> Your list would be far more persuasive if you had > some outside definition > of "classic conservative values", rather than just > your say-so. Instead, > it seems like you are defining "classic > conservatism" as "political > positions favored by David Brin," which is wholly > unconvincing.
To you. Lots of others can allow themselves to perceive that these are traditional conservative values, betrayed by neocons. > > >[reducing] deficit spending > > > >paying off the national debt > > Of course, Bill Clinton's record on these things is > only possible thanks to > the efforts of Republicans like Newt Gingrich and > Phil Gramm. If Bill > Clinton's actual policies had been enacted over > Republican opposition, this > would not be the case. In other words, the above > are as much Republican > achievments of the 90's as they are Democratic > achievments of the 90's. Weird! A legitimate and rationale counter argument! One that's fair and arguable on reasonable bases!!!! Indeed, Hillary's toprpedoing of BC's congressional majority was one of the great bits of marital sabotage in history, far more devastating than the utterly FALSE things raving Limbaugh loonies said about her. What is even weirder is that, having accomplished wonder working WITH Clinton at the beginning - budget restraint and welfare reform, for example, the neocons THEN saw BC's outstretched hand as a sign of weakness and turned in rabid dogs, descending into 10 years of ever-worsening hysteria and fanaticism. I just don't get it. 92-94 showed that divided govt CAN bring out the best from both sides. Hence I do not believe what we are seeing now has anything to do with left-right. It has to do with an immune response by mad nostalgist platonist romantics of ALL kinds, against the modern world. > >promoting small business > > Not sure what you are referring to here, or why > government promotion of > small business is "classic conservatism"? Because classis conservatism (aka "classic LIBERALISM") believes in markets and the creativity of true competition. Whereas neoconservatism is misnamed and should be "classic" conservatism in that it returns to older values... everything for inherited wealth. Justify power for elites. Use government to serve the aristocracy... except when a certain FOREIN aristocracy wants something else. Then serve your masters. > >investing in research and conservation to reduce > dependence on foreign oil > > This is classic conservatism, how? Actually, > President Bush has proposed > substantial increases in research on fuel cell > technology. Har! Now why THIS technology while undercutting all others? Parse it out. It will not come online in time to affect the short term value of oil stocks. But WHEN those stocks deplete, the aristos will be able to use all this research to make the next GM. > >increasing (rather than demolishing) military > readiness > > This is curious, since during the Kosovo War, I > believe that the US > military came within a few weeks of running out of > cruise missiles. Dream on. Armwave however you like. Those who think we have readiness today are not just deluded but psychotic Bill > Clinton's defense cuts (which made a great deal of > your first two points > possible as well), did not exactly leave the US > military in the high state > of readiness you portray it. Limbaughism, pure and true. Dig this. BOTH Jimmy Carter and Bill Clinton reversed secular DECLINES in armed readiness under their predecessors! True (and here I show flexibility you do not) Carter reversed a post vietnam plummet and Clinton reversed the post Cold War plummet. But the fact that the right is incapable of conceiving this... > >reducing the actual number of non defense federal > employees (for the > >1st time since 1912) > > Of course, a large part of the increase in > non-defense federal employees > came from the nationalization of the air screeners > industry, which is > hardly a Bush proposal. Fah!!!!!! You call the wholly unneeded cavity searches that we are now undergoing a GOOD thing? I am outta here. _______________________________________________ http://www.mccmedia.com/mailman/listinfo/brin-l
