Conservatism's Death Throes? (Joseph Farah On Why Conservatism Will Never Stop The Left Alert)

Worldnetdaily,com ^ | 11/13/2006 | Joseph Farah

[wintertime]

using the cultural institutions of the press, the entertainment industry, the foundations, the corporations, even the churches. ( Joseph Farah)

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Tsk! tsk! Joseph Farah has missed the BIGGEST cultural revolution of them all: GOVERNMENT K-12 SCHOOLS and GOVERNMENT and PRIVATE COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES.

[wintertime]

A few home schoolers may be resisting, but those few cannot resist a tide this large. My son has gone to some of the best public schools in California for the last 12 years, and listens to my "conservative" rants as if I was a child molester - he finds my comments "creepy" and rolls his eyes, waiting for me to go silent.

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I am very sorry. You have neither a wife or a son now.

The expression, "I am sorry for your loss." seems appropriate somehow. I hope you will find some peace in your remaining years.

[Dumb_Ox]

It is a defensive movement rather than offensive;

Good, Farah realizes that conservatives generally just end up preserving leftist gains. Here's to the reactionary imperative!

Its exclusive field of battle is electoral politics;

He also realizes the danger of political philistinism. Movies and music have far more effect than legislation or political talk radio.

It lacks the vision of a better future; America is sliding inevitably toward socialism and immorality.

On the contrary, conservatism is possessed by a polyanna-like belief in a better future. I'm not sure what point Farah was making here.

[Dumb_Ox]

Let's say Democrats run wild and then get thrown out in two years. Of course we conservatives wouldn't be conserving every idiotic change they made.

But conservatives will still conserve enough changes for lefties to build upon the next time they take power. They can't undo everything, and some conservatives will still have lofty ideas about using Democratic-created agencies and policies for good, and not for evil. The governmental beast will keep growing.

[linda_22003]

The article says: "Their goal is the destruction of the very building block of western civilization – the traditional family."

The problem may be that fewer and fewer Americans live in a "traditional family" themselves. The words "traditional family", to me, conjure up Ward, June, Wally and the Beav. Ward goes to work every day, June keeps house in nice dresses and pearls, and both parents raise the boys, in an intact marriage.

Well, I don't live that way (my husband and I both have careers, and we never had children). My parents didn't live that way (both had careers, and only one child). Many, many people move from one marriage to another. "What is marriage?" is a question we all address these days in our own way, and like it or not, the definition is likely to keep expanding.

He's right that the challenge is more than electoral, it's "hearts and minds". Once that starts changing, I'm not sure it can be changed back.

[Wonder Warthog]

"I think with a dem Congress he is twice as likely to veto it. Just a hunch.

Whyever would he veto it?? He's in FAVOR of it. I see no grounds whatsoever for your optimism.

"We will see either way right?"

Unfortunately, yes.

[kinoxi]

Unfortunately, yes. I think we can agree on that much.

[FastCoyote]

"We fight fair, the liberals fight to win. We need to start fighting to win."

Exactly right, we need to realize this is assymetrical warfare.

[itsahoot]

it shouldn't be a "Our way or the highway" all-or-nothing element of a larger Conservative movement

Strange that you should think that, because all our enemies including the Dims, have exactly that philosophy. Incrementalism, it actually works.

[itsahoot]

Jer 12:12 The spoilers are come upon all high places through the wilderness: for the sword of the LORD shall devour from the [one] end of the land even to the [other] end of the land: no flesh shall have peace.

Mat 24:22 And except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved: but for the elect's sake those days shall be shortened.

[ThePythonicCow]

Thanks for your condolences. The wife was a lost cause many years ago; I chose poorly to start with. The son I am very proud of; he will have to make his own way, and it will be a very different path than mine, as was mine different than my fathers.

[ThePythonicCow]

What is the meaning of the phrase "but for the elect's sake those days shall be shortened?"

[Darkwolf377]

Strange that you should think that, because all our enemies including the Dims, have exactly that philosophy. Incrementalism, it actually works.

I've got news for ya--incrementalism isn't a philosophy, it's a simple fact. Conservatism didn't just pop out of the sky and everyone went "Wow, that's great! Let's put Reagan into the White House!"

Incrementalism is a fact of reality. SOmething that just erupts into the public consciousness usually pops out of it just as rapidly...or are you going to try to argue that Christianity DIDN'T take over the Western World incrimentally, but it just happened the day after Christ rose?

[itsahoot]

What is the meaning of the phrase "but for the elect's sake those days shall be shortened?"

That depends on your interpretation of the book of Revelation, I guess. But you should start there.

[itsahoot]

or are you going to try to argue that Christianity DIDN'T take over the Western World incrimentally, but it just happened the day after Christ rose?

I didn't think I was arguing about anything. Christianity never gained anything by compromise, and please don't confuse the many churches with the body of Christ Christians.

[ThePythonicCow]

What does it mean to you?

[\/\/ayne]

But conservatives will still conserve enough changes for lefties to build upon the next time they take power.

Ok, I see your point but do we have to get a whole new name because some conservatives do that?

[Mr. Silverback]

Since its a movement devoted to restoring or preserving the status quo,

You and Farah are both wrong. Conservatism is not a defensive philosophy. Ronald Reagan proved that.

[Mr. Silverback]

Don't reject the observation that we are in really deep doo-doo, because it doesn't come with a solution. Step one in fixing a problem is knowing you've got a problem.

Though I'm no farah fan, you are correct. When an alcoholic admits he has a probelme, he doesn't have the text of the 12 steps pop into his head, he just knows he has a problem and has decided that he needs to change.

[Mr. Silverback]

Get Democrats out of our pockets and Republicans out of our bedrooms.

When was there a Republican in your bedroom?