps, and rather than accepting the oppositions’ memes, or conservative fantasies that the nation is conservative, maneuver for bigger tents rather than throwing misaimed stones from their tents. Be Hector, not Achilles sulking in the tent, or with such a vulnerable heel to our adversaries.

UPDATE:
"Captain" Ed replies:
Bruce,

I'll add your link to my post, and it's a good post, but I disagree. All one has to do is look at the growth in spending across the board to understand that the House has not "acted like Republicans", unless you mean Rockefeller Republicans. They went hysterical at the Dubai Ports debacle, they went missing for Able Danger, they passed the BCRA, and they've feasted on pork in much greater quantities than the Democrats did when they held power, only balking at the Senate's even balder pork-barrel politics when the President finally got sick of it. The only thing they've gotten right is immigration, and it took them five years to get around to it.

I'm voting Republican because it's the only rational choice, but that's not because this crop has earned it.

Cheers!

Edward Morrissey
Captain's Quarters

I reply to my "Captain":

I agree, and said so Friday in my post:
"In November, I'll vote for Republican candidates, although my heart is hurt by many in the Party's fiscal or personal irresponsibility."

I disagree, however, with excess breast-beating.

Thanks, and respect and love, as always.