In a recent post on the libertarian website reason.com, Michael C. Moynihan offered this analysis of the situation in Washington: The Obama administration keeps fumbling, but the Republicans can’t seem to scoop up the ball — in part because the GOP seems focused not on providing alternatives and legitimate criticism, but on scaring people to death with extreme scenarios and rhetoric. 

 The post includes this cautionary tale for conservative media:  “After two years of muckraking anti-Clinton journalism, The American Spectator went from 30,000 subscribers to 300,000. As Clinton proved to be a Teflon president, the mania deepened and the magazine accused Clinton of murder, drug smuggling, and cheating at golf. In the end, its star investigative journalist converted to liberalism, those remaining defected to other conservative publications, the magazine collapsed and was relaunched as a technology publication, and the Clinton administration barreled forward. Glenn Beckmight pull 2.5 million viewers a day, WorldNetDaily might be clocking 2 million unique visitors a month—impressive, if slightly frightening, numbers—but they would be advised to remember the Spectator.”

What’s the lesson for talk radio?  Well, radio now lives in a quarter-to-quarter world, and it can be argued that extremism in defense of making the quarter (or year) is no vice. Should Glenn Beck tone it down?  Probably not.  He’s found his niche and should make hay while the anger shines.  But younger talkers (and vets still seeking a distinctive identity) should be wary of jumping on the crazy train.  That ride always comes to an end — either in a horrific crash or, more often, when the locomotive just plain runs out of steam.