All this is not to say the Republican Party won't figure this out

Dionne attempts the debugabooification of Obama as "some new, leftist tribune":

His preschool proposal, after all, is modeled in part on the success of a program in Oklahoma, one of the nation’s reddest states. Most of the president’s initiatives involve modest new spending and many, including his infrastructure and manufacturing plans, are built on partnerships with private industry.

Even the president’s welcomed call to raise the minimum wage to $9 an hour and to index it to inflation was cautious by his own standards. In 2008, Obama had urged a $9.50 minimum wage, and it rightly ought to be set at $10 or above.

Yet Dionne's is a sober, realistic portrayal more suited for historical perspective than sharply contrasted politics, while the GOP bugabooers prefer intoxicated caricatures more suited for yesterday's politics than electoral victory. The recent spectacles of Rubio, Rand and McConnell all feigning the moderate vapors over Obama's leftist re-radicalization have been pathetic at best; at their partisan worst, the spectacles are the death throes of a party that simply knows not what to do.

That is not to say the Republican Party won't figure this out, however. For there are other spectacles, too, such as Haley Barbour's frontal assault on the "purity" freaks and Chris Christie's open embrace of the bugabooers' bête noire, President Obama. This minority faction's biggest headache at the moment is not, as reported, the American electorate--Barbour, Christie & Co. knows, as Obama knows, that America is still a fundamentally conservative nation--but the Republican primary system, which, if left unmolested by the rules-jiggerers, will keep spitting out its Akinses and Mourdocks and Iowan disasters like demons from hell.

This internal power struggle is for now rather sickly in comparison to the primordial Goldwater Revolt that inexorably ensured it, although few are failing to recognize it for the civil war it is. Yet the Goldwater Revolt began not only as a propaganda offensive but as an inside job--the creative manipulation of party rules and delegate-selection; maneuverings much below virtually everyone's radar--as could the rebellious revanchism of today's minority faction.

Comments

[Robert Lipscomb]

Obama’s political strategy for his second term is coming into focus.

First, apply jujitsu against the GOP to prevent levels of austerity that would impede the economic recovery and improving employment. This is the cash-cow for generating political capital over the next four years. This ensures he will be running downhill for the rest of his presidency.

Second, use Organizing for Action and its attendant PAC to go on the offensive against congressional Republicans. Specifically, use the technology and political skills amassed during his two campaigns on 50 targeted House districts and 10 senate races.

Third, the SOTU speech and the inaugural address comprise the Obama political doctrine. In contrast to his first four years when tried to play the role of nonpartisan pragmatist, he has become the unapologetic leader of the progressive Democrats.

Fourth, pursue all the individual proposals in the SOTU speech – regardless of how likely they are to pass. Some will pass – some very important – and will count as political victories and create more political capital. The rest will serve as wedge issues for Organizing for America to use in political campaigns. Once given a full-throated voice by Obama for four years, they will also define the political agenda for the Democratic Party for another 10-20 years.

[Shared Humanity]

My guess is they cannot figure out how to loosen the hold which the xenophobic fanatics have on the party. It is their base, all they have left, really.

Death is not imminent, given this base has a complete lockhold on regions of the country. My guess, the party will be on life support for decades. It's last throes will be a zombified exist, more undead then living.

[Kenneth Hargrove]

"America is still a fundamentally conservative nation"

If that's true, why do fundamentally progressive ideas have such popular support? Sensible gun safety regulations have majority support. So does strengthening the social safety net, civil rights for minorities (including LGBT, albeit slowly)and responsible use of our military. This idea that America if fundamentally conservative really misses the mark. America if fundamentally moderate, and becoming more so with each passing generation.

[Sidney18511]

Kenneth, I agree with you totally! This country is not rightl leaning, it is a country that at its core wants to march foward not backwards.

[Dan Griffin]

America is not a fundamentally conservative nation. If it were, women's suffrage, civil rights and now LGBT rights would not exist. All these things are anathema to conservatives. To be sure, conservatives eventually come to grips with equality, usually decades after normal people. But even as they become okay with a woman's right to vote, they seek to reduce her to a baby incubator. They still struggle with the idea of black people being equal. They are fine with gays as long as they stay in the closet, like Lindsay Graham.