The latest right-wing crack-up.
By Paul J Cella Posted in The Parties — Comments (12) / Email this page » / Leave a comment »
Well, there’s quite a bit of hand-wringing or celebration, according to inclination, about the sorry state of Conservatism in America. Ample cause for this exists. On two of the very largest issues facing the Republic — namely immigration and Iraq — the Conservative alliance is fractured. And on down through a hundred lesser issues the fracture perdures. This is just a fact.
But it also a fact that in most cases both the Conservative positions are better — sounder, more admirable, etc — than the Liberal one. And further: in those cases where one of the Conservative positions is bad, it is simply because a goodly portion of the Conservative alliance has been persuaded to adopt Liberalism.
Read on.
For example, the genuinely right-wing support for mass immigration rests on basically commendable principles: free enterprise and a confidence in America’s capacity for renewal and endurance in the face of change. The Liberal support for mass immigration generally rests on a deep-seated antagonism towards one’s people; a kind of Alienism. It is true, as I say, that a considerable number of Conservatives have, perhaps under the pressure of the ubiquitous denunciation of Nativism, been persuaded to adopt this Liberal self-loathing. They love only America-as-she-might-be; and are perfectly contemptuous of America-as-she-is. But this is not a Conservative view of things. It is a Liberal view.
Or again, on Iraq: there is more sanity and patriotism in both Conservative positions than there is in the conventional Liberal view. It’s all cynicism — or discomfort with American assertiveness, or merely that limp quasi-pacifism of the street demonstrator — on the Left. On the Right, there are hawks who think the transformation of Iraq is both possible and highly beneficial to the United States; and there are doves who think the whole adventure fruitless and destructive to American interests. American interest is the touchstone in both cases. Oftentimes, for instance, these latter are among the more aggressive critics of the Jihad; they merely judge the Iraq war to be a distraction or worse from our resistance to the Jihad. But, again, both of these positions are manifestly superior to the studied ignorance of the Jihad adopted by orthodox Liberals (and, once again, also adopted by some Conservatives).
So let the Liberals yuk it up over the latest Conservative crack-up. We’re still closer to truth and sanity then they are.
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The latest right-wing crack-up. 12 Comments (0 topical, 12 editorial, 0 hidden) Post a comment »
...in fact, we have a healthy and vibrant conservative movement that is alive today. Is the conservative base depressed? Absolutely. This doesn't mean it is dead. Unfortunately, we have a president, the person who is the de facto leader of the party, who is not, and has not really governed as a conservative. The president drives policy in the Republican party. This is how we got McCain-Feingold, the ATTEMPT at comprehensive immigration, No Child Left Behind, Prescription Drug entitlements, etc. It's easy for conservatives to throw up their hands and say "I'm through with the Republican party!!!" I am frustrated too, but our ideas are alive and well.
The demise of BOTH political parties has been predicted after each and every landslide election. It was just after the 2004 election that James Carville wondered publicly about the future viability of the Democrat party. Things have been worse than they are now. In 1976 we elected Democrats to BOTH houses of Congress and we got nitwit left-wing Jimmy Carter in the White House. At that time, the Rockefeller Republicans held a firm grip on our party and we controlled NOTHING. Conservatism wasn't being advanced anywhere. Then in 1980, along came a fellow named Ronald Reagan.....
Bush's approval rating is in the tank. Part of this is just incumbent fatigue (nearly all presidents suffer towards the end of their second term), part of it is incompetence in Katrina, mis-management of Iraq, and immigration. There is no surprise to me that people are clamoring for something different. The Democrats are riding high just by "not being Bush" and bashing him day in and day out. Come general election time next year when voters have a choice between socialist "blame America first" types, and a different anti-Bush GOP candidate, things will look a lot different.
“.....women and minorities hardest hit”
I would compare conservatives today to the leftists after the 2004 elections. Remember PEST - the post-election-selection syndrome? Liberals were in abject depression following Bush's reelection and Republicans increasing their margin to 55 seats in the Senate. Did ANYONE in June of 2005 predict what would happen in November, 2006? I don't think so.
“.....women and minorities hardest hit”
Conservatism is alive and well. What more proof do you need than the fact that conservatives were able to stop that abomination of an immigration bill? We would not settle for Harriet Myers and our voices were heard. Same for the dubai port deal.
Never in my lifetime have conservatives been so successful in influencing our representatives in Washington on issues near and dear to us.
The problem is not a right wing crack up. Its the disconnect between the conserative base of the Republican Party and the operational leaders of this party. How we allowed the leadership to be to the left of the party as a whole, I think is an event worth researching and correcting.
Your point is well taken that either conservative view of these issues make more sense than the democrat alternative. But too often, our leaders, from President Bush to certain senators and house members, are supporting the democrat view.
No need to crack up conservatives. Its just time to clean house in the Republican Party leadership.
Paul, I agree 100% - this is an excellent blog. There are a couple issues where I disagree with most on here, but I can see on many of them where both my position and others can be justified from a conservative viewpoint.
The problem is, liberalism has made its way into conservative thought in a number of areas. I have noticed it quite a bit in my primary area of interest, which is the RKBA. I don't know exactly what can be done, except do all that we can to teach the Constitution, to make it where the average person doesn't believe that separation of church and state is in the First Amendment.
I thought we had one of these already in 2005. Or was it 2002? Or 1996? Or 1992? Or...
I rather suspect that the vast majority of conservatives still see eye-to-eye on the vast majority of issues. I believe the last time conservatism was a monolith, humanity was one cell. (Oops. There's another issue.)
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We are all heroes, you and Boo and I. Hamsters and rangers everywhere, rejoice!
And over 6000 conservatives attended, including some 1500 college age people. That was a record for the event, in both cases. Considering CPAC was held mere months after the worst defeat the GOP has seen in 15 years, I'd say the movement looks very much alive.
85% of GOP senators voted against cloture the first time and 75% the second. Doesn't sound to me like much "fracture" among conservatives. (75% of Dems voted for it the first time, and 68% the second. So? Greater "fracture" among libs??) We've known for quite a while that Bush isn't one of us.
On Iraq, some conservatives are getting impatient (improperly, IMO.) I think it's just that when we find ourselves agreeing with McCain we think we must be wrong.
There is plenty of room for conservatives and liberals to carp this year. I voted for Bush and am not satisfied with his stand on stem cell research, the conduct of the war in Iraq, one nomination for Supreme Court, the immigration bill (haven't sealed up the borders north or south by ANY president yet!), plenty of others. Concomitantly, the performance of Congress, b.d. (before the Democrat majority) and AFTERWARDS is horrible. The idjets (idiots!) are investigating the investigators now. The hard questions are just too hard, guess we'll all agree to disagree, OK, except for the pay raise. There were a few bright spots, but mainly only a glow of hope, not much else. All this does not fracture the conservatives, but reflects the general dissatisfaction we have with the current administration and current Congressional do nothings. After all the cheap shots are done, we will have to decide if want a true conservative, or a socialist, posing as a liberal to moderate Democrat. All the other stuff, including pardons, haircuts and Paris Hilton are just window dressing. Any perceived fractures will heal pretty quickly when the gravity of our choices are revealed. Conservatism is alive and well.
Cella writes:
"For example, the genuinely right-wing support for mass immigration rests on basically commendable principles: free enterprise and a confidence in America’s capacity for renewal and endurance in the face of change".
What is "commendable" about that? In other words, "Stick it to us and we'll suck it up"? I think the defeat of the latest immigration bill has proven otherwise. Mr. Cella and the neocons have no idea how absolutely resistant to this type of change we truly are.
ideological lines. From what I have seen, the best way to tell if a Republican supports mass migration or has gone wobbly on the war is how long he or she has been in D.C. The longer there, the more likely to take the "liberal" position.
The same applies to the Democrats although to a lesser extent.