“I nominate Snaggle-Tooth Jones for leader of this mythical party. This imaginary neoconfederate would fit in well with a hypothetical third party that imagines Ken Salazar as “moderate.” After all, Ken Salazar received a 9 percent rating from the National Taxpayers Union in 2007.”

Tryin’ t’ figgur out yir logic here, Mr. Sense. Why wud an imaginary paleocon like yorn truly wanna have anythin’ t’ do with “progressive” party, mythical ‘r otherwise? Don’t you know nothin’ ’bout paleocons?

“But go ahead and keep calling me a “neocon” all the livelong day, if it’s therapeutic for you. Just because I don’t share your sentiments that the South should rise again….”

Naw, I dohn’t call ye a neoconservative cuz you aint no neoconfed’rate. I call ye a neoconservative cuz you are one. If it walks like a duck. . . .

I’ll aisk ye agin wut I thank I asked ye before, which is why bein’ “Reagan style” makes one a conservative, nessarily. Weren’t thar conservatives before Reagan. Before Goldwater even? Why don’t you neocons ever tawk ’bout them?

And secondly, do ye strive t’ be a “Reagan-style” conservative in-att ye *actually do* wanna downsize gummint (especially th’ fedrul gummint), or, like him, only wanna tawk about it but do th’ very opposite.

Inkwahrn minds wanna know.

To the larger point of the story, one wonders what part of the Republican coalition attracted Jim Martin in the first place. He obviously holds disdain for the social conservatives. His citing of Ken Salazar’s “moderation” proves that fiscal conservatism is not an important issue.

My theory is that he was a Republican because they controlled the levers of power in the state. This allowed him to be invited to the proper social events, etc. Since the Democrats control the state now, breaking with the Republicans provides a certain cachet with the social set. After all, some politicians prefer to be liked then to have a consistent philosophy.

Besides, you neocons aleddy did it.

“Such a humorous inversion of reality is cause for a healthy chuckle. We now return to the challenging work of rebuilding the GOP on the true principles of liberty and fiscal conservatism.”

Oh really? Ye mean fiscal conservatism Reagan style? Or liberty Bush style?

Seems t’ me, Ben, y’all neocons need t’ aisk yesevves, “How long halt ye between two opinions?”