The Future Of Conservatism
Libertarian mag (reason) editor-in-chief Matt Welch writes at Commentary:
Conservatives have long since taught themselves to handle with tongs any political advice from non-Republican libertarians like me. But amidst the depressing-to-some meteor shower of post-Romney headlines about how the GOP needs to "go more libertarian," I come from Planet Freedom bearing unseasonably happy tidings: You don't need to become a heroin-legalizing, amnesty-embracing, blame-America-firster in order to reassert conservatism's electoral and philosophical relevance during President Barack Obama's second term.No, the only two transformations required are re-learning a grand tradition's intellectual commitment to reducing the size and scope of government and recalibrating electoral tactics and even the basic selling proposition around the notion of playing defense, not offense.
But when given the opportunity to choose politicians who actually name and confront the main danger facing us-a government piling up commitments and expenses and debt just before the baby boomers retire and send the entitlements system crashing down-the Keynesianism-hating American electorate these past three years has mostly ignored sideshow utterances and rewarded those brave enough to take on Leviathan. Mike Lee, Scott Walker, Rand Paul: These class-of-2010 politicians might not agree with me (yet!) about deregulating reproductive decisions, narcotics intake, and the U.S.-Mexico border, but on the issue of the day they have shown up for work and given Obamanomics-weary voters a clear alternative to the never-ending bailout.
And yes, taking fiscal policy seriously also requires unblurring the distinctions between military and defense spending and coming up with a more affordable, realistic, and strategic projection of American power abroad. There is no such thing as an orderly retreat during a debt crisis.
The upshot -- and he's exactly right:
More Americans than ever think that government is trying to do too much. All conservatives need to do now is provide those people with a believable place to go.
Y'know, I still read him a lot, but Matt Welch's stock fell substantially for me during the years he spent in Washington. It started to seem like when any mediocre politician promises to go there and clean the place up... The truth is, even if you're sincere, your presence will affirm and extend the aura and practicalities of power which collect there. Saying nasty things about it when you're going to the parties doesn't mean much... The DC megapolis is now indisputably the wealthiest community in the United States, and I think that's despicable.
Crid [CridComment at gmail] at January 14, 2013 11:14 AM
But this tweet really iced the nasty cake:
Having been told so often of a lifelong love for ink and journalism, I wondered if humblebrags about TV appearances were part of his childhood J-dreams, especially when they end with sentences like this:
Well, Golly, they never are, are they? And yet the burdens from our public servants are growing like cancer. We might suspect that someone isn't holding them accountable.
Crid [CridComment at gmail] at January 14, 2013 11:14 AM
Amy Alkon
http://www.advicegoddess.com/archives/2013/01/14/the_future_of_c.html#comment-3554269">comment from Crid [CridComment at gmail]Matt Welch's stock fell substantially for me during the years he spent in Washington.
Why? It just came with the reason ed-in-chief job.
Do you like him better again now that he is living in Brooklyn?
Amy Alkon at January 14, 2013 12:04 PM
See above.
Crid [CridComment at gmail] at January 14, 2013 1:16 PM
"All conservatives need to do now is provide those people with a believable place to go.....
Maybe, but unfortunately the place is infested by the crazies holding enormous sway far beyond their numbers, like the Ralph Reeds and the Gary Bauers and... ad neauseam. They're not going away and they're very tenaceous of their beliefs and plans for the GOP.
Rojak at January 14, 2013 3:38 PM
@Rojak - agreed.
It seems that "place to go" is too often a science-denying church.
Additionally, imagine an American conservative believing that people should have this type of individual liberty:
http://worldnews.nbcnews.com/_news/2013/01/14/16507519-faced-with-blindness-deaf-twins-choose-euthanasia?lite
Gog_Magog_Carpet_Reclaimers at January 14, 2013 5:17 PM
The problem with the typical American conservative is that they can't separate fiscal and social conservatism.
The Tea Party started out initially as a secular, fiscally conservative, movement. But the religious right quickly jumped in.
Now the Libertarians, the non-aligned and the Tea Party have to fight secular social issues, or even nominally non-secular which are the last things on the list.
I'm going to have to write up a blog item on this myself.
Jim P. at January 14, 2013 7:07 PM
> Why?
That's WEIRD. I mean, you read it the first time, right?
Crid [cridcomment at gmail] at January 15, 2013 6:53 AM
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