Please, read “Jerry Kassar's Common Sense: Today's Conservatives” in this week’s Home Reporter or whatever — See for yourself that it tells almost nothing about “...Today’s Conservatives”

It seems that the Brooklyn Conservative Leader has a view of conservatism that is so jaded, myopic and astigmatic, it leaves him incapable of even describing "... Today's Conservatives"  ---  or what they do or stand for

Kassar’s column this week clearly demonstrates to any objective and truly “conservative” observer a lot of what is wrong with what’s left of a big chunk of  “The Conservative Movement,” in Brooklyn, in New York City and the rest of New York State.

"... Today's Conservatives"  can't possibly only be about a handful of political insiders, and the various event(s) where they will be.  ---   Or can it ?

According to Jerry Kassar, “Many contemporary conservative leaders consider Reagan their inspiration.” So far, I think I can agree with Mr. K  —  except that I would say it thus, “Many people who fancy themselves as contemporary conservative leaders consider Reagan their inspiration.” However, that line by Kassar is about as close as I’d get to agreeing with him about anything significant in his column this week  —  possibly excluding his announcements of the details of events, which one hopes for everybody going to or  running those events are for the most part accurately presented.

Kassar’s column went downhill from the early quote mentioned above, very fast and very far.  This bit just makes me want to puke: “And that is what makes Reagan different.  The power of his words, the success of his actions and the goodness of his character transcend time.  It is why Reaganism became a movement that in turn became a major part of his legacy, a legacy that conservatives fall comfortably back upon when confronted with today’s often-ignorant criticisms of what the right is all about.”  Is that paragraph a quote from some  hagiography by the spiritualist spouse of the deceased former president, the probable once upon a time card-carrying communist actress Nancy Davis, whose love story with Ronny goes back to his Janus-like union involvement in the days of the Hollywood Red Scares ?  No, that quote isn’t from Nancy Reagan (at least it’s not so attributed  by its nominal author); it is by Jerry Kassar, and it follows right after the line of his that I quoted above (See “Jerry Kassar's Common Sense: Today's Conservatives,” 2/12/13, Home Reporter-News Blog [http://www.homereporternews.com/opinion/jerry-kassar-s-common-sense-today-s-conservatives/article_f78f87c6-7549-11e2-bc77-001a4bcf887a.html]). So, it’s right there for the world to see, Kassar kicks-off his piece about “...Today’s Conservatives” with a paean to “Reaganism” —  a cult of personality, just like Stalinism; and yes, Obamaism.  Just as mythical, just as mindless  —  just as amoral.
(Btw, is there any Eisenhowerism, Nixonism, Fordism, or Bushism ?)

Both as Governor of California and President of the United States, Ronald Reagan presided over massive growths in government, government revenue and government debt. To be sure, in many ways President Reagan was a success, especially in intra-party Republican politics; and more important, geo-politically as America’s ultimate Cold Warrior and as a key leader of a world-wide anti-Communist alliance. His record as a  proto-anti-terrorist warrior is not nearly so stellar; and domestically, he was more a partner to-  than an antagonist of-  Tip O’Neill and, yes, even Ted Kennedy. On domestic and government matters, Newt Gingrich and the Gingrich “Contract With America” were far greater symbols of militant and oppositional conservatism than anything done by Ronald Reagan or in his name. Most of what today’s right is really all about is not much like Reagan, Reagan’s crowd  or Reaganism at all  —   Thank God !  However, as far as Jerry Kassar is concerned, Ronald Wilson Reagan was the most accomplished conservative-style political insider of his lifetime; and Reagan and Reaganism are the avatars of the twelve-year Reagan-Bush regime. In any case, the Reagan part was only about a quarter or a third of Kassar’s column

About another quarter or third of Kassar’s column was  Jerry Kassar’s personal trip down memory lane:   “... YAF  [blah, blah, blah] ....  Young Americans Foundation [blah, blah, blah] ....  The Reagan Ranch [blah, blah, blah] ....  ACU [blah, blah, blah] ....  This year’s CPAC  [blah, blah, blah] ....”  Thank the Lord !  Jerry Kassar remembers this stuff, because who-the-hell-else would care to do it ?

The rest of his column about “...Today’s Conservatives” are Kassar’s almost weekly roll-call of “Conservative Party” insiders and endorsees: “... Assemblymember Nicole Malliotakis. [blah, blah, blah] .... Conservative Party State Chairperson Mike Long [blah, blah, blah] .... Brooklyn Conservative Party Vice Chairperson Frances Vella-Marrone [blah, blah, blah] .... Bay Ridge Conservative Party leader Liam McCabe [blah, blah, blah] .... Congressmember Peter King [blah, blah, blah] .... mayoral candidate Joseph Lhota [blah, blah, blah] .... and Mike Long (again) [blah, blah, blah] ....  Congressmember Michael Grimm [blah, blah, blah] .... State Senator Marty Golden ([for/with whom Kassar serves] as chief of staff) [blah, blah, blah] .... and Assemblymember Malliotakis (again)[blah, blah, blah] ....”

Sadly, in Jerry Kassar’s column about “...Today’s Conservatives” there is not one word about what “...Today’s Conservatives” believe in;  how “...Today’s Conservatives” see themselves; or what “...Today’s Conservatives” actually do  —  so as to have an effect on the polity, government and/or the politics of their communities, cities, states and/or the nation as a whole.

So, do take a look at Kassar’s column in whatever format of the Home Reporter - Brooklyn Spectator, etc., etc. etc.,  you might happen upon in your travels and travails  —  just to see what “...Today’s Conservatives” are not all about .