Where Have All the Neocons Gone? (who cares---just get 'em out of OUR party)

The American Conservative ^ | January 12, 2009 | Jacob Heilbrunn

[lormand]

"Whenever I hear someone say neocon, I’m always reminded of 9/11 troofers."

Neocon is a term used by limp-wristed purse-swingers to attempt and drive a wedge between those who are willing to use military power and those who don't.

[stuartcr]

What happens when two or more people hold truths to be self-evident, but contradictory? Which self-evident truth, is real?

[TChris]

WE are the real RINOs.

I think you may have expressed one of the most simple-yet-profound ideas I have read here in a very long time.

We use the term RINO, when what we usually mean is "CONSERVATIVE in name only". "Republican" has only loose correlation to "conservative" much of the time.

[Lee'sGhost]

Amen, brother.

“Neo-con” is used here like it would be on the Daily KOmmunistS website. They use it like little kids...it sounds like “neo-nazi” so just stick it on anything you don’t like.

[lormand]

"...and neo-cons"

What is a neo-con?

[MARTIAL MONK]

My neo cons are better than your neo cons

Well, kick them twice and beat 'em with a stick.

[TChris]

“Neo-con” is used here like it would be on the Daily KOmmunistS website. They use it like little kids...it sounds like “neo-nazi” so just stick it on anything you don’t like.

That, and the fact that "con" is shorthand for "con-man". The implication of fraud, dishonesty, swindling, etc. is obviously not an accident either.

"Neo-con" = (by implication/association) "Neo-nazi con-man"?

[Kansas58]

You could not be more wrong.

In fact, you are making stuff up without any proof or even any evidence.

There has never been a poll taken that showed that Gun Control, abortion rights, higher taxes or a weak foreign policy had a majority of Republican support.

All of our Presidential nominees that you mentioned CAMPAIGNED as “conservatives” (Heck, even Obama campaigned as a “conservative”)

Most people are not political junkies, and once you get passed the “litmus test” issues, voters decide if they like the candidate or not.

We need to do a better job of recruiting conservative candidates, and those candidates will then WIN most of the primaries, if those candidates do a better job of communicating with the voters.

The idea that we need a “3rd party” is insane, we will give the country over to the left, if we do that.

The idea that we can win elections by REDUCING our ranks is also insane.

[lewislynn]

We are all neo cons unless we can prove otherwise....Lets get ourselves out of our party!

Neo con apologist?

Speak for yourself. I'm not a neo con and I don't have to prove anything to anyone...

[Designer]

"A neocon is anything bad and/or Joooooooish."

There goes Petronski spewing his profound "wisdom" all over the place.

Now who's going to clean that up?

You people who do not even know the definition of neo-con are sure quick to throw us into the tank with all the "KOOKS".

May I suggest you actually take a minute (or all day, in your case) to finally get a handle on who the neo-cons are, and what they are doing.

Otherwise, you will continue to look foolish.

[pissant]

The surest way to detect mental midgetry is to see the term “neocon” used.

[alex]

"3. Our security is through strength, not surrender.

Huh? To rage against neo-cons and at the same time to support the central idea of the neo-conservative foreign policy??????

[Crim]

“neo-con”....new conservative...aka former liberal...

To the liberal mind...a neo-con is WORSE than a nazi...

You have to understand...to liberals this is heresy...neo-cons are apostates from the “church of humanity”...

Neo-cons have drank from the well of liberalism and found it wanting...

It’s a dirty invective uttered to pass muster of profanity...but never mistake it’s meaning when spashed upon the stoning alter of the press...

To liberal ...Every conservative is a neo-con....

While to conservatives....we understand the variables in the party...

I’m a former liberal...one of the few on the boards....I AM a neo-con....But I dont consider Frum to be a neo-con...he’s just a liberal republican...he’s a powell, a Buckley Jr,spector, collins, snowe, gramnesty, McCainiac.....etc etc ...

I’m much farther to the right than these any of these smacktards...

The danger a former liberal represents to liberals...the source of the hatred...is the fact that true neo-con can see through there bullshit instantly...as they were once of that same mindset and world view...

[Alberta's Child]

But too often the “neocon” brush is used to include everyone favoring strong foreign policy.

That's a good point. I would contend that anyone who favors a strong foreign policy as an element of a big-government, globalist world view would fit the bill as a true "neo-conservative."

[AnotherUnixGeek]

I still have yet to find a cogent, clear, and unified answer as to what a neocon is.

I'm not clear on this myself. I believe that originally the term was applied to former Democrats who became disenchanted with the Democratic Party's weak, submissive approach to foreign policy and became Republicans. The following definitions seem to apply:

Social conservatives: A "neocon" is any Republican who isn't a social conservative. Also termed "RINOs", even if their views are overwhelmingly in line with traditional GOP values, these people must either fall in line with what social conservatives want or be driven out of the party. The article above demonstrates this definition.

Foreign-policy isolationists and Democrats: A "neocon" is anyone who supports the war efforts in Iraq and Afghanistan, and in general favors a muscular foreign policy. This is the definition used mostly in the media, by Hollywood anti-war types, etc. There is also a segment within this group who use the term "neocon" as a code word for "Jew" - many prominent neoconservatives such as Richard Perle and Paul Wolflowitz are Jewish.

[Petronski]

It amazes me sometimes how quickly the insults fly. It’s a sure sign that one has nothing better to say.

[SQUID]

That’s right, everyone is a kook, but people like you are pure genius. That works real well. That’s what your buddy Medved does. Ron Paul brings up points you don’t want public so you call him a kook and make him a Nazi. Brilliant. So, let me ask you, who should go to war with Iran before they get a nuke?

[Leisler]

True, but when a true, articlulate conservative comes along, he/she is popular. Look at Palin, whom is very, very ordinary American.

Liberal Republicans run as conservatives( Mitt ), because that is how you win the GOP. Then, they stab them in the face, because that’s what liberals do.

[SolidWood]

That's Clintonian and arguably to far lesser extent GWB foreign policy.

We need however a strong, if neccessary pro-active foreign policy for America's strength and security (which will benefit the free world too), while vastly shrinking government domestically.

We neither can afford Giuliani-Frum liberalism, nor Buchanan-Paul isolationism.

The above article is ridiculous from the onset for attacking Palin. It may have escaped the authors attention that Frum was viciously bashing Palin. The folks that are worrisome within the GOP are not the hawks, but the domestically liberal hawks.

[rdb3]

Whenever I hear someone say neocon, I’m always reminded of 9/11 troofers.

EXACTLY!

Amazing << Hear this. Feel this, and tell me that this isn't music.

Oh, dear...