Interesting take: Is Fox News destroying the GOP?

In the last year, a very interesting thing has happened. We have watched folks like Glenn Beck and Sarah Palin become instant millionaires (Beck earned $32 million and Sarah Palin $12 million since leaving office in July). We have watched CNN and MSNBC struggle for viability as Fox News ratings soar.

We have watched as the myths they spill into the airwaves, such as death panels and prison sentences for people who do not purchase health care, become true in the minds of some Americans. We have watched the polls turn decisively against the Democrats, Obama and on a larger scale, liberalism in general.

But the star power driving the conservative movement is not traditional political leaders. Republicans holding elected offices have been riding the coattails of the Big Media, either clueless or helpless to the fact that they have lost control over the conservative debate and agenda.

(snip)
What has all the conservative hype accomplished? So far, a few electoral victories -- in Virginia, Massachusetts and New Jersey. But long-term, the impact is much more self destructive. Fox News is effectively destroying the Republican Party. And what’s even more ironic is that the “liberal” policies it fights against are still prevailing.

* The stimulus package -- it passed. It was a huge blow to the idea of limited government and simply passing on tax credits to spur economic growth.
* The Jobs bill -- another slap in the face to the supply side economic thinking.
* Heath care reform --- the most important piece of legislation in more than a decade that seeks essentially to tax the rich in order to provide care for the poor.
* Financial reform -- once again, a huge slap in the face to the Wall Street-backed, free market rules, thinking of the Republican establishment.

http://blogs.alternet.org/speakeasy/2010/05/03/is-fox-news-destroying-the-gop/