believes that the Republican party will succeed politically if it ditches the neocons and the social Right and cuts government spending–in other words, if it comes closer into accord with his own views. I doubt that he’s right about all of this, but what most strikes me is how convenient it is. I would be very happy if the way to win votes were to cut farm subsidies, abolish HUD, etc., but I see very little evidence that it’s the case, and I think that political analysts should be more careful than most of us are most of the time to keep the wish from being father to the thought.