Winning The War of Ideas

Why is conservatism gaining traction and liberalism being reduced to raving lunatics? Perhaps this must read, "Gallantry, What Liberals Can Learn From George W. Bush" from an American Thinker can provide a clue.
Vasko Kohlmayer opens his article with an apt observation:

The other day, the American people saw George W. Bush once again addressing his
critics in connection with the NSA’s surveillance program . Despite the
fact
that he has been accused of the worst of possible motives – of
willfully and
deliberately breaking the law to spy on his fellow
citizens –
the President
tackled this and other gratuitous charges
without a trace of
anger or
bitterness.
A relative few presidents in
this country’s history
have endured
the kind of vicious and spurious
attacks that have been leveled
against George
Bush. Completely
abandoning any sense of decorum or
statesmanship, some of the
highest
officials in the Democratic Party have
repeatedly called him a liar, a
loser, an election-thief, an airhead, and a
fraud. Regularly likened to
Hitler,
there have been books
discussing his assassination. Recently he was even dubbed the world’s
greatest terrorist by one of America’s once-prominent entertainors These are
just a few of examples. Sadly, such views are increasingly becoming
part of
the mainstream liberal outlook.

Is this not so true by our own
observations and encounters with the angry lefties? He continues:

But no
matter how malicious they have been, George Bush has always
faced his critics
with affability and goodwill. Even his most bitter enemies
– hating him as they
do – would be hard pressed to fault him for being
uncivil or personally
unpleasant. He displays none of the unkindness,
harshness or anger one would
normally expect from someone engaged in a
political struggle against those who
frenziedly seek his destruction.
In
fact, Bush’s gallant manner has become
something of a trademark. His
comportment has served him well, for he has
triumphed in almost every great
battle he has fought, including two
heatedly-fought national elections. His
successes tend to drive his
opponents into what can only be called
spasms of political hysteria, and not
knowing what else to do, they crank up
even further their already outlandish
rhetoric. Their near-madness is indeed
a sight to behold. As we have seen repeatedly in the press and varied
internet commentary.
What this shows is that that when you are on the side of right you do not
have to be brusque to prevail. Conducting yourself with grace and dignity can in
itself have a devastating effect. Insults and vituperation are altogether
unnecessary. Quite to the contrary – geniality and personal warmth further
augment the effectiveness of your words and actions.
Rush Limbaugh chalks up
the bad beating that liberals have been taking in recent years to a lack of
proficiency in the art of argumentation. His contention is that during the fifty
or so years of media monopoly they became intellectually indolent and are now
unable to counter conservatives who, by contrast, patiently built their
intellectual armoury during their long period of minority status.

I agree, though who honestly could support the morally repugnant positions of the left?

This is only partially correct. Although it is true that more and more people
are becoming adept in articulating conservatism, liberalism’s present day
haplessness is not primarily due to a lack of argumentative skills on the part
of its advocates. Unfortunately for them, their predicament runs much deeper.
Their real and ultimately insurmountable problem is that most of their beliefs
and positions are inherently indefensible. For how does one make a case for
multiculturalism, abortion, bigger state, socialized healthcare or higher
taxes?
It certainly cannot be done by logic or deductive reasoning – no
matter how skilful they may ever become in these – since the hard truth is that
all of the above ultimately lead to bad outcomes. High taxes, just to take one,
in the long run invariably depress economic activity and bring in less in tax
receipts which is the opposite of what was intended in the first place. This is
a matter of incontrovertible
economic laws.

As I have long said a basic understanding of economics is needed to debate clearly. I am fiscally conservative first as social conservatism cannot stand without it.

One cannot argue one’s way out around these laws if debating an
opponent who has a solid grasp of the subject. And increasingly more people do,
which is why liberals are having such a hard time these days. So profound is
their desperation and impotence that often they can think of nothing better than
heckling, throwing
(and here)
and squirting salad dressing
at conservative speakers. It is both telling and ironic that this often happens
in universities which are supposed to serve as forums where opposing points of
view are freely and openly discussed.
Do we need a better illustration of
liberals’ intellectual and moral corruption?
This should help us see why so
few liberals are either amiable or gracious or civil or good-natured. These
virtues are for the most part alien to those who believe untruths and as a
result cannot prevail by logic and argument. Their only hope lies in deception
and personal attacks. They must lie about what they believe and demonize those
who disagree. Over time this tends to make them vicious, bitter and hateful. One
needs to look no further than Howard Dean, Teddy Kennedy, Chuck Schumer, Noam
Chomsky, Al Gore, Michael Moore, Harry Reid and the aging Jimmy Carter for
confirmation that this is indeed the case. And they are just a few among many.
We could go on and on.

So if throwing pies in Ann Coulters face and disrupting the State of the Union address are mature activities, I would like it explained to me. I don't see conservatives throwing pies at Al Franken or attempting to disrupt Al Gore's rants.

What a glaring contrast with the gracious deportment of George W. Bush. In
him we see the human aspect of conservatism at its best – kindly, affable and
good-natured. The fact that there are other conservative champions who exhibit
these as well as other admirable qualities should makes us confident and
optimistic. Rush Limbaugh, Victor David Hanson, Mary Matalin, George Will, Sean
Hannity, Cal Thomas, Bill Kristol, David Horowitz, Clarence Thomas, Peggy
Noonan, Mark Steyn are some examples. They truly are gallant and classy warriors
in the great struggles of our time.
It makes one regret that they have almost
no counterparts on the liberal side of the battlefield.

It is that comportment and grace that earned this former independant's support of President Bush and the GOP. I urge the libertarians and constitutionalists to also support the GOP. I am a Constitutional Federalist and the GOP comes closest to my political ideology and I donot want to see a socially regressive agenda of high taxes, gay marriage, partial birth abortion and terrorist appeasement in power. We must therefore show that same graceful comportment when dealing with the left. Remember dignity has its consequences as well.

PS: I screwed up in my initial editing so please forgive the result, push the wrong button and lose an hour of work. Oh well, such is typepad life.