Another Camel's Nose Under the Conservative Tent

Some people reckon that the conservative movement is composed of three parts: the social conservatives, the economic conservatives, and the national-security conservatives. Others, like Ken Blackwell, have dvided it into six parts.

1. Social conservatives
2. Christian conservatives
3. Second Amendment conservatives
4. Economic conservatives
5. Philosophical conservatives
6. National Security conservatives

But my question is: Where do the Palin conservatives belong in our movement?

It’s a big question, and I think it is the determining question for the next phase of conservative expansion. We conservatives see a new camel’s nose appearing under the tent and we want the Palin conservatives in our coalition. I mean by “Palin conservative” people from unremarkable origins, people who maybe were in a hurry to get married. People who have Downs Syndrome babies, and pregnant teenage daughters. People who had a DUI in their twenties. People who want to get on with life, don’t have big expectations or big resentments. People who more or less take the world as they find it, but want to go to work, obey the law, play by the rules, and give back to the community.

Ross Douthout and Reihan Salam have addressed this issue in Grand New Party: How Republicans Can Win the Working Class and Save the American Dream. How can Republicans get their head out of the clouds and get their feet on the ground to welcome people like the Palins into the conservative movement?

I don’t like to call the Palin people “blue-collar” or “working-class” conservatives, because that’s demeaning. They aren’t, anyway. They are middle class and think of themselves that way. People who go to Bible church are no longer rank-and-file working class, because the whole point of Bible church is to leave the tribal world of identity politics and enter the great middle class where service and moving out replaces battling for a bare existence and defending the community against injustice and exploitation.

I think all this is very important. I think that, after a Democratic interregnum, Republicans will come back stronger than ever. But first we need to do some thinking. Well, maybe first of all we need to do some listening. What is the Palin candidacy telling us? What do the Palin people want for themselves and America? What can the rest of the conservative movement do to welcome them into the tent?

One thing is for sure. The current liberal sneer-in over the Palin pick is going to boomerang big time. The New York Times today, Tuesday September 2, 2008, had three front-page stories on the Palin daughter’s pregnancy. What is it about these liberals? Have they no decency? As attorney Robert Welch said at the Army McCarthy hearings:

"Let us not assassinate this lad further, Senator.... You’ve done enough. Have you no sense of decency, sir, at long last? Have you left no sense of decency?"

But, of course, our liberal friends don’t think that they have “done enough” on Palin’s daughter, or on Palin herself, or on McCain, or on any conservative or any Republican. Indeed, they have hardly begun!

UPDATE: In a blazing denunciation of the Drive-by Media (driving by the Palin family for the last three days and spraying media gunfire on them) Rush Limbaugh just used the notion of “heartland” conservative to describe the Palin conservatives.

UPDATE TWO: Or maybe “fly-over” conservative.

UPDATE THREE: How about “bedrock” conservative?