What the Heck Is a 'Neocon'?

Opinion Journal ^ | 12/30/2002 | Max Boot

[Pokey78]

Neoconservatives believe in using American might to promote American ideals abroad.

I have been called many names in my career--few of them printable--but the most mystifying has to be "neocon." I suppose I get labeled thus because I am associated, in a small way, with the Weekly Standard, which is known as a redoubt of "neoconservatism."

[Stavka2]

The question is how to define our interventionism.

Lets see: humanitarianism, sole superpowerism, sticking it to the bad guys off of our payroleism, McWorldism, for the childrenism, antiterrorism, anticommunism, antioppositionism, popularity pollism, get them firstism, military-industrial complexism, imperialism, protect the Saudisism, or: woke up on the wrong side of the bedism?

[TLBSHOW]

bump

[Stavka2]

You obviously missed the Patriot Act, McArthism and Microsoft getting off scott free while Eron and Anderson pillaged away.

[TLBSHOW]

I missed it but read his/her rant on another thread I think he/she thinks tonight is new years eve.

[TLBSHOW]

Mr. Boot is the Olin senior fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations

need I say more?

[ffusco]

Speak softly and carry a big stick is neocon

[Pelham]

Many of Buchanan's ideas can be found in the writings of Wilhelm Roepke, who has been regarded as a conservative economist since he orchestrated the postwar German economic miracle. I realize it's regarded as great sport around here to disparage Buchanan's economic ideas, but then FR isn't exactly a hotbed of economic scholars.

[Arkinsaw]

I got in trouble in the 5th grade (1972-73) for sticking an "I'm A Happy Republican" sticker on the front of my little two person desk. I stuck it on there because it had a smiley face on it and did not quite understand the furor, gnashing of teeth, and weeping amongst my teachers. But I have always identified with the Republican Party since that very day. Plus the fact that I could not stand to see Lyndon Baines Johnson on the television set.

[namvetcav]

What the heck goes on here? Some jokers or the other are lumping Ann Coulter with Pat Buchanan, the jew-hating fascist. This traitor to Republicans hated W so much he attempted to give Al Gore the election. Annie is a goddess and it is offensive to sully her name with any association to that knuckle-dragging, goldbug, Ted Turner-MSNBC-selected quasi-agent provocateur.

[Joe Hadenuf]

Max Boot is a neocon.

[Young Rhino]

Mr. Boot is the Olin senior fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations
need I say more?

Beware the Trilateralist Commission, the CFR, the Build-a-burgers, the Partridge Family, and the Muppets. A tinfoil hat and a copy of Patsy Buchanan's latest book will protect you.

[Joe Hadenuf]

Great post.

[Joe Hadenuf]

Mr. Boot is the Olin senior fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations need I say more?

That about sums it up, except for a few more pieces of luggage he carrys around with him.

[timm22]

neocons are no less conservative than anyone else on the right.

Mr. Boot says this, yet in preceding paragraphs he explains how neoconservatives are softer on social issues than the Buchananite right and softer on economic issues than the libertarian right. Something seems amiss.

[goldstategop]

Nothing is amiss. There is no one "right" approach to being a conservative in America and the cafeteria approach works well. The Left is baffled by how we understand them so well - heck we used to be them! Yup, we're liberals mugged by reality and proud of it while the Left is still stuck in the fantasyland of believing that with one last try, goobermint social engineering will finally work. I have to laugh at their naivete in the face of exploding government budget deficits and incompetent bureaucracies.

[Sci Fi Guy]

I am much more interested in the policy/ideology debates themselves. This paleo/neo stuff has degenerated into name calling.

I agree so much. I just don't get the obsession that some have with labeling/typecasting conservatives into a few certain types. Do Liberals waste so much time with such self- examinations.

[goldstategop]

LOL! Back in the early 70s it turned out to be true love. Lets just say these outcast liberals and the people who ran William Buckley's National Review found out that they were made for each other. And the rest, as they say was history.

[aristeides]

We just had an excellent litmus test of who the neocons are. Republicans who attacked Lott are neocons.

[DBtoo]

Build-a-burgers, sounds good to me; I'm hungry.