What Happened to Conservatives

Texas Straight Talk ^ | Not given | Congressman Ron Paul

[Chickamauga]

What Happened to Conservatives?

The so-called conservative movement of the last 20 years, starting with the Reagan revolution of the 1980s, followed by the 1994 Gingrich takeover of the House, and culminating in the early 2000s with Republican control of both Congress and the White House, seems a terrible failure today. Republicans have failed utterly to shrink the size of government; instead it is bigger and costlier than ever before. Federal spending spirals out of control, new Great Society social welfare programs have been created, and the national debt is rising by more than a half-trillion dollars per year. Whatever happened to the conservative vision supposedly sweeping the nation?

One thing is certain: those who worked and voted for less government, the very foot soldiers in the conservative revolution, have been deceived. Today, the ideal of limited government has been abandoned by the GOP, and real conservatives find their views no longer matter.

True limited government conservatives have been co-opted by the rise of the neoconservatives in Washington. The neoconservatives- a name they gave themselves- are largely hardworking, talented people who have worked their way into positions of power in Washington. Their views dominate American domestic and foreign policy today, as their ranks include many of the President’s closest advisors. They have successfully moved the Republican party away from the Goldwater-era platform of frugal government at home and nonintervention abroad, toward a big-government, world empire mentality more reminiscent of Herbert Hoover or Woodrow Wilson. In doing so, they have proven that their ideas are neither new nor conservative.

Modern neoconservatives are not necessarily monolithic in their views, but they generally can be described as follows:

-They agree with Trotsky’s idea of a permanent revolution;
-They identify strongly with the writings of Leo Strauss;
-They express no opposition to the welfare state, and will expand it to win votes and power;
-They believe in a powerful federal government;
-They believe the ends justify the means in politics- that hardball politics is a moral necessity;
-They believe lying is necessary for the state to survive;
-They believe certain facts should be known only by the political elite, and withheld from the general public;
-They believe in preemptive war and the naked use of military force to achieve any desired ends;
-They openly endorse the idea of an American empire, and hence unapologetically call for imperialism;
-They are very willing to use force to impose American ideals;
-They scoff at the Founding Father’s belief in neutrality in foreign affairs;
-They believe 9/11 resulted from a lack of foreign entanglements, not from too many;
-They are willing to redraw the map of the Middle East by force, while unconditionally supporting Israel and the Likud Party;
-They view civil liberties with suspicion, as unnecessary restrictions on the federal government;
-They despise libertarians, and dismiss any arguments based on constitutional grounds.

Those who love liberty, oppose unjustified war, and resent big-brother government must identify the philosophy that is influencing policy today. If the neoconservatives are wrong- and I believe they are- we must demonstrate this to the American people, and offer an alternative philosophy that is both morally superior and produces better results in terms of liberty and prosperity. It is time for true conservatives to retake the conservative movement.

[Southack]

Conservatives have been busy doing *this* while you newbies have been spinning your wheels...

Presidency of George W. Bush -- the first 45 months

 

President Bush signing a federal ban on Partial Birth Abortion

Banned Partial Birth Abortion

Reversed Clinton's move to strike Reagan's anti-abortion Mexico Policy

Stopped foreign aid that would be used to fund abortions.

Supported and upheld the ban on abortions at military hospitals

Signed E.O. reversing Clinton's policy of not requiring parental consent for abortions under the Medical Privacy Act

Killed the Kyoto Global Warming Treaty

Killed U.S. involvement in the International Criminal Court

Killed Clinton's CO2 rules that were choking off all of the electricity surplus to California

Killed Clinton's "ergonomic" rules that OSHA was about to implement; rules that would have shut down every home business in America

First Missile is Installed For NMD on July 23, 2004

Killed the U.S. - CCCP ABM Treaty that was preventing the U.S. from deploying our ABM defenses

Has CONSTRUCTION in process on the first ten ABM silos in Alaska and California so that America has a defense against North Korean nukes

President Bush pledged to Israel on 4/14/2004 that it could keep parts of the West Bank, giving international legitimacy to Jewish settlements there

Denied Palestinian refugees any right of return to what is now Israel, saying they should be resettled in a future Palestinian state instead

Part of coalition (Russia, Israel, EU, Palestine, USA) for Israeli/Palestinian "Roadmap to Peace"

Pushed through THREE raises for our military

Increased Defense Dept funding which had deteriorated during the previous 8 years

President Bush's Grand Strategy (click here)

President Bush's Environmental Record - 2004 (click here)

Signed TWO bills into law that arm our pilots with handguns in the cockpit

Currently pushing for full immunity from lawsuits for our national gun manufacturers

Ordered Attorney-General Ashcroft to formally notify the Supreme Court that the OFFICIAL U.S. government position on the 2nd Amendment is that it supports INDIVIDUAL rights to own firearms, NOT a leftist-imagined *collective* right

Told the United Nations we weren't interested in their plans for gun control (i.e. the International Ban on Small Arms Trafficking Treaty)

Signed the 2004 Omnibus Budget 1/26/2004 that now MANDATES that gun buyers' background check information be fully and permanently destroyed within 24 hours of the completion of the check, no matter what.

Repealed Gun Controls Against Active, Retired, and Off-Duty Law Enforcement Personnel Carrying Weapons Into Local and State Prohibited Zones (7/28/2004)

Disarmed Libya of its Chemical, Nuclear, and biological WMD's without bribes or bloodshed

Won an agreement that U.S. Navy sailors may now freely board thousands of commercial ships in international waters to search for weapons of mass destruction under a landmark pact between the United States and Liberia, the world's No. 2 shipping registry (signed Feb 11, 2004), and Panama 5/10/2004 http://www.nytimes.com/2004/05/11/international/americas/11ship.html).

Successfully executed 2 wars: Afghanistan and Iraq. 50 million people who had lived under tyrannical regimes now live in freedom

 

Executed a WAR ON TERROR by getting world-wide cooperation to track funds/terrorists (has cut off much of the terrorist's funding and captured or killed many key leaders of the al Qaeda network)

Bush Administration diplomacy led to the 5/25/2004 peace accord that ended a massive 20-year civil war between Sudan's Islamic north and Christian south after two million deaths Click Here

 

Brought back our EP-3 intel plane and crew from China without any bribes or bloodshed

Started withdrawing our troops from Bosnia and has announced withdrawal of our troops from Germany and the Korean DMZ.

Signed the LARGEST nuclear arms reduction in world history with Russia

Initiated comprehensive review of our military, which was completed just prior to 9/11/01, accurately reported that ASYMMETRICAL WARFARE was critical.
Created NATO's Rapid Response Force
Changed the tone in the White House, restoring HONOR and DIGNITY to the Presidency

Reorganized bureaucracy...after 9/11, condensed 20+ overlapping agencies and their intelligence sectors into one agency: the Department of Homeland Security.

Initiated discussion on privatizing Social Security and individual investment accounts.

Improving govt. efficiency with .8 million jobs put up for bid...weakening unions and cutting undeserved pay raises. Wants merit based promotions/raises only.

Orchestrated Republican control of the White House, the House AND the Senate.

Killed the liberal ABA's role in vetting federal judges for Congress.

GWB signed an executive order enforcing the Supreme Court's Beck decision (re: union dues being used for political campaigns against individual's wishes)

Turned around an inherited economy that was in recession.

Passed tough new laws to hold corporate criminals to account as a result of corporate scandals.

Signed 2 income tax cuts ---- 1 of which was the largest Dollar-value tax cut in world history

Reduced taxes on dividends and capital gains

In process of eliminating IRS marriage penalty.

Increased small business incentives to expand and to hire new people

Eliminated the Estate Tax (AKA "Death Tax") that was taking small farms and businesses from families

Signed into law the No Child Left Behind legislation delivering the most dramatic education reforms in a generation (challenging the soft bigotry of low expectations)

Reorganized the INS in an attempt to safeguard the borders and ports of America and to eliminate bureaucratic redundancies and lack of accountability.

Signed trade promotion authority

Committed US funds to purchase medicine for millions of men and women and children now suffering with AIDS in Africa

Passed Medicare Reform (authorized $39.5 Billion per year for preventive medicine such as drugs and doctor visits as well as included a ten year Privatization option)

Urging federal liability reform to eliminate frivolous lawsuits

Supports class action reform bill which limits lawyer fees so that more settlement money goes to victims

Submitted comprehensive Energy Plan--awaits Congressional action (works to develop cleaner technology, produce more natural gas here at home, make America less dependent on foreign sources of energy, improve national grid, etc.)

Endorses and promotes The Responsibility Era ("In a compassionate society, people respect one another and take responsibility for the decisions they make in life. My hope is to change the culture from one that has said, if it feels good, do it; if you've got a problem, blame somebody else -- to one in which every single American understands that he or she are responsible for the decisions that you make; you're responsible for loving your children with all your heart and all your soul; you're responsible for being involved with the quality of the education of your children; you're responsible for making sure the community in which you live is safe; you're responsible for loving your neighbor, just like you would like to be loved yourself. " -----this quote was too good to leave out)

Started the USA Freedom Corps

Initiated review of all federal agencies with a goal to eliminate federal jobs (completed September 2003) in an effort to reduce the size of federal gov while increasing private sector jobs.

Challenged the United Nations to live up to their responsibilities and not become The League of Nations ( in other words, completely irrelevant)

Nominated strong, conservative judges to the judiciary.

President Bush opened up an additional part of Alaska for domestic oil drilling. In 2004, the National Petroleum Reserve, an area west of the existing Prudhoe Bay field, was approved for new energy exploration and production.

Increased U.S. Oil Drilling Permits 70% Above Clinton-era

Changed parts of the Forestry Management Act to allow necessary clean-up of the national forests in order to reduce fire danger.

As part of the national forests clean-up, the President restricted judicial challenges (based on the Endangered Species Act and other challenges) and removed the need for an EIS (Environmental Impact Statement) before removing fuels/logging to reduce fire danger.
New Forest Rules Gives States Power Over Federal Forests Inside Their Borders
Significantly eased field-testing controls of genetically engineered crops.

President Bush signed the workplace verification bill to prevent hiring of illegal Aliens
S. 1685, the Basic Pilot Extension Act of 2003, was signed by President Bush on December 3, 2003.
It extends for five years the workplace employment eligibility authorization pilot programs created in 1996. It expands the pilot programs from the original five states to all 50 states.

U.S. Forces In Baghdad

[dasboot]

What Happened: 9/11.

We're in a war economy.....paring government has to set back awhile. In fact, if I were cynical, I'd say the Liberal Dems are encouraging terrorists just to stay the hatchet-wielding hand of Pubby inclination. Can't let the beast be slain...then folks might actually understand that we're better off without it.

[Howlin]

But Bush is not a "genuine conservative."

You know, like Alan Keyes.

[Andy from Beaverton]

Great list!

[bayourod]

You think Ron Paul is calling President Bush a neocon?

When Ron Paul ran for President I asked him specifically if he supported abortion on demand a legalization of drugs. He reluctantly admitted that he did because they were part of his party's platform and he had to go along with it to get the nomination.

[EternalVigilance]

Can't pass up a chance to slam Keyes, can you?

Shoot, you'll even make up an opportunity...

[DoughtyOne]

While I am going to vote for Bush, there are numerous credits you have attributed to Bush that go hollow in the face of additional information.

I don't deny that Bush has done a number of very good things. I do deny that he has been a conservative's conservative.

Ron Paul may not give Bush enough credit in some areas, and I don't think that is any more right than giving him unwarranted credit in others.

Right now, we should be focusing on getting Bush elected, so I don't think it serves us well to focus on Paul's list of shortcomings right now. However, that list is valid. It does deserve to be addressed at some point.

[swilhelm73]

Wow, Ron Paul officially joins the tinfoil hat brigade. Do they have "medicinal" marijuana in Texas now too?

Anyway, as a "neo-con", aka a conservative, here's my answer to his statements, in order;

No
No
No
No
No
No
No
Well, military force is useful at times, that is, after all, why we have a military.
No
When it is in our interests, sure.
No
No
Well, given the choice between fighting and converting to Islam, I'll take the former. I guess Paul is a believer in the latter.
No
Libertarianism is part of conservatism, but only part. A large number of "libertarians" have decided if the Reps won't give them everything they want, *now*, they'll throw a tantrum, like the one Paul is throwing here.

[DoughtyOne]

I question the value of posting this on the forum right now. Yes, some of it is right on target. Other parts of it are nutty.

We have one goal over the next three and a half weeks, and that's getting Bush elected over John Kerry.

If Paul thinks Bush comes up short, my God what he must think of Kerry. The word Kerry didn't even exist on this thread until I wrote it in this paragraph. That should tell you something about Paul.

I like Paul but there are times, like right now, when I wonder what the hell he is thinking. Perhaps he didn't write this recently.

[EternalVigilance]

I agree with you.

[Jet Jaguar]

Nice reply!

[politicalwit]

"Signed TWO bills into law that arm our pilots with handguns in the cockpit"
They ain't armed yet.

"Initiated discussion on privatizing Social Security and individual investment accounts."
Talk's cheap

"Killed the liberal ABA's role in vetting federal judges for Congress."
Where are the federal judges

"Signed into law the No Child Left Behind legislation delivering the most dramatic education reforms in a generation (challenging the soft bigotry of low expectations)"
Yup, Kennedy style government program.

"Reorganized bureaucracy...after 9/11, condensed 20+ overlapping agencies and their intelligence sectors into one agency: the Department of Homeland Security."
Yup, now we have one big bureaucracy that is ineffective.

"Reorganized the INS in an attempt to safeguard the borders and ports of America and to eliminate bureaucratic redundancies and lack of accountability."
You've got to be kidding!!!

"Signed trade promotion authority"
You mean FTAA? Sure, lets open our borders even more.

"Challenged the United Nations to live up to their responsibilities and not become The League of Nations ( in other words, completely irrelevant)"
Why are we still a UN member?

"President Bush signed the workplace verification bill to prevent hiring of illegal Aliens
S. 1685, the Basic Pilot Extension Act of 2003, was signed by President Bush on December 3, 2003."
List the penalties any employer has received. More crap, worthless government programs that don't work.

"Submitted comprehensive Energy Plan--awaits Congressional action (works to develop cleaner technology, produce more natural gas here at home, make America less dependent on foreign sources of energy, improve national grid, etc.)"
Three and one half years...list and progress please.

[stands2reason]

Welcome to Free Republic.

Welcome-wagon ping!

[HallowThisGround]

Right now, we should be focusing on getting Bush elected, so I don't think it serves us well to focus on Paul's list of shortcomings right now. However, that list is valid. It does deserve to be addressed at some point.

I agree with your statement. Ron Paul does make some good points we need to address. I am always against a form of libertarianism that denys the fact that individuals can hurt others while exercising their own liberty, and that is why governments were instituted among men. Thus abortion is an evil even to liberty because it denys the right of an innocent while in the expression of the "liberty" of a woman to abort. This is where Paul and other libertarians go wrong. But the "Neo-Con" problem is real, and it must be suppressed after the election through grassroots effort and candidate training

[Howlin]

Can't pass up a chance to slam Keyes, can you?

I'll pass it up when you pass up getting up on your high horse and calling people who aren't salivating at a Keyes senatorial run Obama supporters. Shoot, you'll even make up an opportunity...

No, this IS an opportunity; it's presented by Ron Paul and the likes of you people who roam this forum, pontificating about being the "real, true" conservatives and anybody who doesn't agree with you is NOT a "real, true" conservative, i.e., a "fake" conservative.

And I'm sick of being told that we NEED you all to keep us HONEST, which I was told yesterday.

Alan Keyes calls himself a GENUINE CONSERVATIVE, and, yes, I will MOCK him when he does that.

It's exclusionary; but you know that, I'm sure.

[Howlin]

If Paul thinks Bush comes up short, my God what he must think of Kerry.

He must not be thinking anything about him at all, or we'd surely see an article about that, right? We would, wouldn't we?

Well, we all know a column by Ron Paul trashing John Kerry wouldn't make the back pages.

Thus we have Ron Paul listing his perceived shortcomings of George W. Bush.

[DoughtyOne]

Thank you. We're thinking along the same lines. Glad to see it.

Folks, I don't think we serve ourselves well by pulling out laundry lists against Bush right now. I admit, I have a very hard time reigning myself in when I see half the story printed, but this is not time to circle the wagons, then start shooting toward the middle.

I'd like to suggest that we wait until after the election to address negative issues concerning President Bush. I do believe Bush will serve this nation better than Kerry, although I am livid over some issues with Bush.

Let's call a recess to this, and pick it up after the election.

GO BUSH GO!

Waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa... Heh heh heh.

[DoughtyOne]

Good point.

[EternalVigilance]

Your self-justifications ring hollow. Keyes had nothing to do with this, and wouldn't agree with a good portion of it.

Like I said, just another unprovoked attack.

Go pick on a Dem. We have a socialist to defeat.

It gets old having you nipping at our heels every step of the way.