Comments on: Ex-Bush Aide Seeks To "Save Conservatism"

Washington Post: With Book, Former Speechwriter Michael Gerson Is Back To Fight For GOP's Identity

[toldyouso21]

ithout understanding the existentialism and essentialism involved with this learning means we lose ourselves to patterns of previous histories. And as a consequence, we fall into the pattern of making the same historical mistakes over and over. THEN after this learning environment, becoming Republican actually makes sense, and it is tailored with all the responsibilities of a mature adult.

Posted by finewoven at 01:29 PM : Oct 31, 2007

The problem with the Republican learning curve: is that often, it requires a lot of people to die and suffer before they finally "get it". I am not enamored with Democrats often think they try too hard to be too embracive of change for change''s sake--but the stance of many Republicans as judgemental, self righteous and self centered is not something anyone who believes in a soul should aspire to. "shriveled up hearts" was part of an apt description. We could add a few more choice words--but we''ll let the advocation of torture, illegal wars and ignoring the constitution , outing agents, lying to invade, disregarding international laws, sending cluster bombs into countries and telling others not to meddle, wanting oil agreements as part of a free Iraq, stacking the courts, deleting emails, ignoring subpoenas and subverting the law speak for the GOP instead.

[finewoven]

My typo on this comment:

Also, this narrowmindedness was promulgated by those inexperienced staffers who blindly went forward withOUT the necessary guidance from knowledgable sources.

[finewoven]

The attention Paul has captured tells us a lot about the prevalence of such pessimism today, about the instability of partisan allegiances and about the seldom-avowed common ground between the hard right and the hard left. His message draws on the noblest traditions of American decency and patriotism.
Posted by USAProphet at 02:07 PM : Oct 31, 2007

But I don''t see it addressing one of the fundamental problems with the Iraq situation, that of hiring inexperienced people for vital jobs and projects of reconstruction just because O''Beirne''s team saw them as loyal Republicans only. This sense of "values" corrupted the effort by not providing people with the necessary expertise, regardless of party affiliation, but for the sake of developing a war ravished nation. Also, this narrowmindedness was promulgated by those inexperienced staffers who blindly went forward with the necessary guidance from knowledgable sources.

[usaprophet]

Paul represents a different Republican Party from the one that Iraq, deficits and corruption have soured the country on. In late June, despite a life of antitax agitation and churchgoing, he was excluded from a Republican forum sponsored by Iowa antitax and Christian groups. His school of Republicanism stands for a certain idea of the Constitution the idea that much of the power asserted by modern presidents has been usurped from Congress, and that much of the power asserted by Congress has been usurped from the states. Though Paul acknowledges flaws in both the Constitution (it included slavery) and the Bill of Rights (it doesn%u2019t go far enough), he still thinks a comprehensive array of positions can be drawn from them: against gun control; for the sovereignty of states; and against foreign-policy adventures. Over the years, this vision has won most favor from those convinced the country is going to hell in a handbasket. The attention Paul has captured tells us a lot about the prevalence of such pessimism today, about the instability of partisan allegiances and about the seldom-avowed common ground between the hard right and the hard left. His message draws on the noblest traditions of American decency and patriotism.

[finewoven]

That''''''''s where conservatives become liberals, where Republicans leave aside their insular world and bloom into robust citizens as Democrats. Michael is about to leave the creepy worm stage and become a butterfly...
Posted by jncc1701 at 12:45 PM : Oct 31, 2007

Nice illustration. I don''t entirely see it the same way, except this last stage you point out. Most of the time right about the teenage stage we challenge all institutions to liberalize ourselves from older traditions that are no longer useful. We challenge family, church, education, and state to hopefully derive our full understanding of our existence. Without understanding the existentialism and essentialism involved with this learning means we lose ourselves to patterns of previous histories. And as a consequence, we fall into the pattern of making the same historical mistakes over and over. THEN after this learning environment, becoming Republican actually makes sense, and it is tailored with all the responsibilities of a mature adult.

[finewoven]

Traditional conservatism has a piece missing -- a piece that is shaped like a conscience," he notes in "Heroic Conservatism."

I don''t know. I personnally like the saying that refers to Daniel Perle about his murder by Islamic radicals in Iraq. "Humble Hero." If the Republican had shaped it''s conscience with this piece of the puzzle, then Conservatism would have more significan (to me), peace would be a priority, environment would matter--but not at the expense of innovation; and the hubris presenting the existing disconnect with evangelical aderence to faith would dissolve. Sometimes I think I am a Republican waiting to happen.

[walt1944-2009]

The Great Emperor Bush II is extremely pleased that his ex-speech writer has written such a flattering book regarding the Emperor''s charachter. The book charges that many of the bad decisions and mistakes attributed to the Emperor were originally the fault of the VP Darth Vader Cheney.

It has long been suspected that the Vader was the REAL power behind the throne in the Oval Office (the Emperor being too stupid to make any decision on his own) and is responsible for almost every mistake and attempted cover-up since taking office. In essence, Cheney''s role was very close to that of Martin Bormann''s, Hitler''s personal secretary in Nazi Germany, leading the GOP to defend the Emperor as being "duped" by the Vader, as Hitler, supposedly was "conned" by Bormann.

However, it must be remebered that the Emperor stated he wants to run the USSA as a corporation, and in a corporation, despite what they say, the buck stops at the top!

SIG HEIL, BUSH!!!

[realpatriot1]

On second thought, if saving conservatism means adopting liberalism then go ahead and save conservatism.

Liberals saved America from conservative excesses in the 1930s and it will take liberals to clean up the mess again.

[realpatriot1]

Screw conservatism, let''s save America from what the conservatives have done to it!

[jncc1701]

I can''''t bring myself to beat up on a guy who''''s almost made the moral leap out of the GOP. We all start out life as little Republicans, worried only about our own needs, hoarding our property, blaming the unfortunate for their misfortunes, and showing no mercy to anybody. Then one day we wake up and find ourselves in a hospital with strangers taking care of our needs, or we have financial problems and friends sacrifice to help, we suffer a seizure and strangers come to our aid, or we see children in need; and we realize that humanity is our family, not a bunch of hostile strangers, and that we should be as attentive to their needs as others have been to ours. That''''s where conservatives become liberals, where Republicans leave aside their insular world and bloom into robust citizens as Democrats. Michael is about to leave the creepy worm stage and become a butterfly...

To razzl - very nice.

[jon_mccain]

" His ambition, he says, is to help "save conservatism from its worst instincts" and build "a conservatism elevated by a radical concern for human rights and dignity."

All fine and good except the conservative "ideal" is considered to be Ronald Reagan, enuff said.

[Razzl]

I can''t bring myself to beat up on a guy who''s almost made the moral leap out of the GOP. We all start out life as little Republicans, worried only about our own needs, hoarding our property, blaming the unfortunate for their misfortunes, and showing no mercy to anybody. Then one day we wake up and find ourselves in a hospital with strangers taking care of our needs, or we have financial problems and friends sacrifice to help, we suffer a seizure and strangers come to our aid, or we see children in need; and we realize that humanity is our family, not a bunch of hostile strangers, and that we should be as attentive to their needs as others have been to ours. That''s where conservatives become liberals, where Republicans leave aside their insular world and bloom into robust citizens as Democrats. Michael is about to leave the creepy worm stage and become a butterfly...

[twylacrat]

You can put lipstick on a pig, but it''s still a pig. In it''s current usage, conservatism just means selfish to me. It means if you aren''t wealthy, then your living your life wrong and deserve to be punished.

[eskieville1]

The Republican party needs to forget about Reagan and return the party to the philosopphy of Theodore Roosevelt. They must get the wealthy (Wall Street) to share more of the wealth that has been generated.What would TR say about todays malefactors of great wealth?

[chuckstats]

I agree with the above two post. This guy is living in evangelical Christiandum. The GOP is bent on delivering us from the good values that this country was built on. Evangelical Christians are determined to take away our freedoms in order to satisfy their desire to convert us. They have two leaders: George W. Bush and *** Cheney.

[roger_inkart]

Some advice: Write a book exposing your former boses for the stupid, lawless lunatics we all know they are. Apologize for being part of it and doing NOTHING when you had the chance. THEN worry about ''saving conservatism.''

[godseyesore-2009]

Save conservatism?
Hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahhahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahha!

[micma-2009]

Modern conservatism is an utter failure. They need to be saved from themselves.