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"Neo-conservatives are former liberals and leftists who moved right in..."

The term neo-conservative has also come to be associated with William F. Buckley and the National Review who have had a large impact about on the Conservative movement since the 1950s. Mr. Buckley's most recent book details his attempts to take the movement out of the policy ghetto in the 1950s. It is a fascinating read as it describes a time when apostles of Ayn Rand and the John Birch Society were much more closely associated with the conservative movement.

Some of the animus currently circulating between the neo-cons and the paleo-cons was initiated during the early days of the Reagan administration. After having been out of power for many years many paleos were expecting positions in the Reagan adminstration but were passed over in favor of neo-cons in a number of cases. The sniping between the two camps seems to have begun at that time. It became worse after Pat Buchanan's presidential run.

Recently prominent neo-con David Frum wrote a scathing piece about many paleos including Pat Buchanan. This article has caused the fur to fly between the two camps. IMHO, the rhetoric between both camps has become overheated and I wish they would both take a "timeout". I believe that the neo-cons have made remarkable contributions in defense and foreign policy over the last 20 years that have helped make the conservative position the dominant one. I also believe that the paleos have made contributions in cultural analsysis, the dangers of excessive globalization, the problems of immigration and assimilation. I still think there is more in common philosophically between William F. Buckley and Pat Buchanan than either man would have with Ted Kennedy. Both camps should realize that splintering the conservative movement helps no one but the Democrats.

This is the most reasonable post if seen in this thread (so far). Part of the problem is that conservatism is NOT an ideology and tends to regard any form of Utopianism as foolishness. Therefore, in conservative circles you will find a grab bag of persons each containing a grab bag of ideas. The terms paleocon and neocon may be adequate to describe a basic tendency, but I think you still need to take conservatives on a person by person basis.