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Obama is the Real Conservative (Mega Barf Alert)
Daily beast ^ | Professor Jeffrey Hart

Posted on 11/03/2008 10:50:05 AM PST by WilliamReading

It may be something of a surprise that, as a long time conservative, I now support Barack Obama. In 1968, I was a speechwriter first for Ronald Reagan, when Governor of California, then, as Richard Nixon became the presidential nominee, a speechwriter for Nixon, working at his home office at 450 Park Avenue. I became a senior editor at National Review in 1969, a position I held until recently.

Republican President George W. Bush has not been a conservative at all, either in domestic policy or in foreign policy. He invaded Iraq on the basis of abstract theory, the very thing Burke warned against. Bush aimed to turn Iraq into a democracy, "a beacon of liberty in the Middle East," as he explained in a radio address in April 2006.

I do not recall any "conservative" publication mentioning those now memorable words "Sunni," "Shia," or "Kurds." Burke would have been appalled at the blindness to history and to social facts that characterized the writing of those so-called conservatives.

Obama did understand. In his now famous 2002 speech, while he was still a state senator in Illinois, he said: “I know that a successful war against Iraq will require a US occupation of undetermined length, of undetermined cost, with undetermined consequences. I know that an invasion of Iraq without a clear rationale and without international support will fan the flames of the Middle East, and encourage the worst, rather than the best, impulses of the Arab world, and strengthen the recruitment arm of al Qaeda. I'm not opposed to all wars. I'm opposed to dumb wars.”

Burke would have agreed entirely, and admired the cogency of so few words. And one thing I know is that both Nixon and Reagan would have agreed.

(Excerpt) Read more at thedailybeast.com ...


TOPICS: News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: conservatives4obama; drivle; obamacons; troll; wtf
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This article will surprise and infuriate a lot of people, including me. Tomorrow, I will be voting against the radical politics of Obama.

Still, the author is right in saying that the failure of George Bush's popularity is the failure of the Wilsonian worldview, which is not conservative at all.

1 posted on 11/03/2008 10:50:07 AM PST by WilliamReading
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To: WilliamReading

Saying Bush is not a conservative DOES NOT make Obama one.


2 posted on 11/03/2008 10:51:57 AM PST by wagglebee ("A political party cannot be all things to all people." -- Ronald Reagan, 3/1/75)
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To: WilliamReading

I guess the headline itself is a “Barf Alert” - but maybe you could put it in lower case to reduce projectile vomiting.


3 posted on 11/03/2008 10:52:43 AM PST by beezdotcom
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To: WilliamReading

I’ll take a Wilsonian worldview over a Stalinian worldview any day.


4 posted on 11/03/2008 10:53:41 AM PST by HerrBlucher
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To: WilliamReading

The only way the author’s support for Obama makes any rational sense, is if he’s one of those who’s of the mind that it’s better to bring in Obama, to hasten the start of the Revolutionary War II.

If that’s not his rationale, he’s off his nut.


5 posted on 11/03/2008 10:54:48 AM PST by Windflier (To anger a conservative, tell him a lie. To anger a liberal, tell him the truth.)
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To: WilliamReading
Nation-building was only one rationale for the war. Another was to remove a terrorist-supporint regime (check). Third (usually unspoken)rational was to create a killing field for terrorists so they would be drawn into war in Iraq rather than attacking us here (check).

Come to think of it, you can also put a check by "nation-building."

I suppose it's time to throw it all away so that Bammy can claim he was right from the start.

6 posted on 11/03/2008 10:56:11 AM PST by Martin Tell (Happily lurking in one location for over ten years)
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To: wagglebee

Reading through the gahrrrbageeee....
It appears this person celebrates the portent of an Obama presidency as once again having a “thinking man” in the White House.
What is it with these educated idiots?
One only needs to see the writer’s identification as “professor” to know that this is someone who has absolutely no respect for the common man/woman point of view, rather they have utter contempt for the masses.


7 posted on 11/03/2008 10:56:45 AM PST by antceecee (McCain ~ Palin '08 May God have mercy on us and protect us from evil.)
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To: WilliamReading

Tough times always tell you exactly who your friends are, and who your enemies are, as well.


8 posted on 11/03/2008 10:57:34 AM PST by hunter112 (They can have my pie when they pry it out of my cold, dead piehole.)
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To: WilliamReading; wideawake
The author is an idiot- and, if I may say so, so is the claim Bush's view is a Wilsonian world view. Wilson's view and Bush's view are far different, the only comparison is that they happened to have overseas military engagements. Wilson's world view was that nations who do not trade, of whom we need to should be forced into subjection- he did not care about democratization, he wanted subjects to the US. Wilson did really want empire.

"Since trade ignores national boundaries and the manufacturer insists on having the world as a market, the flag of his nation must follow him, and the doors of the nations which are closed must be battered down…Concessions obtained by financiers must be safeguarded by ministers of state, even if the sovereignty of unwilling nations be outraged in the process. Colonies must be obtained or planted, in order that no useful corner of the world may be overlooked or left unused"
... & ....The world is not looking for servants, there are plenty of these, but for masters, men who form their purposes and then carry them out, let the consequences be what they may.
- Woodrow Wilson

9 posted on 11/03/2008 10:58:29 AM PST by mnehring (We Are Joe!)
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To: WilliamReading

This kind of thing is unbecoming anyone who has a conservative bone in their body. I suppose this is an election where the elitist masks have come off for many of those who we thought were “fellow travelers” when in truth they were never with us at all. Even more revealing is how light the thinking is among this thoughtful group of turncoats. How they can call one of the most liberal Senators ever to run for President a Conservative is beyond me.


10 posted on 11/03/2008 10:59:53 AM PST by Maelstorm (This country was not founded with the battle cry "Give me liberty or give me a government check!")
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To: WilliamReading
It may be something of a surprise that, as a long time conservative, I now support Barack Obama.

Conservatism and Marxism are two different things. This is like Regan praising the Soviet Union.

My guess is this guy wants to be invited to all the liberal parties. Maybe he thinks this will get him in the door.

11 posted on 11/03/2008 10:59:54 AM PST by concerned about politics ("Get thee behind me, Liberal")
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Comment #12 Removed by Moderator

To: WilliamReading
Obama: "I'm not opposed to all wars. I'm opposed to dumb wars.”

This is the same guy who advocated attacking Pakistan and Saudi Arabia, fwiw

13 posted on 11/03/2008 11:00:52 AM PST by Smedley (It's a sad day for American capitalism when a man can't fly a midget on a kite over Central Park)
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To: HerrBlucher
I’ll take a Wilsonian worldview over a Stalinian worldview any day.

How about a U.S. Constitution world view which, sadly, neither candidate is even giving lip service to.

14 posted on 11/03/2008 11:01:17 AM PST by Prokopton
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To: WilliamReading

I may be mistaken, but I think that former National Review Senior Editor Hart went for Kerry last time, so this is no shocker.


15 posted on 11/03/2008 11:01:25 AM PST by Lucius Cornelius Sulla (So we beat on, boats against the current, borne back ceaselessly into the past.)
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To: Martin Tell

We showld have overthrown Hussein in a matter of months, and then let Iraq fend for itself. Too much money and treasure for people who honestly don’t like us very much (excepting the Kurds). Maliki is hopig for an Obama victory, that should be apparent. A muslim likes another muslim.

Still, once we got in there, the conservative thing is to leave Iraq with honor, as McCain is calling for.


16 posted on 11/03/2008 11:01:28 AM PST by WilliamReading
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To: WilliamReading
Wilson rejected American occupation of any part of the Middle East.

Obama has the Wilsonian worldview ~ which is why he'd get us in a huge war. "W" has no Wilsonian illusions.

This former editor at National Review is clearly senile.

17 posted on 11/03/2008 11:01:45 AM PST by muawiyah
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To: WilliamReading

It may be something of a surprise that, as a long time conservative, I now support Barack Obama==========================================

Nonsense. NO conservative could ever vote for a Communist.
If you are for Obama you were never really a Conservative and likely are not much of an American.


18 posted on 11/03/2008 11:01:51 AM PST by SECURE AMERICA (Vote FOR AMERICA . Vote McCain / Palin)
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To: WilliamReading
He invaded Iraq on the basis of abstract theory, the very thing Burke warned against.

If you go back to just before the invasion, you will find a great deal of discussion about Shiite, Kurds and Sunni. You will understand that the purpose of the invasion was to take Saddam out of power and the democratization of Iraq was strictly a side product. Should we have installed a king?? This after the fact crap by Democrats and like minded "I used to be a conservative but now I love Barrack" jerks is infuriating for. among other reasons, the extreme liberties they take with the truth.

19 posted on 11/03/2008 11:03:01 AM PST by JimSEA (just another liberal-bashing fearmonger)
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To: WilliamReading
...a long time conservative...


...and currently showing my true colors as a butt-sniffing power worshipper, I am voting for Karl Mar...I mean Barack Obama...
20 posted on 11/03/2008 11:05:47 AM PST by Infidel Puppy
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