| Topic | Neo-Cons | Real Conservatives* |
| Today | Currently dominate the White House (Bush, Rice, Rumsfeld, Cheney, and previously Wolfowitz), the GOP (McCain, and many others), and much of the “conservative” media (Weekly Standard, WSJ, et al.). | Currently in the minority. Although supported by many conservative journalists, writers and intellectuals, have limited influence in the GOP or Democratic Party. |
| Origins | Fairly recent group. Many are ex-Leftists, Marxists and Socialists who became anti-Soviet Union. (Critics call them “liberals in disguise.”) | The quintessential conservatives of America and Western Europe (vide Russell Kirk’s Conservative Mind.) Many trace lineage back to Edmund Burke. |
| Foreign Policy | Wilsonian internationalists and interventionists. Support war in Iraq. Contrary to 2,000 years of conservative thought, think they can and should militarily convert world to “democracy” | Tend to be isolationist or only advocating military action in America’s “real interests.” Opposed intervention in Iraq. Following wisdom of Aristotle, realize that different forms of government (e.g. democracy, monarchy, et al.) are better suited for different cultures and histories. |
| Big Government | Generally favor big government; skeptical of states’ rights | Favor small federal government and states’ rights |
| Spending | Favor massive spending on government programs (cf. Bush’s record-high deficit) | Favor extremely limited spending by the federal government |
| Nation State | Typically favor globalism. Many (not all) see “nation state” as outdated and poorly suited for global capitalism. | Skeptical of globalism, and want to preserve nation state (e.g. sovereignty of U.S. and Western European countries). |
| Free trade and outsourcing | Ardent supporters of gobalism, free trade and outsourcing; many are hostile to “nation state” concept | Generally oppose such measures, as they erode away at regionalism, national security, sovereignty, standards of living, and wages. (Historically, conservatives have opposed free trade.) |
| Immigration | Generally support amnesty / guest-worker program, favor open borders and want few limits on immigration | Oppose amnesty, favor secured borders, and seek reduction in legal and illegal immigration |
| Affirmative Action | Generally support | Vehemently oppose |
| History | Generally favorable of Lincoln, Wilson, and FDR | Generally skeptical of Lincoln, Wilson, FDR, and LBJ’s Great Society |
| Welfare State | Generally favor. | Generally oppose |
| Religion | Many are secularists, but give lip service to religion to acquire conservative votes** | Support religion. Like the Founding Fathers, favor a more active role of religion in the Public Square. |
| Abortion | Many are pro-choice, but give lip service to pro-life causes to acquire conservative votes** | Typically pro-life |
| Homosexual "Marriage" | Many support, but give lip service to opposite to garnish conservative votes. (Probably will back a Federal Marriage Amendment to attempt to reel back in conservative base.)** | Oppose |
| Political Correctness | Many support** | Vehemently oppose |
| American Aesthetic | None discernable | Tend to favor regionalism and maintaining local character |
| Primary & Secondary Education | Apparently favor big-government approach (as evidenced by socialist legislation No Child Left Behind) | Want authority over education to be returned to states and counties. Many favor private schools, homeschooling, and a classical approach. |
| Advocates | Bush Family, Rice, Rumsfeld, Cheney, Bill Kristol, Fred Barnes, David Frum, Irving Kristol, et al. | Russell Kirk, T.S. Eliot, Mel Bradford, Lou Dobbs, Robert Novak, Pat Buchanan, Intercollegiate Studies Institute, American Conservative, Chronicles Magazine, et al. |
*Sometimes called “real conservatives” (”real conservatism”), paleoconservatives (paleoconservatism), or traditional conservatives (traditional conservatism).
**There are some neoconservatives who oppose secularism, abortion, gay “marriage,” and political correctness. Nonetheless, these issues seem to be secondary to most neoconservatives, who just seem to use them to pay lip service to religious conservatives for support.
Sorry, found at http://right-mind.us/blogs/blog_0/archive/2006/05/02/43338.aspx
Thanks for the post. Fun anyway, even if some arguable stuff was slipped in there. I’m not sure for example that your average conservative Republican is skeptical of Lincoln.
Paleocons are no more the conditio sine qua non of conservatism than neocons. In fact, most paleos seem deranged mirrors of neocons, while neoconservatism looses all intellectual merit and becomes a parody.
That list conflates
1. Rockefeller Republicanism and Neoconservatism. Also, what is 2000 of conservative thought?
2. Paleoconservatives are not the only group of real conservatives. You are writing out Fusionists in favor of a hodgepodge group organized only around opposing neocons.