O = W
From an unusual source:
What he's referring to, more than Bush, is the neocon movement.
Neo-con means "new conservative," or conservatism reinvented after liberalism. In other words, people with liberal motivations but conservative tactics. Like liberals, they want to spread freedom, equality and political correctness, but like conservatives, they want to do it through competitive economics and war.
Most interesting in this article is the implication that there is only one party. There can be only one party, because the voters demand both security and wealth. Wealth is generated by conservative actions and preserved by security, but we demand these things in the name of what we think makes us unique -- freedom, liberty and individual civil rights, a holdover from our Cold War meme-competition with the Soviets -- so we are both liberal and conservative.
I think it's unfair to blame Obama for this, just like it's unfair to blame Bush for this. Who do we blame? Well, we the voters are the ones who insist we maintain a set of values and methods that can only create this single party. We need to change our tune if we want leaders other than of this type.
“O=W” is a bumper sticker beginning to show up on liberals’ cars. After the President’s speech Tuesday night at West Point, I suspect it will spread rapidly.
For eight years, conservatives endured the agony of watching President George W. Bush attach the label “conservative” to a host of policies that were anti-conservative: Wilsonian wars, American empire, vast budget and trade deficits, increased entitlements, and the subordination of America’s interests to those of foreign powers. Now the shoe is on the other foot, and liberals are bidden to hold their tongues as President Obama makes Bush’s wars his own. The usual Washington sell-out is in gear.
It should not come as a surprise. America is now a one-party state. The one party is the Establishment party, which is also the war party. Unless you are willing to cheer permanent war for permanent peace, you cannot be a member of the Establishment.
The American Conservative
What he's referring to, more than Bush, is the neocon movement.
Neo-con means "new conservative," or conservatism reinvented after liberalism. In other words, people with liberal motivations but conservative tactics. Like liberals, they want to spread freedom, equality and political correctness, but like conservatives, they want to do it through competitive economics and war.
Most interesting in this article is the implication that there is only one party. There can be only one party, because the voters demand both security and wealth. Wealth is generated by conservative actions and preserved by security, but we demand these things in the name of what we think makes us unique -- freedom, liberty and individual civil rights, a holdover from our Cold War meme-competition with the Soviets -- so we are both liberal and conservative.
I think it's unfair to blame Obama for this, just like it's unfair to blame Bush for this. Who do we blame? Well, we the voters are the ones who insist we maintain a set of values and methods that can only create this single party. We need to change our tune if we want leaders other than of this type.
Comments
Post a Comment
Subvert the dominant paradigm, don't be a solipsist.