Conservatism Unravels, Part One
For the life of me, I can't find it, but about a month ago, I saw a column somewhere with a title like, "Jefferson Wouldn't Recognize The Country." In case you haven't already guessed, it was written by some conservative ideologue, trying ever so desperately to transport us back in time to some "Disneyland" of the past. First, I hope to hell Jefferson wouldn't recognize the country today, since he's been dead for nearly two hundred years!!! That fact alone discredits the nonsense of the column in question.
If the recent economic chaos and turmoil isn't proof enough of the fallacy of "the good old days," nothing is. While Democrats aren't totally blameless in this mess, the fact is, Republicans latched onto this "free market" crap a long time ago. Actually, some never quite gave up on it from the time of The Great Depression, although many did come to support a number of "New Deal" programs. Many of the discredited economic ideas of pre-Depression America were much easier for some folks to hang on to, as long as those ideas were not put into practice. With progressive/liberal economic policies so dominant from the 1930s until they ran out of steam in the 1970s, the economic reactionaries could espouse whatever nonsense they wanted, because it had little chance of becoming policy.
Then came the 1970s, and "New Deal/Great Society liberalism" began to experience its own downfall, as it became a sort of non-dynamic philosophy, trying to adjust to the 1970s with ideas from the 1930s (See, I pick on others too, not just Republicans). President Jimmy Carter, a well meaning man, seemed to be in so far over his head, that even his hair didn't show above the rising tide. Enter Ronald Reagan...
Reagan bashed "government waste, fraud and abuse." He told Americans that "Government is NOT the solution to the problem; government IS the problem." At a time when Americans were demoralized and confused about government's role in their lives, this kind of talk found a mark. Liberals, terrified that Reagan was a totally conservative ideologue, never seemed to be able to adjust Reagan's easy going style, and his pragmatic approach to many things. Conservatives, mainly "social conservatives," on the other hand, never seemed to be able to separate Reagan's public comments from his actions. For instance, the "Religious Right" became a very powerful part of the Reagan coalition, but Reagan himself was not all that publicly religious, and was NOT even a regular churchgoer. Reagan's religious beliefs were essentially private. Nor did Reagan ever claim, to my recollection, that God told him what to do, including to run for president. Hmm, just a thought here, but maybe Harry Houdini could get Reagan to have a talk with Sarah Palin. Unfortunately, it is far too late (for the country) for Reagan to convince George W. Bush of anything. Further, Reagan, and perhaps more so his followers, talked about "family values," but the Reagan family was by no means the epitome of such talk, and I mean that in no disparaging way; the Reagans were REAL people, and had problems just as all REAL human beings do.
I'll have a "word history" or two in the next part.
If the recent economic chaos and turmoil isn't proof enough of the fallacy of "the good old days," nothing is. While Democrats aren't totally blameless in this mess, the fact is, Republicans latched onto this "free market" crap a long time ago. Actually, some never quite gave up on it from the time of The Great Depression, although many did come to support a number of "New Deal" programs. Many of the discredited economic ideas of pre-Depression America were much easier for some folks to hang on to, as long as those ideas were not put into practice. With progressive/liberal economic policies so dominant from the 1930s until they ran out of steam in the 1970s, the economic reactionaries could espouse whatever nonsense they wanted, because it had little chance of becoming policy.
Then came the 1970s, and "New Deal/Great Society liberalism" began to experience its own downfall, as it became a sort of non-dynamic philosophy, trying to adjust to the 1970s with ideas from the 1930s (See, I pick on others too, not just Republicans). President Jimmy Carter, a well meaning man, seemed to be in so far over his head, that even his hair didn't show above the rising tide. Enter Ronald Reagan...
Reagan bashed "government waste, fraud and abuse." He told Americans that "Government is NOT the solution to the problem; government IS the problem." At a time when Americans were demoralized and confused about government's role in their lives, this kind of talk found a mark. Liberals, terrified that Reagan was a totally conservative ideologue, never seemed to be able to adjust Reagan's easy going style, and his pragmatic approach to many things. Conservatives, mainly "social conservatives," on the other hand, never seemed to be able to separate Reagan's public comments from his actions. For instance, the "Religious Right" became a very powerful part of the Reagan coalition, but Reagan himself was not all that publicly religious, and was NOT even a regular churchgoer. Reagan's religious beliefs were essentially private. Nor did Reagan ever claim, to my recollection, that God told him what to do, including to run for president. Hmm, just a thought here, but maybe Harry Houdini could get Reagan to have a talk with Sarah Palin. Unfortunately, it is far too late (for the country) for Reagan to convince George W. Bush of anything. Further, Reagan, and perhaps more so his followers, talked about "family values," but the Reagan family was by no means the epitome of such talk, and I mean that in no disparaging way; the Reagans were REAL people, and had problems just as all REAL human beings do.
I'll have a "word history" or two in the next part.
Labels: economy, free markets, George W. Bush, Republicans, Ronald Reagan
posted by Randy at 9:57 AM
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