Turnabout? ...

One reader commented about Bill Kristol's column today in the New York Times in which he, Kristol, says, "Being conservative means never being too surprised by disappointment." Kristol then goes on to do the usual thing for pundits, by playing both sides of the fence, never taking a stand himself. After all, remember, he along with many others, is just a commentator, a stander on the sidelines, an insulated isolated individual who doesn't really have to worry about, or implement, any specific programs to bring about specific results. To Billy K., it's all about the passing parade, whoever wins.

The reader, at any rate, said, Let me get this straight. A young black guy with a Muslim name who no one outside of political junkies had heard of 4 years ago is the "establishment" and a white septugenarian who married into huge aristocratic wealth and has been in Washington for over 30 years is the "underdog?"

To that reader, I guess, unless he's being sarcastic, I guess I'd say, Gee, I think it's called "diversity." If you haven't seen it in Phoenix, maybe you ought to try looking around the state of Arizona. Or ... Ordinarily the white septagenerian would be way ahead, except for two factors: (1) the white guy has run a very stupid erratic campaign, and (2) a guy named George Bush messed the U.S. up so badly that anyone with a Republican label is going to be ostracized and will end up as the underdog, no matter who is running against him.

Any way, I'd like to see a real Conservative, compassionate or otherwise, iterate a series of logical, well-thought-out principles by which they will operate and then stick to it. For example, "fiscal responsibility" might be one of the principles. Anybody who didn't hew strictly to the principles would be ostracized by the Conservatives. Enough of these phony Conservatives who crumple into a jellied mass and spend money like water without worrying about where it comes from.

I always thought Bill Kristol was a lightweight, anyhow, along with Brooks, hired basically to balance the NY Times Editorial pages.