Fixin' for a fight:In the GOP, the long knives are out for the neoconservatives

U.S.News & World Report ^ | 10/25/04 Issue | Thomas Omestad

[Little Bill]

Gene, I was involved in Conservitive Politics in the early '60's, AUH2O in high School, this is BS.

[airborne]

I tend to agree. Conservatives see right and wrong; good and evil; black and white.

Liberals see wants and needs; their own.

[GOPcapitalist]

Good article. Personally I'm not all that upset over the neo-con agenda in fighting the mohammedan radicals. Their big government spend spend spend domestic agenda scares the hell out of me though.

[Esther Ruth]

That is all they got left now that they lost on the issues -- so --

It's Divide and Conquer --
Get em to fight amongst themselves, remind them that they don't all agree with each other, yada yad, nuttin new...

[k2blader]

I still don't know what a "neocon" is, but there does seem to be some kind of division in the GOP along liberal vs. conservative lines. Hopefully the conservos will win out.

[mrsmith]

"It's Divide and Conquer --
Get em to fight amongst themselves, remind them that they don't all agree with each other, yada yad, nuttin new... "

Exactly.

It's an incredibly simple-minded attempt to manipulate incredibly simple-minded people.

[LibertarianInExile]

In a nutshell, neoconservatives believe in the power of government for what they consider legitimate purposes, and muting liberal inroads into bureaucratizing government programs federally. For example, the DOE is a liberal bureaucracy. Yet Bush's main thrust has been not to kill it but to return much of its power to the states, to turn DOE into more of the coordinating and studying body that a federal system should allow, and to improve its programs so that they serve the public instead of the interests of the left. This is a neocon use of government, doing the right thing but not totally inefficiently or centralizing as the left would have it.

Not that those of us against neocon "pragmatism" give a rat's ass about their excuses so far as domestic policy is concerned, however. Bloated bureaucracies shouldn't be part of the federal system at all. So half a loaf doesn't make us happy, because many of us think that as long as we're paying for half a loaf, we're wasting money and giving government unnecessary power. Political sensitivities be damned, we're electing people to take out these bureaucracies, not streamline the f'in things. We want them CLOSED, not efficient.

Still, national security and economic policy tend to unify the GOP in that the neocon right and old right and libertarian right all agree we need at least more efficient bureaucracy and generally we all view national defense as one thing the federal government absolutely should be doing (though many libertarian and old right conservatives disagree with neocons as to how it should be used).

[Esther Ruth]

"Conservatives see right and wrong; good and evil; black and white."

Everyone sees it - Everyone sees good and evil. Some just choose to ignore and serve linguine for dinner every night. And just because some who used to know better (Phy Schaffley) are going wobbly - Oh well -- Right is STILL Right - Nothing new - You usually don't find out who the cowards are till it gets tough. Onward!

[mrsmith]

Yeah, the Dems and their media really miss Bob Michel- there was someone who knew how to keep a minority a minority.

[Esther Ruth]

"It's an incredibly simple-minded attempt to manipulate incredibly simple-minded people."

Not this time I pray, Conservatives are not simple minded and will not fall for this. Something way to big is as stake. No divide and conquer on the right - Not gonna happen!!

[rdb3]

And the bigger we make the tent, the more we lose the base. Not exactly a winning strategy there.

And just who is that "base"? Define it. Be specific.

$710.96... The price of freedom
VII-XXIII-MMIV

[Ed Current]

Their big government spend spend spend domestic agenda scares the hell out of me though.

Two things are certain to remain:

1. Avoid death by terrorism at all costs
2. Tax at all costs - (hyperinflate, debt, tax)

[airborne]

Everyone sees it - Everyone sees good and evil.

I disagree. I believe there are those who there is no difference, and that it's all immaterial.

[LeftCoastNeoCon]

**What exactly is the difference between a conservative and a neocon? Never quite figured it out.**

Almost none anymore. Despite the wishful thinking and outright lies of this article, the Republican party of today is the strongest it has been in 30+ years and growing stronger, something biologists call "Hybrid Vigor".

[Ed Current]

And just who is that "base"? Define it. Be specific.

All your base are belong to tent, BIG ;-)

[Godebert]

From the Random House Webster's College Dictionary:

ne•o•con•serv•a•tism, n. a moderate form of political conservatism that generally opposes big government but supports social welfare and certain other liberal goals.

So basically they are liberals seeking to take control of the GOP.

[upchuck]

Just exactly what is a neo-conservative? Could a knowledgeable FReeper define this for me? And give me three well-know examples of neo-conservatives and explain what makes them so?

Thanks much!

[Ed Current]

Neo-CONNED!

[Alas Babylon!]

For all the words spent on this article, I saw nothing about terrorism. Iraq WAS and IS a part of the War on Terrorists. 9/11 was not a aberration. It awaits us daily. Beslan wasn't a fluke. This too can happen here. I'd rather die trying in Iraq than Anytown, USA.

[k2blader]

a moderate form of political conservatism that generally opposes big government but supports social welfare and certain other liberal goals.

Hm, pretty oxymoronic.

But I think I've seen folks like this on FR. I just consider them liberals.