WP: Steven F. Hayward: Is Conservatism Brain-Dead?

[ACW]

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/10/01/AR2009100103889.html
I've been thinking the same thing. From Friedman, Buckley and Kristol to Coulter and Hannity.
Some interesting praise for Beck though.

[AsburySkinsFan]

I read this OP/Ed yesterday, and I had to say that I thought it was pretty good, and pretty damning of the state of Conservatism today at the same time. As for the Beck praise, the problem he has is that the bones that he finds occasionally are hidden by the piles and piles of trash he accumulates which simply re-buries the bones to the point that people stop taking him seriously.

If the Right wants to be taken seriously then this quote needs to be read, memorized and acted upon.

The single largest defect of modern conservatism, in my mind, is its insufficient ability to challenge liberalism at the intellectual level, in particular over the meaning and nature of progress. In response to the left's belief in political solutions for everything, the right must do better than merely invoking "markets" and "liberty."

[Thiebear]

I think if we had a Cleansing of the house and senate of those over 15years.
We'd be back in order again.

There is NOT one conservative on the Hill, they are professional politicians...
Every thought is how to maintain my seat on such-n-such committee.

So basically: It's our own fault.

[SnyderShrugged]

I think if we had a Cleansing of the house and senate of those over 15years.
We'd be back in order again.

There is NOT one conservative on the Hill, they are professional politicians...
Every thought is how to maintain my seat on such-n-such committee.

So basically: It's our own fault.


I wouldnt say there are none, but agree that there are very, very few.

LOL, side note: I saw McCain touting "remaking the GOP" get this...."In His Image!"

They dont seem to get it that faux conservatives like McCain are the reason for the GOP woes, not the other way around!

[twa]

Good old intellectual conservatism yearning for the days of old that never were.:silly:

Get with the program dude,it's the entertainment and instant gratification era.

Ya damned dinosaurs

[Buford]

Good old intellectual conservatism yearning for the days of old that never were.:silly:

Get with the program dude,it's the entertainment and instant gratification era.

Ya damned dinosaurs


It is true. Everybody wants the good old days. But during those days, they wanted something else. Maybe it wasn't so good in the 1st place.

[Cskin]

The single largest defect of modern conservatism, in my mind, is its insufficient ability to challenge liberalism at the intellectual level, in particular over the meaning and nature of progress.
Actually, the defect is that "True" conservatives have not overcome a concise way to challenge Liberalism without said Liberals (and the complicit National Media) labeling them racists, bigots, anti-immigration, wealthy, heartless elitist.

You want the borders defended.... you are a racist!
You want welfare eliminated.... you are a racist!
You want Medicare, Medicaid, and Social Security curtailed.. you want old people to die and you are a racist!
You want personal responsibility and accountability... you are a racist!
You want the Dept. of Education abolished and education privatized... why do you hate kids?

Get the point?

[Jumbo]

Actually, the defect is that "True" conservatives have not overcome a concise way to challenge Liberalism without said Liberals (and the complicit National Media) labeling them racists, bigots, anti-immigration, wealthy, heartless elitist.

You want the borders defended.... you are a racist!
You want welfare eliminated.... you are a racist!
You want Medicare, Medicaid, and Social Security curtailed.. you want old people to die and you are a racist!
You want personal responsibility and accountability... you are a racist!
You want the Dept. of Education abolished and education privatized... why do you hate kids?
Get the point?


Given this obviously fitting capsulation of a core conservative characteristic, you'd think they would enjoy more amenable relations with the equally flawed traitorous, God-hating, welfare loving, Anti-American, self-loathing, reverse-racist, socialist-loving commie liberals. :D

[G.A.C.O.L.B.]

Actually, the defect is that "True" conservatives have not overcome a concise way to challenge Liberalism without said Liberals (and the complicit National Media) labeling them racists, bigots, anti-immigration, wealthy, heartless elitist.

You want the borders defended.... you are a racist!
You want welfare eliminated.... you are a racist!
You want Medicare, Medicaid, and Social Security curtailed.. you want old people to die and you are a racist!
You want personal responsibility and accountability... you are a racist!
You want the Dept. of Education abolished and education privatized... why do you hate kids?

Get the point?

Lol.

[aCalBearSkin]

Actually, the defect is that "True" conservatives have not overcome a concise way to challenge Liberalism without said Liberals (and the complicit National Media) labeling them racists, bigots, anti-immigration, wealthy, heartless elitist.

You want the borders defended.... you are a racist!
You want welfare eliminated.... you are a racist!
You want Medicare, Medicaid, and Social Security curtailed.. you want old people to die and you are a racist!
You want personal responsibility and accountability... you are a racist!
You want the Dept. of Education abolished and education privatized... why do you hate kids?
Get the point?

That's about as accurate as what you find on Fox News.

[Mad Mike]

IMO anyone who thinks *ANY* single ideology has all the answers is brain dead.

Individual ideologies are like old school martial arts. There is something to be learned from all of them but they are all flawed.

We need to be able to take the best concepts from any and all ideologies and apply them intelligently and fluidly to each challenge we face without prejudice or irrational fear.

I'm not sure why I bother to even talk about this any more though. I expect to be ignored and for the finger pointing blame game of who is at fault to continue. :doh:

[Jumbo]

I endorse Mad Mike's comments and the MA analogy. That pretty much seals the deal. :silly:

[Burgold]

To answer thread question....

Momma said if you have nothing nice to say don't say anything at all.

[twa]

We need to be able to take the best concepts from any and all ideologies and apply them intelligently and fluidly to each challenge we face without prejudice or irrational fear.

:

Agreed, I got the fluidly part down pat,still working on that intelligently bit.

I got my Paleneolibertarianfacisfiscaljingoistlibtard hat on today:silly:

[GhostofSparta]

No more so than progressivism and it's "Change for the sake of change" ideology that thinks everything about the status-quo is evil.






See what I did there? How I took a broad school of political thought and made it fit into a neat little box that I can then trash with ease? It's pretty fun, I must admit.

[aCalBearSkin]

No more so than progressivism and it's "Change for the sake of change" ideology that thinks everything about the status-quo is evil.

See what I did there? How I took a broad school of political thought and made it fit into a neat little box that I can then trash with ease? It's pretty fun, I must admit.

But do you recognize that conservatives seem to be experiencing an identity crisis as a party at the moment? You (admittedly) mischaracterize a progressive view above, but even your mischaracterization hints at what the Dems stood for this past election cycle. Knock it all you want, but it clearly resonated with the public.

In my view, the traditional (aka paleo-conservatives) need to take back their party from the nut-job neo-conservatives. Go back to honoring states rights (which Bush, at times, trampled), small gov't (Bush expanded gov't), and fiscal conservatism.

I think we're all better off with INTELLIGENT debate and REASONABLE bi-partisanship. All of the red herrings that have been thrown out during this healthcare debate (birthers, death panels, death camps, etc, etc.) do nothing for the American ppl. Have a plan? Show it to us. Ya know?

[SnyderShrugged]

But do you recognize that conservatives seem to be experiencing an identity crisis as a party at the moment? You (admittedly) mischaracterize a progressive view above, but even your mischaracterization hints at what the Dems stood for this past election cycle. Knock it all you want, but it clearly resonated with the public.

In my view, the traditional (aka paleo-conservatives) need to take back their party from the nut-job neo-conservatives. Go back to honoring states rights (which Bush, at times, trampled), small gov't (Bush expanded gov't), and fiscal conservatism.

I think we're all better off with INTELLIGENT debate and REASONABLE bi-partisanship. All of the red herrings that have been thrown out during this healthcare debate (birthers, death panels, death camps, etc, etc.) do nothing for the American ppl. Have a plan? Show it to us. Ya know?


This conservative (paleo/libertarian type) agrees with your post completely

[GhostofSparta]

In my view, the traditional (aka paleo-conservatives) need to take back their party from the nut-job neo-conservatives. Go back to honoring states rights (which Bush, at times, trampled), small gov't (Bush expanded gov't), and fiscal conservatism.

I agree with you, and consider myself something of a paleo-con (despite being only 24) with libertarian leanings (and a couple liberal tendencies thrown in for good measure). But the problem is to some extent is that while you seem to think the things you listed are good ideas (as I do), there are some who would claim that these are also brain-dead and outdated ideas.

I try in my personal life to keep my debates intellectually elevated, but sometimes when people start calling me names, I'm not above doing it back.

Although sometimes it's fun to take an insult and turn it around. "You say I'm an idiot, fine, then it shouldn't be too hard to debate my point and not resort to namecalling." or "Fine, I'm a racist, now why is my point wrong, from a logical standpoint?" But then I like being argumentative like that. :evilg: