In a recent opinion editorial for The Blaze, Paul Gottfried, a prominent conservative commentator, criticizes the Republican Party's approach to the culture war, arguing that the party's attempts to repackage cultural conservatism are futile.
Gottfried uses a Jewish joke about a vampire immune to a cross as a metaphor for the Republican Party's efforts to combat the left's cultural dominance.
Gottfried takes issue with Jesse Arm, a Manhattan Institute employee, who suggests that the Republican Party can push back against the left by presenting cultural conservatism in a more appealing way. Gottfried argues that this approach ignores the growing influence of the "hegemonic woke left," which he believes is increasingly radicalizing Western societies, particularly among women.
Gottfried points out that twenty years ago, neither of the two major American political parties would have celebrated gay marriage or participated in Pride month festivities. Now, both parties do so openly. He also notes that Donald Trump, despite his conservative base, has refrained from condemning gay marriage and has shifted the party's stance on abortion to focus on late-term procedures.
Gottfried argues that the Republican Party's reluctance to take a stronger stance against abortion is a clear sign of the left's cultural dominance. He notes that many Western countries have stricter abortion laws than the United States, yet any attempt to restrict abortion in the U.S. is met with fierce opposition from feminists.
Gottfried believes that the cultural right, currently housed within the GOP, will remain in a weak position until the left is completely discredited. He suggests that Arm's approach is not a path to victory, but rather another retreat in a series of tactical withdrawals.
Gottfried also criticizes the "sisterhood" of college-educated suburban women, arguing that they view themselves as victims of male domination despite their unprecedented comfort. He suggests that their perception of victimhood aligns them with other "bogus victims," allowing their voices to be amplified.
Gottfried concludes by arguing that the Republican Party's claim of victory in the culture war is unconvincing given their repeated setbacks. He suggests that new strategies are needed to halt the advance of the "woke hegemon."
He criticizes Jesse Arm for celebrating an imaginary end to the retreat, and questions whether a comeback is even possible given the challenges posed by what Trump refers to as the "fake media." For now, Gottfried is not optimistic about the prospects of the conservative side.
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