From In These Times, Chris Lehmann reviews Right Out of California: The 1930s and the Big Business Roots of Modern Conservatism by Kathryn S. Olmsted. A growing chorus of voices on the Right is arguing that the turmoil in Baltimore and Ferguson is ushering in a new round of the culture wars. The Right’s plan to subvert democracy: Brian Beutler reviews By The People: Rebuilding Liberty Without Permission by Charles Murray. Complaints about the “incompetence” or “red tape” of the federal government are mostly smokescreens for other things; those other things are laws that people just don't like, or fees they just don't want to pay, or stuff they’ve merely heard from friends or the media. Yuval Levin on the roots of a reforming conservatism. Should libertarians embrace reform conservativism, or should conservatives? A debate at Reason magazine. Nathan Pippenger on Arthur Brooks and the desperate search for a smarter conservatism.
Elizabeth Drew on Congress: Reign of the Implacables. This document reveals why the House of Representatives is in complete chaos. Karoli Kuns on how the Kevin McCarthy smear campaign was engineered by anti-abortion zealot Steven Baer. Who’s going to be the next House Speaker? House Republicans should elect Mitt Romney speaker — no, really. Jonathan Chait on why Republicans need Paul Ryan as House Speaker (and more). Can Paul Ryan save the Republican Party? Surprise: Some hardliners aren’t sold on Paul Ryan for Speaker. Here are 3 reasons Right-wingers are rallying against “Speaker Paul Ryan”. However various candidates run, and however the race goes, let’s not confuse a leadership election with the end of civilization (and more). A look at the 7 possible paths forward for the House GOP. The Republican Party’s dysfunction is an embarrassment to us all. Where the hell has the Democratic Party been on the most basic issue of Republican madness? Charles P. Pierce on why Democrats bear some responsibility for the Republican Party’s madness. Paul Krugman on how it’s all Benghazi.
Benghazi committee ex-staffer alleges he was fired for refusing to target Hillary Clinton. This man is the most dangerous political operative in America: Steve Bannon runs the new vast right-wing conspiracy — and he wants to take down both Hillary Clinton and Jeb Bush. If conservatives want the most conservative president, they should get behind Jeb Bush: A Jeb! nomination would heed the classic advice of William F. Buckley. What if all politics is national? Democrats may have the edge in presidential elections, but Republicans now have the advantage where it counts: in the states, where they can set the policies that govern a majority of citizens’ daily lives. Park MacDougald on the darkness before the Right: A right-wing politics for the coming century is taking shape — and it’s not slowing down.
