The Problem is not conservatism, but conservatives who aren’t conservative

PajamasMedia ^ | 5/16/08 | Victor Davis Hanson

[JamesP81]

Sometimes, I think it might be good for people to let them have the leftism they seem to want so badly. Maybe after a few successive catastrophes, they will finally learn.

[Paradox]

Yours is an interesting take. I have often thought to myself, that our real task as Conservatives, is to SLOW DOWN the inevitable march of Liberalism. It is Liberalism, IMHO, that puts an end to an empire. The Europeans are about 50 years ahead of us, but we too shall, alas, succumb. In the meantime, the Liberals will rant and rave about how much better off we are, while we slip slowly down into the abyss.

Of course, thats the pessimist in me, the optimist says that its just part of the American Government cycle. Hmmmm...

[x]

Revenues continue to soar after the tax cuts, so the problem is too much going out, not too little coming in.

It should be easy to google up something about that. Here goes:

I can't vouch for that data 100% and don't trust the rosy prediction for 2012, but it does look like spending is way in excess of revenue, and that the "soaring" is more of a bounce-back than a take-off. Cutting those outlays isn't going to be very easy, and a continued increase in revenue can't be counted on.

If there's an overall problem it's more that politics is a matter of priorities. You have to pick the goals that are most important to you and to the public and achieve them. You can hold the line on other things, but you can only achieve so much in public life. You can seee that right now. To get what you want out of Congress on one issue, you have to settle for less on others.

Hansen's expectations for action across the board are too high and won't be met. The idea that politicians are going to devote themselves step by step to realizing some ideological program is naive. It's when you have a clear threat or wrong in view and the stakes are high that ideology or principle comes back into its own again. When things calm down, it's back to politics as usual, and nothing much gets done.

[alarm rider]

Leadership. Leadership. Leadership.

We need strong leadership. That’s exactly what conservatives at this time do not have.

[rbg81]

I often ask myself: What lies at the proverbial “end of the road” of the Liberal agenda? I keep coming back to dictatorship. Why? Because their policies are slowly bankrupting us. Indeed, in terms of entitlements people expect, we are already bankrupt. So what happens when the wants the resources available to provide those wants? Well....someone needs to them come in and seize property and assets to make sure that essential benefits keep flowing to clients. This is where we really start to loose our freedoms.

By that time, a critical mass of Third World types will have migrated here and be clients for Government services. These people will technically be here illegally, but (by that time) little things like legalities won’t matter much. They will effectively vote and all the benefits that actual citizens do. While these people may have come here for the right reasons, they will have no stake in the values, traditions, and laws that made this country what it is.

So, basically, those who can do will effectively be slaves to provide for those who can’t. Those that have will find their property seized by gangs of Government thugs. And the justification will be that its penance for the crimes of their ancestors. Most people will be psychologically demoralized and disarmed by that point. Those with the wear-with-all to defend themselves will be labeled as enemies of the people.

Want to know what America will look like in 60 years? Look at Zimbabwe now. The older I get, the more I think that Ayn Rand had it right after all.

[WOSG]

Truth and Hope. Well said.

” We need to pick our fights where we can win them and do so. What we don’t need to do is give up. And we really don’t need to believe the manipulative garbage foisted on us by mediots who aren’t smart enough to tip their valet parkers so their hubcaps don’t get ripped off while they’re schmoozing with The Great. The Great...aren’t. And the mediots aren’t either. “

[plain talk]

Yes, leadership is a huge part of it. Leaders at all levels and most of them not even elected officials. The key gap is to get a majority of voters to become lifelong conservatives. That is not accomplished by relying on individual personalities or occasional “Reagan’s” to come along. That is a systemic problem that takes broad organization, discipline and years to fix.

[Feckless]

It’s not a perfect plan, but if we continue to reward the GOP for trying to “out Dem” the Dems they will just continue to do it. Let’s see them get elected to dog catcher without conservatives.

[TheRobb7]

“The rules are such that delegates are *bound* to vote for the chosen nominee on the first ballot.”

Ummm...I’m advocating mutiny...that means you don’t [lay by the rules, no matter how you’re “bound”.

That’s why it’s called mutiny.

[TheRobb7]

“The rules are such that delegates are *bound* to vote for the chosen nominee on the first ballot.”

Ummm...I’m advocating mutiny...that means you don’t play by the rules, no matter how you’re “bound”.

That’s why it’s called mutiny.

[oldbrowser]

Are the Dems mostly to blame? Yes—but the RINOs and GWB are just as guilty. I am convinced the only thing that can change this is a total breakdown of the system—another great Depression or worse.

Or Worse? That sounds like you advocate the overthrowing (or letting it collapse) of the USA and starting all over again. This country is much too large to let it collapse and start all over again.

This country is a one time only "perfect storm" of patriots, opportunity, culture, that occurred centuries ago. If we let it go, we will never see it again.

[The Pack Knight]

That's exactly right. Republican Congressmen are certainly to blame, but we have to remember that Congressmen are Congressmen, and have been since the beginning of our Republic. Without firm leadership, they're going to do what they're going to do.

We can't expect all Congressmen to be paragons of civic virtue: they aren't and never will be. What we can, and must, expect are leaders who will keep Congress on task and hold them accountable when they goof off. That has been sorely lacking in the Republican Party today.

While the milquetoast Congressional leadership deserves a lot of blame, the buck ultimately stops with the President. That he has failed to provide that leadership is one of the biggest black marks on his presidency.

[rbg81]

This country is a one time only “perfect storm” of patriots, opportunity, culture, that occurred centuries ago. If we let it go, we will never see it again.

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You are probably right. The thing is that I see it slipping away anyway.