I regularly read the History News Network blog and saw this article tonight. I've been thinking along these lines for a week now, but have yet been able to put it together as nicely as Leonard Steinhorn has in his essay. Indeed, this event has exposed the weakness in the Republican conservative philosophy which treats government and people so disgracefully. This is indeed what conservatives fear, and even David Brooks has danced around this issue in a few essays in the NYTs, that this will become the center of discussion. I have a moderate conservative colleague who talks very defensively about administration's response the the blame game. But now I know a way to corner him, so to speak. You can read the full text at this link, it is not a very long essay. Democrats and progressives alike need to spread Steinhorn's analysis across the country and into the next election cycle.
http://hnn.us/articles/15583.html