As a substantive political project, E.J. Dionne is right – conservatism is finished. While he didn’t mention it, my pet example is the provision in the (failed) law to pre-empt state policies prohibiting tips from being counted against the minimum wage. When I mentioned the proposed law to my wife Dr. Brazen Hussy, she was the one who responded “so much for states’ rights.” Lately the Republicans have been very quick to overrule the states whenever it’s convenient. Given that the basic thrust of the “negative state” conservative movement since Goldwater has been returning power to the states, I find this an example of gross hypocrisy. The fact that other conservatives haven’t even mentioned it only makes this disgrace more telling.
Let’s just summarize some of the most glaring contradictions between conservative’s stated aims and their actual achievements, shall we?
1) Objective: A Strong Defense.
Result: A broken military trapped in a civil war on the other side of the globe.
2) Objective: The Spread of Democracy
Result: The installation of new dictatorial regimes, the collapse of governments, and the
spread of fundamentalist Islam.
3) Objective: Economic Growth
Result: The decline of the middle class and gigantic trade deficits
4) Objective: Conservative Morality Based On Order
Result: Incremental social liberalization accompanied by intense social conflict
5) Objective: Individual Liberty
Result: Domestic Spying, Torture, the Imperial Executive
6) Objective: Fiscal Responsibility and Low Taxes
Result: Huge deficits, inevitably leading to higher taxes in the future
7) Objective: Restoration of Religion
Result: Co-option of religion by politicians
8) Objective: A Decentralization of Political Power
Result: Increase in the power of the national government.
9) Objective: Cuts to Entitlement Programs
Result: Increases in entitlement programs
10) Objective: A More Efficient Government
Result: Rampant inefficiencies and corruption
I’m sure I could put together an even longer list, but I figured 10 would do. By any reasonable standard the conservative movement has been a complete failure. It hasn’t only not achieved its goals. It has in fact achieved the opposite of those goals.
This isn’t to say that as a political project right-wing Republicanism can’t still be successful, because it can. But it won’t be acting as a vehicle for “idealistic” conservatism. It will only be for the purpose of perpetuating Republican political power. Today we are not confronted with an aggressive intellectual movement using a political party as its instrument. We are seeing a party machine using a set of ideas as a fig leaf while they overthrow the Republic.
Nice job, William Buckley.
And nice job, Publius.
Tis a nice job.
Sour puss alert!!!
Do you wonder though that your list may become the rallying cry for the right to throw some lipstick on another pig and win the WH in 2008? I mean like won’t they simply claim on every one of those points that “true” conservatism hasn’t been given a chance? The left has spent its energy telling people Bush is the problem not “conservatism” which is the root of the problem. It breeds bad policy. We haven’t spent enough effort making sure people know “IT’S THE CONSERVATISM STUPID!!”
I mean, you know it, E.J knows it, I know it, even Bob Dole knows it, but the cult doesn’t. I know you are right, but the masses are capable of falling for another load of shit after a McCain or whoever sprays a little air freshener on it – as in a load of lies brought to their cult following via their media infrastructure which has proven time and again they can make the debate whatever they wish. They control millions of minds. Think about it, any jackass knew Iraq was a huge blunder by 2004 and that Bush was in way over his head, but what happened? Think about what it has taken to even get us to this point. My Lord, if a civil war in Iraq and a third WW has barely awoken them, think about that.
They control millions of minds and their party is controlled by the extremists. Their leadership isn’t going to change anytime soon, their base won’t have it.
Though I find it refreshing many are waking up, and like you say they will be about trying to hang onto power. I’ll believe we win the congress when it happens. Even if we do, the damage which has been done isn’t going to be corrected simply by “Waxman with the Gavel in the Rayburn Building” – as much as I wish it could. We have two more years of Bush judicial appointments, inaction on positive domestic policies, and a foreign policy run by Bush who doesn’t care what reality is anymore than he cares what the majority thinks or says. You still have Bush in office who is backed by religious freaks who are pulling more for Jesus flying down from the clouds than living in reality.
Great to know people are turning aorund, we have to try, but it is too late?
After all was said and done, Jim Jones was “dead” also, that didn’t do his organization much good in the aftermath.