Did the Conservative Movement commit intellectual suicide?
I would say yes. I come from a relatively Conservative town. Many of my friends were self-described Conservative Intellectuals, in the tradition of Buckley. However, as the movement has become increasingly Anti-Intellectual, they have distanced themselves from Conservatism and the Republican Party. Many now consider themselves Independents or very Conservative Democrats, rather than associating themselves with Palin, Limbaugh, Beck and the Tea Party. Two friends, formerly active republicans in the Village and County Boards, have retired completely from local Politics, largely as a result of the new, Anti-Intellectual Conservative movement.
