Bush’s triumph conceals the great conservative crack-up

Times on Line (England) ^ | 3/19/05 | Andrew Sullivan

[John Jorsett]

Sullivan has a point, only he missed one of the bigger divisions: illegal immigration. Bush is selling us out to Mexico, and a whole lot of Republicans are either too gutless or busy whoring themselves for the Hispanic vote to do anything about it. I'll back Bush for now because he's right on a lot of issues, and who else am I going to get behind anyway, Ted Kennedy? But I'm not going to automatically vote for every Republican who comes along, just because there's an 'R' by his/her name. If I'd just be electing another big-government, big spending, pro-illegal dweeb, I may as well stay home.

[little jeremiah]

Maybe 2.5% max, and that includes bisexuals.

[muawiyah]

You forgot the "." in front of that 6%. It's about .6%, or it was before AIDS got holt of 'em.

[muawiyah]

Hey, we're co-opting their word. Without it the Progressives will just be another jot in history.

[huac]

Andrew Sullivan: "If you fascist bastards don't let me get married, I'm taking my ball and going home!"

[garandgal]

Hey, we're co-opting their word. Without it the Progressives will just be another jot in history.

Actually, judging from some of the actions of our "conservative" leaders lately, I think it's far more likely that there are some progressives running around calling themselves conservative. Seems to have fooled some people, too.

[Clemenza]

If I'd just be electing another big-government, big spending, pro-illegal dweeb, I may as well stay home.--------------------------------------------

Add "anti-gun" and "pro-Gay" and you have Rudy Giuliani, the media's favorite Republican.

[Mobile Vulgus]

>>>"Excuse me? Conservative and progressive don't belong in the same sentence, let alone in the same party"

No, not true at ALL. The conservative movement in the USA has ALWAYS had a large element of the progressive in it.

A standard, European conservative is backward looking. An American one builds on tradition, sure, but has always been progressive in the way they react to liberty and freedom. A European conservative is always out to LIMIT freedom, whereas an American one is out to further it. That is a progressive outlook.

I am also using progressive in its proper context. Not in the way the socialist left has coopted it, by the way.

[garandgal]

I am also using progressive in its proper context. Not in the way the socialist left has coopted it, by the way.

You might want to rethink the use of that word. The dictionary includes a political definition under the word "progressive." You will always be misunderstood if you use the term progressive in conjunction with conservative. You may as well say "liberal republican."

[spinestein]

["Spreading democracy will spread freedom which will build a more peaceful world."
Even if the Pakistani electorate voted in a pro-Bin Laden regime, giving AQ the bomb?]

Even IF this did happen, and it could happen in any democracy, especially one in such an unstable region of the world, it's still better for the security of the world if it IS a democracy rather than a dictatorship, as any democracy is preferable to any totalitarian government, no matter what standard you use.

Why people find the need to whine over what imperfect democracies MIGHT do and conclude that you might as well live with the dictatorship is beyond my comprehension.

We need to continue to use political means to persuade (and pressure) essentially democratic countries like Pakistan and Turkey to continue to be responsible world citizens, and also leave open the option to use military force on totalitarian governments like Afghanistan and Iraq WERE, to force them to convert to democracies.

[spinestein]

[(Carter didn't just suck, he sucked ROYALLY)]

This is very true, but contrary to popular opinion, he didn't suck because he was an incompetent boob, he sucked because he (along with his Democratic friends who controlled Congress) skillfully implemented sweeping policies of Euro-socialism on our country. The result was a wrecked economy and societal problems that caused a national "malaise".

[AmericanVictory]

Perhaps that fudgy smell, a smell of fear that a truly grass roots conservatism is emerging that will not accept the elitist drive to cram the homosexual agenda down our throats and will finally draw the line that so far, so many of our "leaders" have refused to draw.

[ClaireSolt]

Frankly, I think the Republican congress is doing well. They have passed Anwr and transportation and bankrupcy laws that have been waiting for years. Social Security reform will happen. The Middle East is changing. I know you want more immigration action, and it will come.

[CBart95]

Just another disastrous attempt by the gang that can't even get it up to shoot.
Yet another glorious backfire.
The Ghost of Peter Sellers is having a field day!

[skaterboy]

No republicans anymore

Dems are socialists and pubs are dems nowadays

CUT SPENDING DAMNIT

[skaterboy]

Didnt Bush get same gay vote in 04 he got in 00?

[dead]

There is always a chance that an elected democracy will also be a rogue nation. That's a chance you take.

But in the history of the world, how many conflicts have involved two democracies fighting each other, and how many haven't?

There's no guarantee that every democracy will be a reasonably benign global player, but both logic and history tend to show that they are far more likely to be.

[MHGinTN]

Taken in its entirety, the article is not one of Andrew's best. But I must admit, he has struck a chord or two of fact regarding the future mantle passing when our President is finished. I smell Hatellary Rodhamster piling up turds of democrap conservatism, in an effort to create a favorable rating for her 2008 run at Empress; apparently, Andy is getting an occasional whiff of same. [Actually, should I convey it that way, what with Andy's rearward leaning?