Republican Cognitive Dissonance

It not just the financial markets that we are watching crash and burn. The Republican Party, lead by two candidates who are not fit to run for office, much less run the country, are hitting bottom. As they witness the fruits of almost 30 years of Republican economic policy, the cognitive dissonance they experience must be deafening. Wikipedia defines cognitive dissonance as:

"an uncomfortable feeling or stress caused by holding two contradictory ideas simultaneously. The theory of cognitive dissonance proposes that people have a fundamental cognitive drive to reduce this dissonance by modifying an existing belief, or rejecting one of the contradictory ideas."

Let's see. Vice Presidential candidate Sarah Palin gave us a good example of this phenomenon in one of her speeches today:

"Guys and Galls, our regulatory system is outdated and it needs a complete overhaul...Our economy will grow and we will get government out of the way of private sector progress."

So we can have increased regulation and also get government out of the way. We can have conservative values and also trash the Constitution, increase the Federal deficit and engage in nation building overseas.

While the Republican Party flounders we are also witnessing the demise of Rovian campaign tactics. When the master himself calls John McCain a liar, is there any doubt that the American public by and large is no longer swayed by wedge issues and distractions?

As a final note, I'd like to share with you a video produced by Andrew Postman that examines the decline and fall of John McCain.