The road back

I was taken aback by this starry-eyed column by Yuval Levin called The Republicans' Road Back, especially by his laughable assertion that conservatism is an "unusually intellectual political movement." That may have been true 30 years ago, in the heyday of Buckley, but it certainly is no longer the case, and hasn't been since Reagan's ascension. The party that spent the last few decades overtly manipulating voters' basest fears (including racism, homphobia, and the "Evil Empire" of Russia) has relinquished it's claim to superior intellect. Witnessing the cultivated folksy appeal of the party's latest rock star, Sarah Palin, confirms that Levin's assertions are wishful thinking at best and more likely completely delusional. Shame on Newsweek for providing a platform for this nonsense. Creating balance isn't simply a matter of airing contrary opinions - certainly there are conservative writers out there with a more sensible presentation. Newsweek should try to find some for subsequent issues.