Meanwhile, in the real world, competent people are well aware of the large number of people who have opposed the GOP's straying from being a party of leaner, smaller government (especially in Washington) that re-engages in fiscal prudence and constraint (especially in Washington). This lesson in particular was taught in 2006 as well as in 2008 in earnest, even if the incompetent within and outside the GOP fail to understand the long-standing obvious facts here. Even being the lesser of two evils itself fails to suffice for the GOP's shortcomings; being merely the dysfunctional “party of default,” with a recent history of misbehaving in ways just like the Democrats, has demonstrably (to the competent) proven insufficient.

That is a very tiny tent you're standing under.

Side note: Maher often is an idiot and offensive to mainstream Americans, but once in a while he provides a gem piece of humor. For anyone who tires of the worst kinds of sports fans (don't forget that sports talk radio makes Limbaugh — if not Hannity — and some far left talk shows actually a relief as well as mentally superior), his recent joke in the past few months was outstanding:

[Loud sports fans wearing favorite players' usually quarterbacks' football jerseys, et cetera]

“Wearing _another_man's_shirt_ is _not_ macho.”

Hatred of Reagan as well as George W. Bush is alive and well on far left talk radio, which rose to life a few years ago and is currently alive and well. It's pathological, but really isn't surprising, given the source.

As far as Meghan McCain's childish “Republicanism” (which also should be evaulated as a childish Gen X-etc. version of conservatism), it truly merits the term I use for those who misappropriate “moderate” or “reasonable” when describing the kind of overgrown-and-overreaching-Washington-is-never-to-be-questioned Republican Party that's a rewarmed, contemporary kind of “me, too” Rockefeller Republican collaborationism: It's a _comic_book_ “tamed” and “thin” version of Democratic and _liberal_ politics.

Don't hijack and misdirect the Republican Party to make it be Dems Ultra Lite when you should be Dems.

Untrue. They know it and try outreach. They often fail — so many Dem special interest groups among the Dem electorate love having their votes bought, which normally (and at least nominally) the GOP is opposed to doing. You aren't going to get people enjoying government largesse, assistance of all kinds, and other gummint goodies from one major party to switch to the other party in large numbers, easily or substantially, especially when these people are conditioned by their current party and its auxiliaries (that includes the media) that the other party is evil, oppressive, exclusionary, and (a myth) continues a history (hyped and exaggerated wildly) of exclusion and discrimination against members of these Dem groups.

Even if the GOP has its populist-mainstream elements overpower the “business whore” segment that is often in charge in the party, and seeks long-sought-by-the-public immigration controls, it becomes the perfect fuel for more attacks on the GOP as exclusionary and “racist” [sic] and “far right” [sic]. (This, from the party and media supporting amnesty for illegal immigrants and offering them more government goodies….) For years and years, the GOP already has tried to appeal to Hispanics (who, like the Anglo and rest of the US mainstream, is both socially liberal as far as civil rights are concerned, but socially conservative in rejecting extremist left politics, personal misconduct, et cetera), and typically Hispanics continue to vote 2/3 Democrat.

In addition to deception by the Dems and the media about the Republicans (and post-1980 conservative politics), there's tradition to consider. Even if today's GOP isn't like 1965's or 1935's GOP, those who faced discrimination in society and by the GOP, presumably, at that time are set in their ways and they have passed on their traditions to subsequent generations. (This is aside from naivete in youth and lack of maturity that explains so much liberalism among the young, anyway.) Though today's world is so much different, black Americans still typically vote 90%+ Democratic, and Jewish Americans are heavily Democratic as well, for example. Inertia tends to leave many people continuing to feel that the GOP is a “thin mainstream” “closed club” (it makes a good myth in the media and in the rest of liberal society, at least) mainly appealing to white, male, and more-affluent Americans.

I don't think Meghan is ready for the national stage yet. I watched the entire Bill Maher episode when it aired live and he was VERY nice to her. She knew she was way over her head and she was…everyone at the table and watching on tv knew it. He could have ripped her to pieces or let the dems at the table have at her, but didn't.

But lets look at who she is replacing….Hasselbeck. Talk about clueless.

I am glad Meghan wants to get involved. We need more young moderate Reps in the public eye. People like Meghan help fight the impression that all Reps are nothing but brain dead dittoheads that listen to every word out of Rush's mouth.

Yes. Will she or won't she outgrow her naive, hip, PC youth liberalism as the mainstream does, that is the question.

Of more general-thought interest is to what extent her generation will resemble the New Deal and Great Society and Sixties-radical dinosaurs, be it from “rediscovering” [sic] so much liberalism in opposition to the Establishment, and how much it will be due to mental-lightweight negative PC myths (and worse) so often aimed at the Evil Conservatives beginning with Reagan in the 1980s (everything was fine and truly wonderful, and then in 1980 Along Came Reagan [retch], say extremists like Thom Hartmann on radio).

I sort of like Meghan McCain, however like you I don't know what to make of her. Friend, foe or indeterminate alien? (Especially since your passing alien comment got past the alien censors.)

Meghan McCain Pwned By Paul Begala

Here is a preview of the intellectual depth she will bring to the View.