Former George W. Bush speechwriter David Frum points out that conservative talk was a big winner with passage of Obamacare — even though the vote went against everything the hosts and their listeners believe.

Says Frum on his blog:

“I’ve been on a soapbox for months now about the harm that our overheated talk is doing to us. Yes it mobilizes supporters – but by mobilizing them with hysterical accusations and pseudo-information, overheated talk has made it impossible for representatives to represent and elected leaders to lead. The real leaders are on TV and radio, and they have very different imperatives from people in government. Talk radio thrives on confrontation and recrimination. When Rush Limbaugh said that he wanted President Obama to fail, he was intelligently explaining his own interests. What he omitted to say – but what is equally true – is that he also wants Republicans to fail. If Republicans succeed – if they govern successfully in office and negotiate attractive compromises out of office – Rush’s listeners get less angry. And if they are less angry, they listen to the radio less, and hear fewer ads for Sleepnumber beds.

So today’s defeat for free-market economics and Republican values is a huge win for the conservative entertainment industry. Their listeners and viewers will now be even more enraged, even more frustrated, even more disappointed in everybody except the responsibility-free talkers on television and radio. For them, it’s mission accomplished. For the cause they purport to represent, it’s Waterloo all right: ours.”

I hate that Frum is right.  Talk radio has always been about passion; now it seems to be about just one passion: anger — from both ends of the political spectrum.  It’s the last step in a twenty-year process of cramming what should be a gloriously multifaceted format into an ever-smaller box. Looks like we’re gonna be in that box for awhile longer.