Posted by
Ron Devito on Tuesday, May 08, 2012 5:47:08 PM
LaDonna Hale Curzon, Executive Producer, Sarah Palin Radio this week interviewed R. Emmett Tyrell, founder and editor of American Spectator and 12-time author, with The Death of Liberalism being his latest book.
Tyrell on Liberalism's Death
Tyrell said liberalism has been dying over the past 30 years and only about 20% of the American people embrace it. He said conservatism is trending upward and embraced by 42% of the American people with independents constituting the remaining 30% to 35%. He noted that in 2010, the independent vote went conservative, because "independents were terrified of the high deficits that have been accumulating under the spendthrift President - Barack Obama." In one of his earlier books, The Liberal Crack-Up, Tyrell delineated key elements of liberalism that would lead to its ultimate failure. In a companion book, The Conservative Crack-Up, he described elements that endangered the conservative movement. The fissures in our movement, he said were between the old-line conservatives, the neo-cons, and the evangelicals. Today, they are between the Tea Party movement and the rest of the conservatives. The cracks in the liberal movement, he said are those of a diminishing movement, while the conservative cracks are those of an expanding one.
Liberalism Anti-Constitution, Pro-Universalism, Abstract, and Nonsensical
"The American people by and large love freedom, love a growing economy, and love their country, and I don't think liberals feel the same way. They're kind of for world government, universalism, and things like that. They're all very abstract and nonsensical," Tyrell said.
He described both Obama and pre-2009 Secretary of State Clinton as "chronic campaigners" - people who spend more time on the campaign trail than doing the jobs they were elected to do. He also described Obama as a "stealth socialist." ObamaCare, the Solyndra mess, and Obama's "green" policies are examples of over-reach and "stealth socialism" or "friendly fascism."
He said conservatism of all stripes: Reagan, neo-con, evangelical, and the Tea Party movement continue to expand. "The Tea Party movement has directed our attention to the greatness of the American Constitution, and what a different kind of government you have under the American Constitution as opposed to liberalism," he said. "Liberalism never liked the American Constitution and always rebelled against the American Constitution. Now, the constitutionalists are rebelling against liberalism."
Tyrell: Obama to be Routed in November
Tyrell said what's left of liberalism in Hollywood and in academia is actually socialism or "friendly fascism." He predicted that Obama would be "routed out of office" in November. Curzon asked him what he thought the odds were of Obama being reelected. "I think they're slim to none! I think Obama's through!" He predicted Romney would carry the swing states with majorities between 5% and 10%. (Ed Note: By this prediction, we can assume that Tyrell thinks Romney will be the nominee or is the de facto nominee.) "I predict [Romney] will sweep the electoral college," Tyrell said. "In 1980, no one but a fool like me was saying that Ronald Reagan is going to be the next president of the United States....Obama is a failed president. He's failed on the economy; he's failed on foreign policy; he's failed at practically everything he's done."
Curzon asked him about the remnants of liberalism left among Hollywood elites such as Michael Moore and Barbra Streisand. Tyrell said they are part of a "culture smog," which he described as "a very strong life support system that has its tentacles in Hollywood, corporations, and goes against the will of the American people." But, Tyrell said, we have a counter-culture: Fox News, the internet, and independent talk radio. He noted how liberals tried and failed to silence Rush Limbaugh.
Tyrell on Gov. Palin: "Pulchritudinous," Witty, Good Mind
On Page 129 of The Death of Liberalism, he described former Alaska Governor Sarah Palin as "pulchritudinous," and said on air that "she is absolutely beautiful and that should not be held against her." Curzon asked Tyrell how else he would describe Gov. Palin. "I think she's witty. I think she's got a quick wit. I think she's got a good mind, and I think she's going to have a good career in public life. I hope she stays around a long time," he answered.
Audio Transcript of Emmett Tyrell Interview