Neo-conservative - moi?
Published April 10, 2005
OK - so, I avidly support the War in Iraq, I supported the invasion of Iraq six months before it actually happened, and therefore, I must surely be a neo-conservative. Right?
While it is true that I support President Bush's relatively newfangled Wilsonian, guns-and-butter policies, and while it is also true that I am a former liberal myself, I do not answer to the neo-con title. I admire the neo-cons, but that doesn't make me one of them.
Now, let me explain. There is a third-way traditional conservatism that rejects both the Old Right paleo-cons and the former liberal neo-cons. It's called the New Right and it has existed for roughly forty years.
So am I a New Rightist? The fusion of libertarianism with traditionalism that such a label encompasses seems tailor made for me. The New Right used to be very anti-Communist too, but these days, anti-Commie fever has been replaced by a staunch anti-terrorist position (as opposed to a sycophantic position, which contemporary liberals are excelling in).
Old Right, New Right, paleo-con, neo-con: What does it all mean? It has never been easy to describe conservatism throughout its existence in American history.
Paleo-cons tend to concern themselves with social issues only and are usually total idiots concerning foreign policy. They also tend to be out-to-lunch with regard to free trade, which is to say, they oppose it. They deny that NAFTA has worked - maybe not spectacularly, but the net benefits have outweighed the drawbacks. They would agree that Australia should never have entered the FTA with America. And even if it weren't for the WTO, they would have opposed GATT. (I oppose GATT too, but only because of the bureaucractic World Trade Organization.)
As has been noted, the neo-cons are former liberals. And, when it comes to their newfound conservatism, they still believe in throwing money around. They believe in Big Government Conservatism. I think that's oxymoronic to the nth degree. I want Bush to drastically cut the budget as he has pledged to do. I also want the Administration to back out of areas like alcohol production, medical marijuana, gay civil unions/marriage and euthanasia. These are not issues to be given federal mandates. Let the states decide issues like these.
Mark Edward Manning grew up in Boston, MA and now lives in London, England. He wrote commentaries for The Boston Herald in the mid 1990s.
- Neo-conservative - moi?
- Published: April 10, 2005
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- Section: Politics
- Writer: Mark Edward Manning
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Good article. MSM. I'm with you most of the way, but I do think that if Bush actually implemented the guest worker policy he's discussed that would be a major step in the right direction on immigration.
Oh, one note for gonzo. You don't think the dems would have held a stupid steroid investigation or something equally showy and irrelevant if they'd been in charge of congress? If you believe that you're living in fairy fantasyland.
Dave
Dave sez..
*You don't think the dems would have held a stupid steroid investigation or something equally showy and irrelevant if they'd been in charge of congress? If you believe that you're living in fairy fantasyland.*
Dave..tho you may say i am living in a "fantsy land"..it seems you CANNOT resist peering into your tea leaves and predicting things that did NOT happen
i'll stay away from the soothsayer business...
would have, could have, should have
what are the Facts?
Excelsior!
>>would have, could have, should have
what are the Facts?<<
The facts are that they DID do exactly this same sort of thing when they were in power. Let's see, during the last few democrat dominated congresses, we've got the Iran/Contra witchunt, the attempt to figure out a way to indict just about every Republican on the hill for somehow being involved in the S&L Scandal, which achieved exactly nothing. Or there are the ever popular ethics investigations over mis-use of the right to send thing postage-free, which Tip O'Neill liked to trot out every couple of years.
And I might add that Democrats were among the most enthusiastic and outspoken figures in the recent steroid hearings. They're really just as big a pack of whores as the Republicans.
Dave
Oddly enough, the federal government DOES play a legitimate role vis-avis Major League Baseball.
They offer the league an anti-trust exemption. They can revoke this exemption at any time.
Surely a bunch of doped-up players might play a role in their thinking on this issue.
So, the steroids-in-baseball issue was fair game.
Great point RJ - batting your average - about one good point a week.
:-) I jest.
It did seem there were other things better to do, however, up on the Hill. Did they achieve anything durig their hearings? Nope.
Oh, no question there was a lot of grandstanding involved. The only thing they seemed to accomplish was to destroy poor Mark McGuire...
Gonzo Max: "at least you have the testicular fortitude to openly disagree with the Shrub."
Well, Bush was far from my choice during the Republican primaries of 2000. In fact, he was dead last among my preferences.
And I've disagreed with Bush not only for a lack of a cohesive, sensible immigration policy, but I called him out for his steel trade war, his proposed space program, and his invoking of immunity over the Enron scandal (far too Clintonesque in style!).
But, I did vote for him twice and I'm by and large happy with W. However, when I feel he's wrong, I certainly will say so.
"Well, Bush was far from my choice during the Republican primaries of 2000. In fact, he was dead last among my preferences."
Funny how that works, huh?
I know exactly what you're talkin about... Bauer is a genius, but got no love from the press.
Dare I say Quayle (ducking flying objects).... I actually met him and Marilyn in St. Thomas once... No B.S., had a 30 minute conversation with them... Marilyn is very intelligent, and Quayle is actually very personable. I think he puckers up in front of camera's, which doesn't work...
But he's history... can't tell you if he was flamed unfairly, but I can tell you, the Quayles are a very nice, normal couple. And I'm a nobody, who they stopped and had a 30 minute conversation with. It was a most pleasent afternoon diversion.
The term neoconservative is a missnomer in chacterizing the Bush administration, neofascist is a more appt description. Dick Cheney is el Duce.
Add your comment, speak your mind
(Or ping: http://blogcritics.org/mt/tb/27985)
the word is Republican..as in a member of the GOP
not a bad thing in and of itself
at least you have the testicular fortitude to openly disagree with the Shrub and the mastermind, Rove...as well as the DeLay's of your Party
now..could you do those of us that remain Independant of "gang tags" a bit of a favor?
get rid of the elite and take back the GOP so some sanity and rational discourse and debate can be had on crucial issues rather than wasting time and money doing...oh i don't know..investigating steroids in baseball..or other such non-sense..
thanx for the definitions..accurate epistimology helps
Excelsior!