Suicide of the Conservative Movement

[Right_in_Virginia]

Suicide of the Conservative Movement
American Greatness, May 2, 2018, Deion Kathawa

Jonah Goldberg appeared recently on “Conversations with Bill Kristol” to discuss his new book, Suicide of the West. During his chat with one of the nation’s preeminent NeverTrumpers, Goldberg betrayed a serious lack of perspective—one that is indicative of a broader problem in mainstream conservatism.

<snip>

The conservative movement is committing suicide for reasons quite similar to those that explain the suicide of the West Goldberg catalogs in his book. Each are, at bottom, choices. Movement conservatism chose for years to be a pliant doormat to the relentless onslaught of the social justice-crazed, progressive Left and its ever-escalating leftward demands. It chose to rehearse an inflexible checklist ideology rather than to be guided by prudential judgments about the common good of the nation in light of natural rights reasoning of the American Founding. It chose to see politics as bean bag, rather than the inherently scrappy contest for dominance that it truly is.

They have, in short, opted to view the public square as a debating society and the nation as a playground—complete with imaginary judges and recess duty patrol. They imagine they can send up their trial balloons and tout their pet ideas in this idealized “fair” and objective world rather than in a real place inhabited by real persons who deserve to be led, respected, and taken seriously as political actors—not dominated against their wishes, condescended to, or ignored.

Conservatives like Goldberg want to see less politics—not more—because politics is often ugly. Conservatism in their minds is elegant and elevated, a belief set that alights upon the earth only long enough to inform the common folk that, actually, we just need to keep up with “free trade” and endlessly bombing other countries even when the people (the only referees worth talking about) are not persuaded these ideas represent the national interest just because the graphs these conservative grandees are holding say so, thank you very much. It annoys them that the people have the power to shoot down their ideas. It’s also why they have chosen to go after Obamacare for a third time in the courts—a sort of sneaky, “back door” approach—rather than to flex their political muscles and just repeal the monstrosity. That would require they do politics. And that’s just not the sort of thing “principled” conservatives care to do anymore.


Read more: https://amgreatness.com/2018/05/02/suicide-of-the-conservative-movement/

[Right_in_Virginia]

A bit more:

Losing gracefully to those who despise what you profess to stand for—who you are, even—is shameful. Pretending that courage demands impotency and restraint in the face of such existential threats is both naϊve and immoral.

[endicom]

George Washington was no gentleman on the battlefield.

[DCPatriot]

 :nometalk:

[Right_in_Virginia]

:nometalk:

I've been saying for at least two years conservatives need to come down off the mountaintop and rumble with the great unwashed.

(I'll stop now before I'm accused of poking.    )

@DCPatriot

[driftdiver]

I've been saying for at least two years conservatives need to come down off the mountaintop and rumble with the great unwashed.

(I'll stop now before I'm accused of poking.    )

@DCPatriot

But it's so fun and lonely on the mountain

[RoosGirl]

Suicide of the Conservative Movement
American Greatness, May 2, 2018, Deion Kathawa

Jonah Goldberg appeared recently on “Conversations with Bill Kristol” to discuss his new book, Suicide of the West. During his chat with one of the nation’s preeminent NeverTrumpers, Goldberg betrayed a serious lack of perspective—one that is indicative of a broader problem in mainstream conservatism.

<snip>

The conservative movement is committing suicide for reasons quite similar to those that explain the suicide of the West Goldberg catalogs in his book. Each are, at bottom, choices. Movement conservatism chose for years to be a pliant doormat to the relentless onslaught of the social justice-crazed, progressive Left and its ever-escalating leftward demands. It chose to rehearse an inflexible checklist ideology rather than to be guided by prudential judgments about the common good of the nation in light of natural rights reasoning of the American Founding. It chose to see politics as bean bag, rather than the inherently scrappy contest for dominance that it truly is.

They have, in short, opted to view the public square as a debating society and the nation as a playground—complete with imaginary judges and recess duty patrol. They imagine they can send up their trial balloons and tout their pet ideas in this idealized “fair” and objective world rather than in a real place inhabited by real persons who deserve to be led, respected, and taken seriously as political actors—not dominated against their wishes, condescended to, or ignored.

Conservatives like Goldberg want to see less politics—not more—because politics is often ugly. Conservatism in their minds is elegant and elevated, a belief set that alights upon the earth only long enough to inform the common folk that, actually, we just need to keep up with “free trade” and endlessly bombing other countries even when the people (the only referees worth talking about) are not persuaded these ideas represent the national interest just because the graphs these conservative grandees are holding say so, thank you very much. It annoys them that the people have the power to shoot down their ideas. It’s also why they have chosen to go after Obamacare for a third time in the courts—a sort of sneaky, “back door” approach—rather than to flex their political muscles and just repeal the monstrosity. That would require they do politics. And that’s just not the sort of thing “principled” conservatives care to do anymore.


Read more: https://amgreatness.com/2018/05/02/suicide-of-the-conservative-movement/

Nothing like being contradictory in back to back sentences.

[skeeter]

I reject blanket use of the term 'conservative' here. There are plenty who recognize the need for and welcome the trend towards bare knuckle politics. IMO its been the establishment of the republican party - moderates, not conservatives - who've been happy with their historical position as the abused spouse in the US political system and who've been most horrified by the shift to a more rough aggressive style of politics on the right.

[Silver Pines]

I downloaded Jonah’s book onto my Kindle a few days ago.  He’s become one of my favorite writers.  I can’t wait to read about how we should surrender to the left, belly-up and wearing Neville Chamberlain tees.

[Bigun]

I reject blanket use of the term 'conservative' here. There are plenty who recognize the need for and welcome the trend towards bare knuckle politics. IMO its been the establishment of the republican party - moderates, not conservatives - who've been happy with their historical position as the abused spouse in the US political system and who've been most horrified by the shift to a more rough aggressive style of politics on the right.

I agree with you!  I've been trying to get them to take the damned gloves off for years without success and now realize they don't want to and aren't about to!  They love their swamp as much as any democrat.

[Frank Cannon]

Jonah Goldberg appeared recently on “Conversations with Bill Kristol”

How dead inside and devoid of meaning is your life to voluntarily want to watch that?

[skeeter]

Jonah Goldberg appeared recently on “Conversations with Bill Kristol”

How dead inside and devoid of meaning is your life to voluntarily want to watch that?

How did Goldberg end up becoming known as a conservative when with every breath he screams 'moderate'.

[Frank Cannon]

How did Goldberg end up becoming known as a conservative when with every breath he screams 'moderate'.

That's my question. We have a guy who circulates strictly in the DC/NYC bubble and has accomplished nothing other than writing books and articles steeped in sophistry that have no real life basis. If clowns like this think things are so bad they can always get off their lazy fat asses and run for office. Bill Buckley did. Instead we get nothing but hot air from these guys.

[skeeter]

That's my question. We have a guy who circulates strictly in the DC/NYC bubble and has accomplished nothing other than writing books and articles steeped in sophistry that have no real life basis. If clowns like this think things are so bad they can always get off their lazy fat asses and run for office. Bill Buckley did. Instead we get nothing but hot air from these guys.

Back in the late eighties there was a caste of establishment republicans who sought to appropriate the conservative brand Reagan had used to such good effect and in doing so they've made the term near meaningless. Goldberg is their heir.