Thursday, October 04, 2007
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'Neocon' -- The New L Word
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Posted by:
Matt Lewis at
9:07 AM
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Roger Cohen has a thought-provoking column today, titled: The new L-word: 'neocon'.
I've long been disturbed by the number of people (including Townhall commenters) who bandy about the term, "neocon," without really knowing what it means (this reminds me of how leftists often call people "fascist" without really knowing the definition of the word.)
... Historically, neocons were Jewish intellectuals who were Hawks on fighting communism and thus grew disenchanted with the Democrat Party as it became radicalized and anti-war. Irving Kristol and Norman Podhoretz would be classic examples of neocons.
Today, the term is used derisively, but often inappropriately; liberals tend to call all conservatives neocons. Hard-core conservatives sometimes call moderate Republicans -- or "squishes" -- neocons. Paleocons (old-school Republicans who tend to be isolationist) call anyone who wants to intervene in a foreign conflict a neocon. Some fiscal conservatives and libertarians think all social conservatives are neocons. And, sadly, some anti-semites use it as a code word to attack Jewish conservatives -- or anyone who supports Israel as an ally ...
It today's environment, calling someone a neocon is a cheap way to discredit their ideas without really listening to them. This wouldn't bother me so much if the people making the accusation truly understood what a neocon is ...
Based on my observances, the new definition of neocon may just be anyone who supports George W. Bush or the War in Iraq. Of course, that means the word has changed its meaning.
But when enough people misuse a word, the definition eventually changes.
So much for absolutes ...
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What about the "Saddam attacked us on 9-11" nutjobs?
What about the "Iraq will cause a nuclear holocaust" kooks?
What about the "yellowcake" nuts???
Jews, you cannot have it both ways-demand that the U.S. fight your wars then cry 'anti-Semite" when someone objects! |
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Any post that mentions Israel, 'neoconservatives,' Council on Foreign Relations, or even the price of strawberries, is guaranteed to provoke kooky conspiracy theorists to come out of the woodwork.
...and often those conspiracies involve Jews controlling;
A) American foreign policy
B) the media
C) the world
D) the World Bank
E) the World Series |
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Israel is out for Israel, period-regardless if it damages the United States. As for "neo-cons" most are ex-Commies themselves (i.e. Trotskyites. ) I've never been a commie, or a "liberal" for that matter. |
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"How can you be Jewish and Atheist at the same time?"
I know you were trying to be ironic, but I'm a Jewish agnostic. We do exist. |
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Anyone who laments the jews "starting all recent wars," and then refers us to a rock video as evidence must be a stand up comedian.
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walks like a duck and talks like a duck....
You all get the picture. The NeoFools have ruined your party for the foreseeable future. And that's a good thing.
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I see very little difference between them and RINOs, IMO.
They are nothing but "water boys" for the CFR, new world order thugs and multi-national,{ owe allegiance to no nation}, corporations.
They all worship at the holy alter of "free trade",.....at any expense to America, and have never met an illegal alien that they didn't just love.
I guess I'm a Paleo-con and that's where I'll stay,...and I DO support Israel.
However, I think we should take heed to the warnings of our founders; to beware of foreign entanglements,.....and don't give away our hard earned tax dollars to un-greatful enemies, such as the Pali-swinians. |
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Certainly definitions change over time, but we all need to be more conscious of a tendency, on both sides of the political spectrum, to identify groups we don't like with a lack of precision. Mr. Lewis, for example, refers to the Democratic Party as the "Democrat Party." |
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"According to Irving Kristol, the founder and 'god-father' of Neoconservatism, there are three basic pillars of Neoconservatism: a low tax, pro-growth and less risk-averse approach to economics; a less libertarian approach to domestic affairs than some other conservatives; and an idealist, expansive foreign policy.
"Kristol also claims three distinctive aspects of neoconservatism from previous forms of conservatism: a forward-looking approach drawn from their liberal heritage, rather than the reactionary and dour approach of previous conservatives; a meliorative outlook, proposing alternate reforms rather than simply attacking social liberal reforms; taking philosophical or ideological ideas very seriously."
http://tinyurl.com/8ztoc
That comes straight from the horse's mouth, Irving Kristol himself.
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[for some reason, townhall.com rejects quote marks in subject lines, so I'm posting this again]
"According to Irving Kristol, the founder and 'god-father' of Neoconservatism, there are three basic pillars of Neoconservatism: a low tax, pro-growth and less risk-averse approach to economics; a less libertarian approach to domestic affairs than some other conservatives; and an idealist, expansive foreign policy.
"Kristol also claims three distinctive aspects of neoconservatism from previous forms of conservatism: a forward-looking approach drawn from their liberal heritage, rather than the reactionary and dour approach of previous conservatives; a meliorative outlook, proposing alternate reforms rather than simply attacking social liberal reforms; taking philosophical or ideological ideas very seriously."
http://tinyurl.com/8ztoc
That comes straight from the horse's mouth, Irving Kristol himself. |
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"According to Irving Kristol, the founder and 'god-father' of Neoconservatism, there are three basic pillars of Neoconservatism: a low tax, pro-growth and less risk-averse approach to economics; a less libertarian approach to domestic affairs than some other conservatives; and an idealist, expansive foreign policy.
"Kristol also claims three distinctive aspects of neoconservatism from previous forms of conservatism: a forward-looking approach drawn from their liberal heritage, rather than the reactionary and dour approach of previous conservatives; a meliorative outlook, proposing alternate reforms rather than simply attacking social liberal reforms; taking philosophical or ideological ideas very seriously."
http://tinyurl.com/8ztoc
That comes straight from the horse's mouth, Irving Kristol himself.
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"According to Irving Kristol, the founder and 'god-father' of Neoconservatism, there are three basic pillars of Neoconservatism: a low tax, pro-growth and less risk-averse approach to economics; a less libertarian approach to domestic affairs than some other conservatives; and an idealist, expansive foreign policy.
"Kristol also claims three distinctive aspects of neoconservatism from previous forms of conservatism: a forward-looking approach drawn from their liberal heritage, rather than the reactionary and dour approach of previous conservatives; a meliorative outlook, proposing alternate reforms rather than simply attacking social liberal reforms; taking philosophical or ideological ideas very seriously."
http://tinyurl.com/8ztoc
That comes straight from the horse's mouth, Irving Kristol himself.
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For those that have an intrest in the conflict that exists between Neocons and Paleocons:
"The Basics of Paleoconservatism" by William H. Calhoun(A commentary) in "THE POST CHRONICLE" dated 12/24/06....It's easy understanding without complex philosophies. |
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"It today's environment, calling someone a neocon is a cheap way to discredit their ideas without really listening to them."
Then the term "neocon" is indeed the new L-word. |
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Pardon me, I ought to have credited Roger Cohen with the points made in the post.
Nonetheless, excellent link, Matt. |
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Matt Lewis,
Excellent post, bro !
One thing I would add to your post is to explain the actual etymology of the word, 'neoconservative.
"Neo" means "new," therefore it suggests a 'new' conservative adherent, or a 'new' conservative 'direction.'
And as you pointed out, it is a 'new' direction away from the isolationist, non-interventionist foreign policy practiced by traditional paleoconservatives of the 20th century.
Also Matt, you're spot-on about the nasty slurs directed toward supporters of Israel by various sects such as the hard lefties, Jihad sympathizers, Pat Buchanan, and the Ron Paul Brigade of 18th Century Romantics.
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to the fools who intend for it to be divisive. I know and respect lots of neocons. I may not agree with them about everything, but the fact that they stand for a strong, independent United States trumps all other concerns. Without a strong and independent United States, we've got nothing to talk about and nowhere to talk about it. |
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"Jewish" intellectuals? JINO, Jewish in name only maybe. Please tell me how Irving Kristol can give gushing praise to Leo Strauss's praise of Maimonides's "Guide of the Perplexed" (Ch. 3) on the back cover of Strauss's "Persecution and the Art of Writing" and say that the man was truly Jewish. Maimonides's "Guide of the Perplexed" is an atheistic writing. How can you be Jewish and Atheist at the same time? Straussians neoconservatives embrace religion but by no means do they subscribe to it. It is pretty clear if you read these works. I can happily provide you with more recommended reading so you can educate yourself on Neoconservative thought if you like Matt. I know you read your blog's comments and hope you would seriously take up this recommendation.
Also Neocon is a term more readily used by conservatives. It's usage has become more generalized to represent big government war hawks in the Republican Party and their sympathizers since they are followers of Straussians, they have the same "beliefs" as the Straussians but by no means do their followers have similar knowledge of the subject matter. I clearly mean belief in the Platonic sense. |
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I can see that several of the commenters didn't really read the post. |
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is that Matt Lewis is a neocon |
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The term includes the Israel Firsters as well as the CFR corporate thieves profiteering on the Iraq War and every other recent war.
Hillary is a neocon, although the Dems will never wake up to it.
This music video says it best: http://youtube.com/watch?v=FFW0siFFOCA
http;//RonPaul.meetup.com |
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The term includes the Israel Firsters as well as the CFR corporate thieves profiteering on the Iraq War and every other recent war.
Hillary is a neocon, although the Dems will never wake up to it.
This music video says it best:http://youtube.com/watch?v=FFW0siFFOCA
httP;//RonPaul.meetup.com |
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...neoconservatives, you can't do much better than Gary North's "An Introduction to Neoconservatism" at
http://www.lewrockwell.com/north/north180.html
(One additional note: I am an old-school -- or "paelo-" -- conservative, and it never seems to fail: when discussing or criticizing the neo-cons, I always end up accused of being "anti-semitic." Go figger ...) |
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I'm a black hard working sucker just like most of you......ok the hard working part......
was a conservative....... but all the terms are just that .......terms ....words.....blah blah.....they're all the same.......tax tax tax........spend spend spend......lib neocon conservative republican democrat hand washer non-hand washer.......it's all a big money game ....if you have a lot of it you side with people who are serve your interests .....I don't have a lot of it so I tend to be on the side of all the people without it ....borders homeland security war race .....somehow it all ties back into money and special interests of people with lots of money.....
so
all the terms suck because none are actually fits for people they try to describe. |
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I'm a black hard working sucker just like most of you......ok the hard working part......
was a conservative....... but all the terms are just that .......terms ....words.....blah blah.....they're all the same.......tax tax tax........spend spend spend......lib neocon conservative republican democrat hand washer non-hand washer.......it's all a big money game ....if you have a lot of it you side with people who are serve your interests .....I don't have a lot of it so I tend to be on the side of all the people without it ....borders homeland security war race .....somehow it all ties back into money and special interests of people with lots of money.....
so
all the terms suck because none are actually fits for people they try to describe. |
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Which is just a cheap way to label a Republican whom ultra-conservative rightists don't agree with.
It's childish, silly and sophomoric. |
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Imagine that, the liberals using a word without knowing the definition! :) They are also pretty bad at micro and macro economics! |
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We the People of the United States of America have the right to have our borders and our laws respected and enforced.
If we wish to keep our representative Republic, and our rule of law, we must elect a President who WILL secure the borders and enforce the laws. The actions of the next President will determine the fate of this great nation. If citizenship becomes meaningless, this will no longer be the United States of America.
The primary responsibility of the U.S. government is to protect the territorial integrity and people of this country. They have completely abdicated this responsibility. Both parties have been complicit in this. We are being told it is not possible to control our borders, enforce our laws, and thereby control our destiny as a nation. Hogwash. We are being sold out by corporations intent on importing workers for jobs that can't be exported with the taxpayers paying the true costs, financial and human. If we act like sheep and don't stop the inundation across our borders, we will lose our country without a bleat.
http://www.gohunter08.com
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