Impact of the Elections on Neo-Confederacy

Let me say upfront that I am not sure what all the impacts will be. However, I think that there will be some impacts of relevance to the Neo-Confederates. I have these speculations to offer.

REPUBLICANS AND CONSERVATIVE INFIGHTING WILL HAVE AN IMPACT

Some conservative ideologies have been frozen out of the Republican party by the political clout of the White House and the Republican leadership that has dominated the last 6 years or so. Their authority in the Republican party, will be much less and as a consequence I think we will see these formerly suppressed ideologies regaining a position in the Republican party including Neo-Confederacy in various forms. Though, the people who have financed the Republican parties over the last 6 years or so will have considerable influence and as various ideologies don't serve their purpose, they will attempt to freeze these ideologies out and will have some success.

However, that will have some limitation. If in some State, Congressional district, region, getting elected necessarily involves taking a certain position, and not taking the position involves being out of office, persons running for office will reject any national body attempting to set the agenda. I think we are beginning to see this with the issue of immigration.

Also, the ability to suppress dissident conservative ideologies depended on a national Republican leader, Bush, with broad national support and able to get candidates elected and punish dissidents. Bush is now the opposite, his association is a quick ticket to being out of office, that is he is fatally toxic to a political career. Republicans are avoiding him like the plague, I suppose since he is. His political group has a very limited future, and much opposition in the Republican party as bringers of defeat and powerlessness. They will not be getting donors' funding and will be without influence and therefore no clout.

There should also be a lot of political infighting as to who is to blame. A lot of fighting for power. Those groups which are seen as the source of future electoral defeat, the existing dominating forces of the Republican party are likely to be purged of influence. Also, while the fighting is going on, there will be no one group dominating, no group to police conservative ideology or having the time to do so, and groups will need as many allies as possibles. What an opportunity for conservative dissidents. Pat Buchanan is likely to have a revival in fortunes.

It will be interesting to see how many Republican party concepts closely associated with George W. Bush will be dropped or expelled. The idea of the "big tent" I think will be collapsed.

With Neo-Confederacy in particular, they have positioned themselves in opposition to Bush, did so loud and clear. That will give them some credibility I suppose with some conservatives.

THE "9/11" ERA IS OVER

One major blow that the Neo-Confederates suffered, was 9/11, and many of its members dropped the idea of secession to engage themselves in what they saw as national solidarity. When Michael Hill was critical of the Republican party post-9/11 program, many members were horrified. Now there is national disaffection with the Republican party over the Republican party's response to 9/11 and Neo-Confederates are not as far out of the mainstream on 9/11, and it appears not much out of the antiwar mainstream at all.

I think Neo-Confederacy will be on the loose.