Check source of Bush's political philosophy

Seattle Post Intellegencer ^ | 10/27/2003 | Richard Curtis

[ShandaLear]

Bonnie Erbe's column "Playing into the radicals' hands" is onto something, but seemed not to make it explicit. Writing about the seemingly paranoid delusional behavior of Lt. Gen. William Boykin, she wrote, "Boykin's remarks seemed almost designed to stir up the very radicals the president is trying to quiet down."

The flaw here is the assumption that because the president says he is fighting a war on terrorism, his goal is actually to reduce the incidence of terrorism in the world. That assumption is completely flawed.

Bush's political ideology comes from a philosopher named Leo Strauss. Bush has said he has 20 so-called Straussians on his payroll. According to one expert on Strauss, named Shadia Drury, "Following Machiavelli, he (Strauss) maintained that if no external threat exists, then one has to be created."

With the end of the Cold War, the right wing had no external enemy around which to rally the masses. They had no external enemy until 9/11. How convenient.

But the point is that Bush and his people have no desire to win this so-called war on terrorism, they need this war. "Perpetual war, not perpetual peace, is what the Straussians believe in," says Drury.

So of course Bush's people are going to say inane things that outrage sane people the world over. That is what they do. They believe that the only way to rule is through fear, and fear has to have a source, even if it has to be created. The most important point to remember is that what happens in politics at this level is not an accident.

Richard Curtis Seattle

[ShandaLear]

The above is a letter to the editor from the Seattle P-I newspaper that appeared in today's edition. I chose to post it as it represents what I've found so lacking in the average run of the mill liberal; the inability to exhibit even the most minute degree of critical thinking.

Mr. Curtis, your letter poses so many questions, but I have decided to ask you just one. Where were you on September 11, 2001 at approximately 8:45a PDT?

[sonsofliberty2000]

Bush's political ideology comes from a philosopher named Leo Strauss. Bush has said he has 20 so-called Straussians on his payroll. According to one expert on Strauss, named Shadia Drury, "Following Machiavelli, he (Strauss) maintained that if no external threat exists, then one has to be created."

With the end of the Cold War, the right wing had no external enemy around which to rally the masses. They had no external enemy until 9/11. How convenient.

Sounds to me as though the author is trying to say that Bush's administration "created" the war to create an external enemy. Sorry, that dog won't hunt.

Patriot Paradox

[sirshackleton]

This whole Strauss thing had me thinking (since back in college I cited a work by Strauss in a paper I had to do, but what for I can't remember). Frankly, I'm surprised that a relatively obscure philosopher mostly noted for his interpretations of classical works can have such a profound influence on the Bush administration 30 some-odd years after his passing.

So I've decided to reinvestigate Strauss. The following link is a great place to start for those also interested in doing so:

http://www.thepublicinterest.com/current/article1.html

[Semper Paratus]

W gets re-elected it's going to cause a total mental crackup on the left.

Can't wait.

[x1stcav]

The left is becoming totally delusional. If so much wasn't at stake all of this paranoia on their part would be hilarious.

[cake_crumb]

"With the end of the Cold War, the right wing had no external enemy around which to rally the masses. They had no external enemy until 9/11. How convenient"

This guy must be the proud owner of a super-duper, industrial strength tinfoil hat.

I'd tell him the same thing I told an idiot in Florida (a whiny one no less ; I hurt her feelings, though this guy is a hair more rational) "if you're going to accuse the president of the United States of crimes against humanity, you had better be prepared to back it up with unequivocal proof. That is a VERY strong charge to make. The very strongest. Produce proof. NOW."

[My2Cents]

Bush's political ideology comes from a philosopher named Leo Strauss.

Is there another source to this claim...someone other than a coffee-drinking liberal from Seattle?

[ShandaLear]

It's hard not to be worn out by all of this.

[dead]

These are the same twits who, at the height of the Cold War, told us Reagan labeled the Soviets "the Evil Empire" for the same reason.

The 20 million Russians (and others) killed by that particular Communist regime had no means to offer a rebuttal.

Richard Curtis is an ignoramus, willfully blind to the lessons of history. A pathetic, uneducated dupe.

[Lunatic Fringe]

Ahh, so Bush "created" this enemy.... I see. So that whole WTC thing was make believe?

[XJarhead]

The author doesn't bother explaining why Bush needed to "rally the masses" pre 9/11. He'd just gotten elected and wasn't due another campaign for three and half years. Counting on any "rally round the flag" bump to last for that long is sheer stupidity. Moreover, the war forced him to abandon a lot of his domestic initiatives and give ground to Demos in order to hold his war coalition together.

The premise might make some sense if the war had happened in 2003. But in 2001, its just ridiculous.

[twigs]

Bush has said he has 20 so-called Straussians on his payroll.

When did the president say this? Who are the Straussians? I thought President Bush couldn't read.

[dead]

Ahh, so Bush "created" this enemy.... I see. So that whole WTC thing was make believe?

I think you are missing the author’s point. He is implying that Bush orchestrated the events of 911 (I’m guessing he believes that Mossad acted as Bush’s ‘muscle’) to make us believe that terrorism was a threat, even though its not.

He needed this imaginary threat so he could gain enough power to defund NPR, imprison blacks, and poison the water because he wants to kill all the children.

This is what passes for “intellectualism” on the left.

[LiteKeeper]

INTREP - CLUELESS ALERT

[expatpat]

LOL! The liberals are just p*ssed because Clinton didn't think of it (or thought about it and chickened out). This is just what a socialist would do, not a god-fearing American.

[WVNan]

The flaw in liberal thinking is their tendency to look at the world from inside their own personal bubbles. They believe that what they do will alter the course of events, and fail to ask what the other fellow believes and does. You can offer a terrorist a cup of tea and friendship, but if the terrorist is hell-bent on killing you for his god, the outcome is not going to be positive.

[twigs]

That's about as plainly stated as you get. I agree. The hollywood crowd obviously don't understand it, though.

[ShandaLear]

The other flaw in the liberals' thinking is that emotion defines fact. If the liberal feels something is so, that feeling becomes the basis for reality and what "is" becomes secondary. (It depends on what the meaning of "is" is.) This is why it is easy for the liberal to make so many seemingly contradictory statements without a second though. There is no need for logic or objective fact, so the liberal can hold as many points of view as his heart dictates. It also protects the liberal from having to defend his beliefs as who could possibly ever challenge how he feels about the world around him? Is it any wonder the liberal sees the conservative as mean-spirited?

The liberal isn't able to receive criticism of his opinions as this is viewed as an actual attack on his person. One cannot have a viable discourse with such a person.

[Capt. Tom]

"Perpetual war, not perpetual peace, is what the Straussians believe in," says Drury.

And with over a billion muslims in the world that might be the case. - Tom

[Pukin Dog]

From Cribnotes on "The Prince":

"Leo Strauss called Machiavelli "a teacher of evil."

So, it seems like the letter writer is an lying idiot.