The end of conservatives in the GOP

We may have witnessed the end of the political conservative movement in America last night.

In spite of all the jokes Jon Stewart and Maureen Dowd make about Dick Cheney's evil nature, I actually like the guy. I think he holds his convictions with sincerity; he has a reflective and deliberative decision-making style; yet there's a drive and purpose you have to admire. He is what W. probably wants to be, but without the delusion of a "higher purpose."

I also like John Edwards. In contrast with Kerry, he's good at getting to the heart of the matter. He had the most refreshing, direct, and sophisticated platform while he was running for the Democratic nomination, and he seems more fearless than most.

I would say that their debating styles, while different, had equal merit. Edwards was animated and quick; Cheney was calm and deliberate.

But Edwards won, because the content of his contributions won.

Now, this may sound like a self-serving partisan point, but stay with me.

The truth is (to mimic one of their favorite phrases) that the candidates argued about who was more progressive. They both want to create jobs; they both want to "win the peace" in Iraq; they both want to put an end to global terrorism; etc. And they both want to accomplish this through executive activism. Cheney advocated no specific position that was close to the heart of conservativism.

The closest he got was a libertarian position - that money is better spent in the hands of taxpayers than by the government.

Apart from annoying Pat Buchanan, this shift reflects a clear sentiment in the American public. The US public is all for conditions that favor wealth accumulation, but not so much wealth preservation. They want to protect families, but be broad in how they define families. They want the government to provide rather than impose solutions. Most are not willing to shrug at the misfortune of others, though they would prefer creating opportunities rather than subsidies. They understand that the US is the only remaining superpower, but that its powers are limited.

One way or another, the conservative movement within the Republican party will not survive this year's election. A second Bush/Cheney administration will have be more moderate than it has been; and a Kerry/Edwards administration will have to distance itself from the conservatives among the Republicans but not the libertarians.

Comments

[Knut Olav]

I disagree.

As a Norwegian turned American citizen. (And Republican voter, for that matter), I have seen a strong shift to the right in American politics since the mid-nineties, starting with the with huge victory for conservative Republicans in the Congressional elections of 1994.

This was a watermark moment, consolidating conservative power that is evident today. Republicans now control both houses of Congress, the Presidency, and a majority of govenors and state legislatives. And it's likely to consolidate even more in the upcoming election.

Just in the last weeks we've seen:
-New tax cuts implented by Presidendet Bush and Congress.
-Repeal of the Clinton assault weapons ban.
-Uprooting of the Ninth Circuit Court, the most progressive court in the nation, by Congressional Republicans.

Hardly a sign of progressives winning the agenda.

[Elise]

I think there will always be a conservative and a liberal movement in the United States.

What is interesting right now, however, is that more and more conservatives who have traditionally voted Republican have become disillusioned by Bush's fiscal plans.

Many even claim that Kerry and the Democrats are more fiscally sound than the Republicans have been lately. In addition, a lot of people have mentioned the fact that many of the conservative ideals Republicans have traditionally fought for have become a manifest part of American society and that they won't change overnight.

This is very good news for Kerry, especially when considering the fact that the traditional backbone of the Democratic party-- the liberals--has become increasingly discredited since 9/11...

ps. thanks for linking to me!