More on conservatism's descent

A few days ago, we pulverized Dinesh D'Souza's outlandish characterization of the president as a "Kenyan anti-colonialist."

We've made this commentary before, but it bears repeating in light of D'Souza's nonsense being repeated by, among others, Newt Gingrich, who these days styles himself presidential timber.

Modern conservatism has come to embody the following: a characterization of Barack Obama as a Marxist, a Muslim, a Manchurian candidate, or all three; an economic policy comprised entirely of a demand for tax cuts; an energy policy comprised entirely of demands for more offshore drilling; an unwillingness to reconcile the inherent contradictions in tax cuts and deficit reduction; a crusade against not just radical Islamic extremists, but even moderate Muslims like Feisal Abdul Rauf; the support for a massive, Orwellian national security state; and a willingness to defend a president who claimed an absurd, unconstitutionally overbroad conception of executive power and who, in the execution of those supposed powers, openly broke federal law.

It's bitterly disappointing to observe conservatism's steep descent. I'm thoroughly convinced that, as Lindsay Graham has noted, Ronald Reagan would have a tough time winning a Republican primary in 2010.

It is also incredible to watch the Democratic Party slip even deeper into irrelevance by governing so ineffectually and being so out of step with the times. As we've said before, Barack Obama will probably be a one-term president, and before he can do any more damage, the GOP will almost certainly re-take control of the House this fall.

The good news? There are still a few responsible adults in the Republican Party, such as George WIll, Peggy Noonan, Ross Douthat -- and one of them -- Indiana Gov. Mitch Daniels -- might well be the nominee in 2012.

Godspeed, Governor.