Confessions of a warhawk: defending the American Empire

Enter Stage Right - A Journal of Modern Conservatism ^ | November 26, 2001 | Jackson Murphy

[A.J.Armitage]

"Real conservatism cannot aspire to lofty principles, because its task is to defend what already exists."

That's why I'm not a conservative, at least not in the sense he means.

[AUgrad]

"Real conservatism cannot aspire to lofty principles, because its task is to defend what already exists

What if what already exists is rotten to the core?

[madrussian]

Jonah Goldberg reminds me of Kommies whose recurrent theme was that the life of the workers and peasants is constantly improving and that Kommunism has brought equality and prosperity.

[LSJohn]

I gotta admit, for an exposition on the flaws of libertarianism, or libertarian thinking, this is more fair in its criticism than anything I've previously seen -- despite the fact that I disagree with nearly every criticism.

[steve-b]

Jonah Goldberg, editor of National Review Online, had a helpful response. "It's worth pointing out that we've been told that we are on a slippery slope for more than two centuries. And yet, from the moment the Declaration of Independence was signed to the moment you eat your turkey dinner on Thanksgiving Day 2001, Americans have become more, not less free. Maybe not on a month-to-month basis but the trendline is undeniable. The emancipation of the slaves, the enfranchisement of women and blacks, the breakthroughs in technology which make Americans the most mobile — i.e. free — people in the history of the world: All of these things describe a society climbing up a slippery slope not swishing down it."

In fact, the trendline has been clearly downhill since FDR, albeit with some bumps upward (in civil liberties during the 1960s and economic liberties during the 1980s).

[LSJohn]

The emancipation of the slaves, the enfranchisement of women and blacks ... All of these things describe a society climbing up a slippery slope not swishing down it."

These things describe a society which is improving in important ways for some of our citizens. It says nothing about the many ways in which others are becoming substantially less free.

[plain talk]

Not sure how you equate freeing slaves and the evolution towards anything-goes society we live in with owning washing machines. Jonah statements are correct. We're too friggin free and its time to tighten up our borders and allow the feds to hunt down the terrorists.

[Clemenza]

Until the early '70s, when "Scoop Jackson Democrats" like Perle, Podhoretz, Abrams and the like began to court Repulicans, most "conservatives" even those of the National Review bent, did not embrace the cause of "crusading for democracy." I for one support our strikes against the terrorists who did this to us, but don't want us to embark on "spreading our democratic values" around the world, as the turds at National Review/Weekly Standard/Commentary wish us to do.

We are the Friends of Civilization everywhere, but the keepers only of our own --- John Quincy Adams

[LSJohn]

What if what already exists is rotten to the core?

Well, see, you should ignore the rot (you will be ever so much more . . . . . . . .blissful) and conserve it. You wanna be a conservative doncha, 'cause if'n you ain't, yur jus' another one a them Klintoon-lovin' moron-traitor-socialist-blameAmericaFirsters.

[LSJohn]

"I was also under the impression that the amendment that expanded the franchise is generally seen as the beginning of the feminization of politics, which has been one of the main forces behind many of our most socialist policies, like welfare."

I would NEVER say that.

......but I can think anything I damn well please.

[LSJohn]

It kinda reminded me of someone.....!

LOL

LF Loyal opposition, bless his heart.

[LSJohn]

I wish I'd said that.

'Course I'd have written one of your four[5]-letter words in all caps and boldface.

[AUgrad]

I can't speak for anyone else, but this libertarian(small l)is not so much concerned about the "war" in Asia. I definitely am extremely concerned about the expansion of police powers and the potential for abuse(or the actual abuse which seems to be accelerating)of those powers here at home. I believe the leadership of our country is acting outside the bounds of the Constitution and is using this national tragedy to consolidate power and impose their wishes on an unwilling populace. I love my country but I fear my government.