Posted by
Allen Caeden on Monday, April 06, 2009 3:40:52 PM
Recently a new book by the radio talk show host Mark Levin was released, it is called Liberty & Tyranny: A Conservative Manfifesto and it has become an absolute bestseller. In this book Mark Levin strongly puts forth a manifesto for what is known asTraditionalist Conservatism. Now since the election I have heard every Republican under the sun saying that our party needs to return to its conservative "roots". I have heard this from Rush Limbaugh, Sean Hannity, Michael Savage, Ann Coulter, Bobby Jindal, Newt Gingrich, Michael Steele, Mark Levin, Sarah Palin, and etc. They all claim that the Republican Party has left its conservative "roots", yet how can this be since we have had a Republican President for eight years and even a Republican Congress from 1994-2006? My friends we have been living under conservative rule, but it has been the policies of what is known as Neo-Conservatism. It is easy to fall under the belief that all "conservatives" believe the same thing, but nothing could be further from the truth. There are basically two streams of conservatism.
The battle that is going on is between: Traditionalist Conservatism and Neo-Conservatism. So what is the difference? Let me point out what each camp believes.
Neo-Conservatives on the issues:
1.) Their origins- Neo-Conservatism began in the 1970's and they were semi-conservative pro-government Democrats who left the Democratic Party because of its move toward extreme socialistic liberalism and they joined the Republican Party (and brought their semi-liberalism with them).
2.) Their foreign policy- Is to convert the world to democracy, even in places where democracy will never work because of the cultural barriers to democracy.
3.) Government- They support big government and have a low opinion of states' rights.
4.) Spending- They are big spenders on social programs and believe in deficits. Balancing the budget is not a priority.
5.) Welfare- They generally support it.
6.) Social issues- Generally give lip servive to conservative social issues, but rarely pursue them when in office.
7.) Economic issues- Very extreme in free trade and globalization. Supporters of big buisnesses.
8.) Immigration- Believe in open boreders and have done nothing to secure the borders and they support general amnesty.
9.) Education- The federal government must regulate it and support it.
10.) The Constitution- They never bother to ask whether the laws they vote for are constitutional or not.
11.) Judicial Activism- They have no plans to oppose unelected judges who make laws that violate the Constitution.
Faces of neo-conservitism: Both Bushes, Bill Kristol, Fred Barnes, the Weekly Standard, Walter Krauthammer, most of the Senate Republicans and especially John Mccain.
Traditionalist Conservatism on the issues:
1.) Their origins: Thomas Jefferson's Republicanism, Andrew Jackson's Popularism, Edmund Burke, Russell Kirk, John Locke, The Federalist Papers & The Anti-Federalist Papers, and finally Ronald Reagan.
2.) Foreign policy- Use force to protect American intrests but it is not our job to always build and save nations and police the world in every particular circumstance. It is not the job of the United States to convert the world to democracy. It is our job to intervene when human rights are being completely trampled by evil tyrants.
3.) Government- Government is the problem not the solution. Cut government programs. Strongly protect states' rights.
4.) Spending- Strongly believe in cutting government programs and radically reducing spending. Balancing budgets should be a goal. Primary spending should be on the military.
5.) Welfare: Oppose it.
6.) Social issues: Takes social issues seriously. The root of most problems in the country are the result of immoral behavior. Welfare and social programs is simply the goverment bailing people out of the consequences of their actions. A virtuous and prudent people has little need for government.
7.) Economics- Tax cuts across the borad, but a watchful eye must be kept on Wall Street. Favors small buisnesses over big buisnesses because a big buisness can cause as much a problem as a big government can.
8.) Immigration- Supports securing the border and limited amnesty.
9.) Education- Is not the job of the federal government but is a state and local issue. Support vouchers or tax credits at most.
10.) The Constitution- They take seriously whether the Constitution prohibts a law or not. It is well understood that the Constitution mandates limited government.
11.) Judicial Activism- Activist federal judges including the U.S. Supreme Court must be reigned in and their power to create unconstitional laws from the bench must be fought. Judges should have term limits, or be subject to popular elections. The U.S. Congress should have the power to overturn outragous and unconstitutional rulings from the U.S. Supreme Court, thus the ultimate power must rest with the people and not unelected judges who are responsible to no one.
The most famous Tradtionalist Conservatives are President Ronald Reagan, most Southern Republicans, Michael Savage, Mark Levin, Rush Limbaugh, Sean Hannity, and Sarah Palin.
Please read Mark Levin's book, in it he refers to moderate Republicans and neo-conservatives as "Neo-Statists" as opposed to the Democrats who are full blown "Statists". My friends we must support the traditionalist conservatives, because the neo-conservatives have been killing our party. We have not had a decent Republican President since President Reagan and we all know it. Bush senior led to Bill Clinton, Bob Dole was a dud and led to 4 more years of Clinton, and Bush junior (along with John Mccain) has led us to a radical Democratic Congress and BO (Barak Obama). It is time to reclaim our party. The Republican elites are all neo-conservatives and the base are mostly traditionalist conservatives, and we need to reclaim our party from the neo-conservatives. This is why it is so important to pay attention in selecting Republican state chairmanships and in selecting true traditional conservatives during the primaries: both on a local level and a national level. The last thing we need is another government growing neo-conservative. My friends throw the Republican neo-conservatives overboard and put traditional conservatives back in power and things will change for the better! Neo-Conservatism has been tried and has been an absolute disaster, now let's throw the S.O.B's out!