Almost our entire Dallas-Fort Worth congressional delegation (the exception being Eddie Bernice Johnson) claims to be conservative. Yet not one, not once, not even the sainted Jeb Hensarling, has opposed the expansion of Federal powers in the Patriot Act, FISA, or the Bush Administration’s abrogation of due process. Not so in Britain, where conservatives are the most vociferous opponents of this expansion of the state and the most spirited defenders of our shared ancient liberites.
To be fair, Democrats haven’t been much better, but that’s no surprise: the expansion of the state is about the only thing they stand for.
21 comments
Really, now, have you not heard about Democrats supporting more transparency in government (especially Bush government), freedom of speech, freedom of the press, freedom of religion, due process of law, equal protection of the law, and bans on unreasonable search and seizure, among others? Or do you choose to ignore the (often futile) efforts of Democrats to support the Constitution guaranties (including the Bill of Rights) because you don’t want to be labeled “unpatriotic” by the chickenhawks now running the show?
oh, please. you neocons find everyone to blame but yourselves. you have ruled this country for the past 7 years and have done everything in your power to make government as intrusive in ALL our lives as possible under the guise of “protecting America”. the only thing you *really* want to protect is your power.
do us a favor: run down to the corner store and buy a clue.
Now Wick your last sentence was uncalled for. I’m a democrat and yet I’m standing shoulder to should with you against the state of Texas’ actions concerning the YFZ ranch.
And if you don’t my saying so, look at those suporting the state’s position. How many democrats do you see over there. I don’t see any. But then you might be using different glasses (snip intended) than I am.
Oh Bob, give me a break. The only transparency that Democrats stand for transparent tape to hold all the tax forms together.
1. Freedom of Speech? No, they are advocating the “fairness doctrine” for the sole purpose of driving opposing viewpoints off the airwaves.
2. Freedom of the Press? See above. Liberals are for freedom as long as it espouses their own point of view, and nobody else’s.
3. Freedom of Religion? Liberals seem to only want freedom “from” religion.
4. Equal protection of the law? Except for Affirmative action and other racial quotas you mean.
5. Bans on unreasonable search and seizure? It was the Liberal members of the Supreme Court that voted to spit on the Fifth Amendment, and allow the government taking of private property for the profit of private businesses. There has never been a more obscene abuse of power.
Oh, and the leftward leaning members of the court this week decided to ignore Article III, Section 2 of the US Constitution.
Liberals, for decades, have advocated a judiciary that doesn’t just judge law, but creates it, in direct violation of the separation of powers.
Tyrone – If you think Wick Allison is a neocon, you haven’t been paying attention.
Psst… they’re not really conservatives.
Read John Dean’s last few books, especially Conservatives Without Conscience.
Also check out Pure Goldwater.
Wick’s point is a good one. I can’t understand why Harvey is uncomfortable with the last line… The presidential campaign so far has been a year long pitch on how Obama or Hilary would “help” us by expanding and creating programs to address ills both real and imagined. It’s what dems have done for decades. No reason the shirk…not at all. It’s the tension that is our process.
It’s disturbing to see the constant erosion of liberties and freedoms. From the little ones (cell phones/smoking) to the biggies (Patriot Act, FISA, et all) the damage is done. I don’t personally see how we go back from where we are. The Republicans in power are not true conservatives. They have lost their way fighting enemies both real and imagined.
And so now, we are left with the two most “electable” canidates on each sides. Both are watered down caricatures of their respective parties.
The beautiful poignant balance of the three branches of federal power have devolved into a study of petty bickering and control that rival kindergarten musical chairs.
The spirit seen in the UK (and in European conservatives in general) has deep roots. They, unlike us, may have actually learned from past mistakes.
It doesn’t surprise me at all that Conservatives are against satanism. I mean, to each his own, but all that pentagram stuff kinda gives me the willies, too.
Oh wait.
Ha ha, Bethany! That’s exactly how I read the headline before I double-took. (?)
Of course, the democrat party has stood foursquare for Satanism since its very inception.
Despite what Dallasite might say, the neocons know they’ve driven this country into a ditch. But they won’t admit it, and that’s the reason this fall is looking pretty good for the Democrats. Only in a Bushian world does the “fairness doctrine” drive opposing views off the airwaves. We own those airwaves, you know; Clear Channel and their politically connected media pals do not. But when Dallasite has finished telling us all how America is going to hell in a handcart because of Liberal thought, I hope he’ll take a few moments to tell us how well the war in Iraq is going. I could use a laugh.
Wasn’t it a Republican who had the very liberal thought to free the slaves?
I’m just thinking that the word liberal gets thrown around an awful lot when we really mean “new.”
Just for fun, I looked up “liberal” at dictionary.com. The word has a number of meanings and uses, but the “capital L” one is the one that seems to be the one heard most since Jan. 20, 2001:
2. (often initial capital letter) noting or pertaining to a political party advocating measures of progressive political reform.
But like I said, there are other meanings, which many conservatives don’t like to hear:
5. favoring or permitting freedom of action, esp. with respect to matters of personal belief or expression: a liberal policy toward dissident artists and writers.
6. of or pertaining to representational forms of government rather than aristocracies and monarchies.
7. free from prejudice or bigotry; tolerant: a liberal attitude toward foreigners.
8. open-minded or tolerant, esp. free of or not bound by traditional or conventional ideas, values, etc.
No wonder the terrorists “hate us for our freedom.”
Republicans have been known to have liberal ideas, Bethany. But that’s not an everyday occurrence. Nixon, I would remind, created the Environmental Protection Agency and opened diplomacy with China. You could look it up.
While we’re extolling Lincoln, though, I’d like to remind that that was something of a war tactic. He didn’t free the slaves “up Nawth.” The Emancipation Proclamation was only valid in areas that were part of the rebellion.
After I hit submit, I realized what I really wanted to say was that when people say liberal, they mean Democrat, so often.
I remember a poly-sci prof of mine joking about a local candidate who swung so far to the right that she almost came back around to the left.
The two words are not interchangeable.
Interesting. We’ve been having this mini-discussion about Liberalism and this afternoon I have run across a recent New Yorker article by George Packer. The title is: The Fall of Conservatism. Here’s a link:
http://www.truthout.org/article/the-fall-conservatism
Well Long Memory, that was a very cute non-retort. You didn’t really address anything I stated though. You simply regurgitated that same tired talking points. “…the neocons know they’ve driven this country into a ditch” is real cute with 5.5% unemployment and a still growing economy. I’m sure you’ll complain about all the Rights you’ve lost without being able to list a single one.
The Left has been lying for so long about the state of affairs in this country that I seriously doubt that you could tell the truth if you had to stand on the witness stand.
To be fair, I only read this post because I thought it said “Conservatives Against Satanism.” My bad.
I am a neo-con, and I can name all of my rights lost in this Democrtic house…
Sorry for the typos…I was texting while driving in a school zone. Oh, crap…
You were probably smoking too…
I suggest you read the article I offered a link to, Dallasite. The point of the article was that y’all are going to have to find a new way to connect to Americans. Reason: They don’t believe anything you say anymore.
They heard about the “Healthy Forests” program, then they found out increased logging of protected wilderness.
They heard about the “Clear Skies” initiative, then they found out that it permits greater industrial air pollution.
Finally, Dallasite, Americans have heard it all in Iraq. Casualties up? That’s because we’re winning. Casualties down? That’s be cause we’re winning.
No wonder y’all are running away from that guy. But you need some ideas, and “less government” won’t cut it anymore, at least not since Mr. Bush has declared that we need the government to keep us safe. Y’all are cooked. As you should be.