To play off of the title of an excellent book by Judge Robert Bork, which itself was taken from an excellent poem by Yeats titled The Second Coming,  the conservative movement better start working on civility lest we find ourselves in the throes of a death spiral toward insignificance.

"Things fall apart; the centre cannot hold;"

Are conservatives, as a group starting to fracture? Yes. mainly because of massive fusillades on anything not endorsed by the right wing of the political ideal.

Let's take the big issue of that day; How many times have we witnessed a true and proud conservative get mauled for simply expressing his or her view that the war is a misguided?

William Kristol, Editor of The Weekly Standard, doesn't just disagree with James Bakers Iraq Study Group's findings, he has to heap obloquies at the messangers.

 He co-authored an article in the Dec. 11th edition of the Weekly Standard titled A Perfect Failure
READI IT HERE:http://www.weeklystandard.com/Content/Public/Articles/000/000/013/021jenri.asp

Kristol's retort begins with his disdain for the ISG's co-chairmen Baker and Hamilton and how they took time for a photo spread for a fashion magazine.

This argumentum ad hominem is a sad statement on the current state of conservatism.

Even if Kristol's point of view has merit, all but the most ardent syncophant is put off by the mean spirit of the article.

James Baker has been a credit to the the American people and the conservative ideal for a long time. the fact that he was commissioned to do this study should speak to his high status as a statesman and critical thinker.

If William Kristol has an argument with the findings, fine. But, why not stay on the high road.

"Mere anarchy is loosed upon the world,"

When Tom Delay spoke about being involved in an international conservative movement, on FNS (10-03-05) none of our talented tenth spoke up about that little statement.

We cannot be so vehemently against international trade agreements and UN power grabs on one hand, then try to collocate some sort of global philosophy, on the other.

If we  have any sort of conservative link with the rest of the world, it would be our link in jolly ol' England, So, when the son of Lady Thatcher, got caught up in a coup attempt  to bring down the government of Equatorial Guinea, Africa's third largest oil reserve. We. . . . US. . . . You and I, the famous and the lumpenproletariat. . . we should've spoken up. We should've railed against this criminal act.
Isn't there some sort of political "Friend of the Court," brief that we could've come up with?

If we can easily talk about a senator driving off of a bridge and drowning a girl. at dinner parties, we should as easily bring up how we need to keep our house clean when famous sons of great allies try and bring down countries.

The best lack all conviction, while the worst
Are full of passionate intensity.

we are tarring ourselves with the stain of the querulous. and if we don't wake up, and soon we will be the ones so full of sound fury, but signifying nothing.

William Kristol is by far, not the only one in the complaint parade, neither is he  a constant  grouser, with no plan, purpose or program.
 
In later posts I'll be sure to HIGHLIGHT all the intellect and positivity he espouses. But it is the quick and vehement disparagements that too many of us dish out  when we don't agree with the point being discussed.

Last month Mike Gallagher went on a tirade about theLIBERAL viewpoints regarding Mary cheney's pregnancy.
WHAT!!!!

And what rough beast, its hour come round at last,
Slouches towards the puisne, to be born.

Let's not bring the rough beast to birth.