Bush: Conservative?

[Michael Hardner]

We're seeing the final triumph of the marketing approach to politics now. The best marketing team will win, in the absence of major calamaties that might or might not stick to the various candidates.

Clinton, who presided over the gutting of welfare, is loved by blacks and seen as a great liberal. Bush is seen as a compassionate conservative. These are victories of style over substance.

I have wondered, along with Auguste, why GWB wanted to be president, but I'm starting to think it was because he wanted to be famous. Bush isn't conservative, he's a Bushite.

[Black Dog]

From the kristol article::

(Neoconservativism) is hopeful, not lugubrious; forward-looking, not nostalgic; and its general tone is cheerful, not grim or dyspeptic.

It's interesting to note that many architects of the neocon movement were former leftist Trotsykists. It appears the neocon movement absorbed the far leftist utopian worldview, as well as their fondness for an all-encompassing, all-powerful State.

Its seems a weird mish mash of ideas to be but Bush is following almost to the letter. Perhaps he does have a philosophical base?

What makes neoconservativism dangerous as a guiding philosophy is that it has no moral centre. The expansion of American power is not a means to an end, such as improving the world, but an end unto itself. Why? The clue lies in their belligerant foreign policy views: the neocons are the servants of the war economy, their unstated goal to keep the symbiotic relationship between industry, lobbyists and the state healthy.

I have wondered, along with Auguste, why GWB wanted to be president, but I'm starting to think it was because he wanted to be famous. Bush isn't conservative, he's a Bushite.

The clue to Bush's motivations lies in his past. As a businessman, Bush was, on the surface, a failure. However, he still made a lot of money for himself by convincing others to buy in to his dead end ventures, and then dumping his own stock before the bottom fell out. Now he's doing the same thing, pushing policies that benefit his cronies (and gee, do you think there's a plum spot on some board of directors awaiting him afte rhis term ends?) while taking the shareholders (now the American people) for a ride.

[Black Dog]

Reply to Kristol

No one should be surprised that Kristol considers the U.S. to be an "ideological" superpower in the old Soviet sense: that is precisely the essence of the neoconservative vision. The neocon project of forcibly "transforming" and "democratizing" the Middle East is a perfect replica of the Soviet occupation of Eastern Europe. Soviet satellites were so many millstones around the Kremlin's neck: eventually, the burden dragged them down into a terminal decline. The same fate awaits us if we are so unwise as to ignore the bones of our predecessors lining the side of the road to empire.

[Unpolarized]

The tension between real conservatives and neo-conservatives will be at play this weekend at the Conservative policy convention. Harper is solidly an neo-conservative where the old PC party is more in line with the conservative approach to government.

Can the Bush neo-conservative approach flourish in Canada? I hope not but it will be interesting to see what happens.

What makes neoconservativism dangerous as a guiding philosophy is that it has no moral centre.

If you read Kristol and listen to GWB, he is saying that moral justification is the spreading of an American way of life, democracy and liberty. He may actually believe that, the way the British believesd that they were improving the colonies when they were a world power. the problem is when this big picture morality (imposing the american way of life) is imposed and it ends up killing people, keeping people in poverty, restricting access to health care in developing countries - all of these things are clearly immoral.

Bush also imposes a certain view on what the American way of life is. GWB's american way of life is quite different I think from at least 50% of other Americans. He was elected to govern but not impose a view of what the American way of life is. I respect his position to govern but not his right to impose his views on what the American way of life is and in particular, to impose his American way of life on me or other countries.

[Black Dog]

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The tension between real conservatives and neo-conservatives will be at play this weekend at the Conservative policy convention. Harper is solidly an neo-conservative where the old PC party is more in line with the conservative approach to government.

Harper is not a neocon, at least in the American sense of the word. He's a small-government/private enterprise wonk who lacks the bloodthirstiness of his southern coutnerparts.

Can the Bush neo-conservative approach flourish in Canada? I hope not but it will be interesting to see what happens.

I doubt it. It's a movement rooted in American values of militarism and nationalism, qualities Canucks, by and large, don't possess.

If you read Kristol and listen to GWB, he is saying that moral justification is the spreading of an American way of life, democracy and liberty. He may actually believe that, the way the British believesd that they were improving the colonies when they were a world power

Granted, but the fact remains that the idea of creating benevolant democracies around the world is secondary to maintaining U.S. hegemony. Indeed, the unspoken, yet obvious, assumption is that these imposed democracies will still answer to the United States.

Bush also imposes a certain view on what the American way of life is. GWB's american way of life is quite different I think from at least 50% of other Americans. He was elected to govern but not impose a view of what the American way of life is. I respect his position to govern but not his right to impose his views on what the American way of life is and in particular, to impose his American way of life on me or other countries.

That's kind of a fact of political life. here in canada, the Liberals claim to represent al Canadians, while in the states, the Bushniks take his incredibly slim re-eelection as broad approval of their agenda, even though, as you said, millions of people across the political spectrum disagree with them.

[cgarrett]

paul wolfowitz as head of the world bank?!

these guys are crooks, not conservatives! its a small group of the most powerful people in the world... and not all american! they're behind a huge shove to control remaining fossil fuel supplies... at american taxpayers expense. hilarious!

i wouldn't be at all surprised if history showed that these guys perpetrated 911 because they are the only ones coming out on top because of it. you only have to be into oil or arms to love these guys!

[Herman Simancas]

Indeed. The world is coming to a dangerous economic and political sitaution. It's starting to destabilize. Europe has to see these threats as a united and as a whole nation.

[Black Dog]

How far will they go to kill conservatism?

Welcome to Big Government, Morality Police edition, brought to you by Pat Robertson, Randall Terry, and company. And if you think it ends with Schiavo, you are misguided.

[moderateamericain]

Right on cue, James Wolcott , one of my favorite commentators, had this to say about moderation in his blog today.

Whenever a Voice of Moderation addresses liberals, its sole purpose is to stomp out any real sign of life.

ahh yes lets quote a guy who makes asanine assertions backed up by no fact and insults the size of a conservatives ass. brilliant, forgive me if i take what he says with a grain of salt. Ill take a moderate over an extremely right or left person any day. At least we have the balls to stand up for what we believe and not just go along with the group.

[Unpolarized]

.

Bush also imposes a certain view on what the American way of life is. GWB's american way of life is quite different I think from at least 50% of other Americans. He was elected to govern but not impose a view of what the American way of life is. I respect his position to govern but not his right to impose his views on what the American way of life is and in particular, to impose his American way of life on me or other countries

Quote from Blackdog

That's kind of a fact of political life. here in canada, the Liberals claim to represent al Canadians, while in the states, the Bushniks take his incredibly slim re-eelection as broad approval of their agenda, even though, as you said, millions of people across the political spectrum disagree with them.

I understand what you mean black dog but I guess what I meant was the extreme certainty based on a particular value system, that does not broker any discussion, which seems to be a tenent of the neo-con approach. I think our government, while taking a strong position, is a bit more open . What scares me about Bush is his positions seem so etched in stone. Bush is just sure he is right and is so convinced that he has the "ends justifies the means" approach. Even when I disagree with our government, I can at least see where they are coming from or understand there arguement. Yes, our government is not perfect and they are some pretty stupid and wasteful things going on or policy decisions that are not in line with my value system. I can disagree without being called a traitor or my Canadian-ness being challenged. I often can not understand how the Bush government gets to their conclusions.

Look at the American media, if you think differently from Bush you really are given quite a hard time. People can disagree with Martin on same sex marriage but I do not think they are evil or traitors. Try disagreeing with Bush in a public way, or even getting the airtime to do that and see how its reacted to. The Democrats are scared to stand up and be counted. We know what Harper thinks, for example on same sex marriage. I disagree with him, wish he would take the rhetoric down a notch but do not think he is any less Canadian because of it. But people who do not agree with Bush are seen as Anti- American or traitors (I have heard that a lot in the media).

Its the fanatical drive to make the rest of the world be like American and the surety in the superiority the American lifestyle that make me nervous. There are lots of good things about the US( the constitution, the people, their economic strength, etc) but not all is good and some of it, especially recently, is scary - the nose dive the economy, the restrictions on individual rights, the move away from the social security net, the increasing debt that puts, in my opinion, the global economy at risk, and the religious extremism of some of the Bush camp.

PS. I am just figuring out the quote thing so sorry about the formatting.