A Changing Party (And Not For the Good)

Support for Republicans and overall identification with the party has diminished in recent years, and the war or terror has undeniably been a major part of this development. However, there are a large number of conservatives pulling back from the GOP because the party is no longer willing to rein in the bloated programs of bureaucracy or to fight political corruption. I count myself among that second group.

The latest chapter in this sad saga is addressed by John Hinderaker at Powerline Blog.

The "ethics reform bill" now making its way through Congress marks the end, for now at least, of any serious effort to reform the earmark process. This is a sad thing for the Republican Party. Through all of modern history, up until the last two or three years, the Republicans were the party of clean government. It was the Democrats who were associated with bribes, corruption, machine politics, and so on. The idea that the current Republican leaders in Congress--I am thinking especially of Mitch McConnell--are willing to throw away this heritage, and join with the Democrats in suppressing any serious effort at reform--is profoundly depressing.

Read the rest. Cry in pillow.