Johnston: The exodus of conservatism
The election of Barack Obama may mark the end of political conservatism in America. This is not to say that the Republican Party will not return to power. Nor is it to say that the era of free-markets is over, that the people will stop voting for tax-cuts, that politicians will cease lambasting government. Though conservatives have pragmatically suggested “economic conservatism” when appropriate, ideological laissez-faire capitalists have no more relation to conservatism than one-time political allies. Conservatism has a far different focus.
The essence of conservative philosophy...
The irony here is that Obama is far more communitarian in his outlook than John McCain, or indeed most prominent Republicans. His willingness to confront cultural issues (his Father's Day speech, his line about children "putting down the video games") has led some to label him a "social conservative," and some of his policies reflect the sort of patriotism-through-service that implicitly rejects autonomy-worship: I'm thinking in particular here about his education credit for students who engage in community service, etc.
I agree with the recent Alum. Obama is the most anti-American candidate to ever run for President. His receipt of funds and support from dubious Middle Eastern characters and groups and his association with anti-American groups in the U.S. and abroad are starting to haunt his campaign and will likely defeat his candidacy. In fact, the U.S. is likely to see conservatism growing and the Democratic party adopting the ideology to a greater extent. Since the federal government has grown to historic levels, more people are concerned about higher taxes and larger deficits and both parties have called for a reduction in spending.
To paraphrase the man so glibly quoted in this piece, the stupidity of this analysis can not be exaggerated for the same reason infinity can not be exaggerated. The reason for that is can be illustrating by paraphrasing another prominent conservative. A liberal is someone who reads Buckley, but a conservative is someone who understands Buckley.
I think Conservatism is dead, but the multiracial country idea is also dead. More and more White Americans want White Nationalism and explicit racial identity politics now. David Duke is set to give a speech about the new White Nationalist movement and now heads an organization with afew hundren thousand members.
I don't think any of the '60s conservatives' Johnson refers to (southern evangelicals and Catholics) would agree with his claim that they oppose the ideals of the Declaration of Independence. Quite the contrary; they see liberals as violating those same ideals.
Also, since you are a self-described conservative, Mr. Johnson, I have a question for you: why do you hate America?
Wow, tough crowd. I thought this was a great piece. And I daresay Mr. Johnston loves America more than #6-- read his article on patriotism for an explanation.
"The challenge of Barack Obama to political conservatism, then, is that he may end the association of the Democratic Party with anti-Americanism."
Is this a joke? The presidential candidate who attended Rev. Jeremiah Wright's church for 20 years, who worked with the Weather Undergroun's Bill Ayers and had him host his political coming out party, who was called the "messiah" in a sermon by none other than Louis Farrankhan, and who has more connections to the extreme Left than any other presidential candidate in the history of the United States, is somehow the president who will show that the Democratic Party is no longer associated with anti-Americanism?
If anything, I would venture to say that conservative has died if McCain wins the Presidency, since McCain would be by far the most liberal Republican president.