Posted on 12/25/2006 8:54:12 AM PST by A. Pole
Giving them a 'democracy' is a great idea on paper. However, it's very difficult to transform regions of the world that have a 7th century mentality in a few years. Many of the 'people' in that part of the world have a savage animalistic barbaric mindset... and sadly it's not going to change anytime soon.
If this is what paleos actually believe, then they are fundamentally anti-American. This country is a product of the Enlightenment, built entirely of people who immigrated from other places - from cultures that believed in blood-and-soil tradition - to a new country where Jefferson promised that a person could by hard work improve his lot. This is what makes us different from classbound countries where the goodies flow to people who made a good choice of parents. If this is what defines a paleo, then I'm proud to be a neocon!
And on foreign policy, I don't believe in being a world policeman either, but America is the first nation in history to offer its bitterest enemies a chance to build Toyotas as an alternative to being annihilated. Whether Iraq can be 'fixed" pr not, all we want is for history to record that we offered the Arabs that same opportunity.
Per your argument, "For example, deporting all Muslims from the West to solve terrorism? Why stop there, how about the Jews..." The difference between Muslims and Jews is that no-one has ever seen a Jewish suicide bomber. That is the equivalent of a hypothetical fanatical Episcopalian terrorist - it doesn't exist. Deporting Muslims would prevent sleeper cells and possibly another 9/11. Deporting suicide bomber Jews and Episcopalian terrorists would prevent nothing - first, because no one is worried that they would ever work for Osama and Al Qaeda. Second, because fanatical Episcopalians and suicide bomber Jews do not exist.
You are stretching your argument to nonsensical lengths to compare Muslims (known to be responsible for numerous terrorist attacks) with hypothetical (suicide bomber)Jews and "not real Christians" aka (Episcopalian terrorists) - which are not resposible for any terrorist attacks. No Paleoconservative that I know of has ever advocated that position (0r strawman) that you are attacking.
As to supporting fair trade and opposing free trade, Paleo conservatives have distinguished supporters, including the first Congress of the United States - which passed the first Tariff act, Abraham Lincoln, and numerous Republican presidents after him. Abraham Lincoln turned the U.S. into the Arsenal of democracy with his protectionist views - do you now say Lincoln was wrong?
Actually there are a lot of conservatives who believe that globalization / free trade with its wholesale export of American jobs is one of the biggest threats to our nation.
I'm a Paleo!
Seriously, the author is right. The neos have moved far to the left.
I'm happy where I am. A little lonely sometimes, especially when it comes to representation in Washington, but overall, happy.
"Abraham Lincoln turned the U.S. into the Arsenal of democracy"
A cite for that would sure be great. Otherwise, I say fooey. WWI resulted in that distinction. The US was primarily agrarian before then.
Terrorism.... Some examples: Ireland - Protestant versus Catholic. America - KKK versus Jews, Catholics, African Americans... There is plenty of non-Muslim related terrorism. It's a tactic, not a race or religion. As for Free Trade, if I were among the first Congress or a contemporary of Lincoln, I might agree. Today? Not a chance.
"do you now say Lincoln was wrong?"
On trade, yes. Read Ricardo.
Or, if you are not theoretically inclined, read history. My favorite examples are India and Japan.
India suffered for decades under a protectionist policy. They finally stood to the dumbass unions, removed barriers to foreign "predators," engaged on a "war on the middle class" by privatizing many state industries, and "left the consumer unprotected" by deregulating many areas of the economy. (I'm simply trying to get the Newspeak correct.) The result-- millions are being turned from proletarians into proprietors with India's 10% growth rate. It is a beautiful and awesome transformation to behold.
The same thing happened with Japan in the 1800s. For centuries it was the perfect paleocon society containing a tradition of daimyos and serfs, and all foreigners were kept on an island in the port of Osaka. After they liberalized their economy, within decades Japan was a modern nation, and defeated Russia in a major war in 1905.
You're right about the distance modern politicians would put between themselves and the founders. I don't think Jefferson envisioned a 20-pound Federal Register of laws. What we pride ourselves in now is probably freedom lite.
I should have stopped reading much earlier, but I would have stopped here if there had been more: "..who fifty years ago would have been tried for treason.."
I must have missed the neocon treason trials of 1956.
I was looking at the pictures in Cherrydale Lodge last week, and I found on of Barry Goldwater giving a speech there. I was impressed.
Yes, and they are 100% wrong. The flaw is right there in your sentence. 'American' jobs? Since when were jobs owned by the state? And when did the state gain control over Businesses to decide who should legally (emphasis on legally) fill those jobs?
There are NO American jobs, only jobs. 'American jobs' is one of those PC plays-on-words, like "working families" or "under-privileged". Phrases that should insult people, but don't, thanks to our PC culture. America does not give out jobs, but creates and protects a culture of job creation through private investment in free enterprise.
The adoption of union-speak should be avoided at all costs.
Here are some of Lincoln's remarks on trade:
"My politics are short and sweet, like the old woman's dance. I am ... in favor of the internal improvements system and a high protective tariff." ~ Lincoln, Campaign Speech, 1832.
"[Free trade is a system whereby] some have labored, and others have, without labor, enjoyed a large portion of the fruits.... To secure to each laborer the whole product of his labor, or as nearly as possible, is a most worthy object of any good government."
"[International trade] is demonstrably a dead loss of labor... labor being the true standard of value." ~ Lincoln, Feb. 15, 1861
"The legitimate object of government is to do for a community of people whatever they need to have done, but cannot do at all, or cannot do so well, for themselves, in their separate and individual capacities."
"I... would continue (trade) where it is necessary, and discontinue it, where it is not. As instance: I would continue commerce so far as it is employed in bringing us coffee, and I would discontinue it so far as it is employed in bringing us cotton goods."
Lincoln levied heavy taxes on imported goods in order to encourage domestic manufacturing. His most notable quote was concerning the Transcontinental Railroad, where he was told it was cheaper to import British rails and trains than to buy American. Lincoln insisted that American goods be used, reasoning, If we buy the rails from the foreigner, Americans will have the rails, and the foreigner will have our money. But if Americans buy from Americans, America will have both the money and the rails.
Lincoln's policies built America into a manufacturing powerhouse with his policies of high tariffs and domestic manufacturing turning the U.S. into being the Arsenal of Democracy.
"opposed to political correctness, opposed to the vulgarity of popular culture, and opposed to big government."
Paleo BUMP.
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