Posted on 01/05/2009 5:38:42 PM PST by rabscuttle385
The rise of the neoconservatives within the GOP has not only discredited the Grand Old Party but tarnished the image of conservatism.
The Republican party suffered an overwhelming electoral defeat this past November. The establishment media were all too quick to proclaim that conservatism is dead and we're now at the dawn of a liberal age. Peter Beinart, Senior Fellow for U.S. Foreign Policy for the Council on Foreign Relations (CFR), wrote in Time magazine that we are facing the dawn of a "new liberal order."
In making this proclamation, Beinart overlooks the fact that the public was not voting for President-elect Obama, but rather against Republicans like John McCain and George W. Bush. But what was it that Bush and the Republican Party have come to symbolize? Bush and McCain both stood for an activist foreign policy of globally spreading democracy, never-ending commitments of nation building, open borders at home, record deficit spending, circumventing the Constitution, expanding domestic welfare programs, and nationalizing the financial sector.
Conservative South Carolina Governor Mark Sanford wrote in a CNN commentary that "Republicans have campaigned on the conservative themes of lower taxes, less government and more freedom — they just haven't governed that way. America didn't turn away from conservatism, they turned away from many who faked it."
(Excerpt) Read more at thenewamerican.com ...
Constitution Party candidate Chuck Baldwin wrote, "For all intents and purposes, conservatism — as a national movement — is completely and thoroughly dead. Barack Obama did not destroy it, however. It was George W. Bush and John McCain who destroyed conservatism in America."
David Boaz of the libertarian CATO Institute explains that Bush "delivered massive overspending, the biggest expansion of entitlements in 40 years, centralization of education, a floundering war, an imperial presidency, civil liberties abuses, ... and finally a $700 billion bailout of Wall Street that just kept on growing in the last month of the campaign. Voters who believed in limited government had every reason to reject that record."
These modern Republican policies have nothing to do with traditional conservatism, but have much more in common with big-government liberalism. So how did politicians claiming to be conservatives end up acting like big-government liberals? The explanation lies in understanding the rise of neoconservatism, which has come to define modern conservatism and the GOP.
BUMP!
lame-melodramatic-slow-newsday-alert.
.
Ironically it was the Libs that where right all along about Neocons. Neocons are Washingtonian elitists.
Only in Washingtonia. The Washingtonian’s days are numbered.
Republicanism dead, Conservatism alive and well!
BS
I love and live conservatism, in a libertarian sort of way as much as anyone, but sadly I believe it is dead on a national level.
The stupid, public school educated masses that have the intellect of a grapefruit aren’t compatible with conservatism. It’s too hard for them. The liberal media tells them what to think, what to believe in, and how to vote. Combine that with the tens of millions of illegals that have no core belief in the greatness and traditions of our country, and you are looking at a dead conservative movement. I’ve barely scratched the surface here with regard to what we are up against. Conservatism is under attack from all sides, and there is no great conservative leader to counter it all.
The attacks of 911 was 7 short years ago, and we just elected Hussein for God’s sake!!! I needn’t say more......
Not in my house!
Bush and McCain are not Conservatives... nor could they be remotely described as neo-conservative, either.
The best description to tag them would be quasi-liberal. IE - just one calorie, almost liberal enough... for the Democrat party.
Bingo!
Quite true. But that's because they were brothers separated by only one more thing to spend money on.
Very nice summary. It amazes me that even the parents don't care that their children are ignorant!
Also, I fear that any glimpses of conservatism that make resurgences will be faux conservatism.
Not in my house either.
According to the so-called “Conservative intelligensia,” the “inside the beltway Conservatives,” the MSM “Conservative pundits,” the Kathleen Parker’s, George Will’s, Peggy Noonan’s and David Brook’s, the “McCain wing” of the Republican Party, and the “Ailse crossers”...
OF COURSE Conservatism is dead! Because they WANT it to be.
They would rather be a minority in a Marxist state than have a seat at the table in a Conservative, Constitutional Republic.
In reality, Conservatism is not dead, nor does it sleep. But about now it’s beginning it’s “trial by fire.” It will be interesting to see how Conservatives come thru this trial.
Silly article but the fact is, IMHO, we have to decide what a “conservative” is, or we will keep getting our butts kicked.
Is a “conservative” one on the basis of their economic, or their social policy? Someone vehemently against abortion, gay marriage and sexual ‘education’ in the schools might still support massive social programs and government intervention in the private sector in the name of morality. Someone against government spending for social programs, intervention in the economy, the attempts of muslims to integrate Sharia law, and who insists on a balanced budget might not think of America as a ‘Christian Nation’, care one whit about abortion or consider gay marriage any issue at all.
Is the Republican party going to be one of fiscal conservatism, social conservatism, both or neither? Not that the Democrats are doing much better, their Achilles heel is in the churches - concern about abortion and the disintegration of the family are a huge weakness in the coalition that elected Obama, and the gun control issue often results in Democrats shooting themselves in the foot in areas with demographics favorable to them.
The party that best defines itself will win the next election.
Just a cranky .02
“Republicanism dead, Conservatism alive and well!”
Of course the earth is still flat.
I think you're right.
Amazing << Hear this. Feel this, and tell me that this isn't music.
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