I was perusing the web site for the National Review (a right-wing magazine, for those who don't know). I'd wound up there from a link from Google News, which annoyed me greatly. Anyway, I'd never been to their web site, so I thought I'd check it out. I'm glad I did. While I was there I had an epiphany about Conservatives and the Right-Wing movement. Well, about their tactics, anyway. It's all encapsulated in the National Review web site. I had already thought of the Right as being a bunch of schoolyard bullies, but that's an oversimplifation.

In essense, my epiphany was this; the Conservative, Republican and/or Right-Wing position and cause is so essentially without merit that the only way they can make themselves appear to have a position or any legitimacy whatsoever is by demonizing their opposition. This may sound like a "Duh" moment to you, but it's a realization for me. Not about their tactics, of course, but simply that their position is entirely hollow and a product of fantasy.

Example; every picture or drawing of a Republican is flattering, and every picture or drawing of a Democrat is unflattering or mocking. Every single article on the web site took the opportunity not just to report the story but to swipe at Democrats. And several of the stories sole purpose was apparently just to swipe at Democrats, so secondary to the article did the purported news story become. That is so childish that in itself it defines what I'm talking about here.

I've dealt with bullies my whole life. I'm familiar with their tactics. Physical intimidation may not apply here. But continually belittling and badgering the opposition, psychological intimidation, certainly does. Any good psychologist will tell you that bullies are essentially insecure, and their tactics are a way of making them feel better about themselves, by making them feel superior to their intended target. So if the Republicans control everything, what are they so afraid of?

I'll tell you. They know what charlatans, liers and bullies they are. They know that they are shoring up their own positions by constantly attacking Democrats. They know that if people look too closely at their positions that they might just realize that they're all full of shit. And so they attack.

The epiphany for me in all this was that I realized how systemic this is. It also made me realize how vulnerable they are.