A dirty little secret, &c.

by Jay Nordlinger

The Republican primaries have been heated and dramatic. But here’s the dirty little secret: The candidates agree on everything. I mean, Romney, Santorum, and Gingrich, with Paul to one side. Oh, sure, there are teensy differences here and there: Santorum has this special plan for manufacturing; Romney has ideas about capital gains; Newt may be thinking moon.

But on the basics — energy, the budget, entitlements, defense, abortion, foreign policy, education, health care — they agree. There are not clashing philosophies in this campaign. There is no, say, Goldwater versus Scranton. There is simply the personal, the stylistic, the tonal.

I once talked with the chief of staff of a Democratic congressman, from an almost totally Democratic district. The staffer told me, “We have no Republicans in our district, and no real policy disputes. It’s just the politics of ‘I hate you.’”

Read more: http://www.nationalreview.com/articles/292305/dirty-little-secret-c-jay-nordlinger