I have a longer post, but really the most descriptive and best analysis of the modern conservative movement was written by Hofstadter–in the 1960s though much of his work in the 1950s led up to the Paranoid Style of American Politics. Rich links to an Andrew Sullivan piece quoting some of Hofstadter’s earlier work quoting another person. Hofstadter is to modern conservatism in the United States what De Toqueville was to America as a whole. No one captures the modern paranoid and expert despiting right wing than he (pick up The Paranoid Style in American Politics: And Other Essays</a>> at Amazon)
The difference today is the lunatics have taken over the asylum. A fairly good take on it in a far friendlier version than Hofstadter and quite funny is Charlie Pierce’s new book Idiot America. I read it while traveling and people on the plane kept looking at me funny while I kept laughing. I strongly recommend picking it up:
The opening editorial in the center-right “Economist” this week also focuses on the absence on a rational Right.
–MrJM
This reminds me so much of the McCarthy era, as eloquently described by Richard Rovere:
The good news is, the Republic (as well as Republicans) survived that, and it can survive this.