The new anti-war right
The thing that I find so depressing is that the actual stance of the right toward interventionist war won’t change at all. While Chaffetz and those sharing his political views may have some luck in the future convincing the American right that it is opposed to Obama’s wars, once conservatives are back in power and faced with their own foreign entanglements, the right will have forgotten entirely any opposition it once held toward interventionism. Such opposition is grounded entirely in political maneuvering rather than any moral or philosophical framework.
In fact, I’ve argued myself away from my Glenn Beck piece almost completely at this point. Not only is Beck the ultimate opportunist, the people he may convince of American empire or the danger of American foreign policy would be convinced as easily the next day of the need for more American power and further interventions once it is their own team were making the case. There is no philosophical bond between the current conservative base and the concept of limited government in foreign affairs. Limited government extends only to domestic issues, while the security state can grow unabated.
At best the new anti-war right will be something of a paradox, and doomed to expire. I think Jack is engaged mainly in wishful thinking here, another problem currently afflicting many on the right.
December 14, 2009 20 Comments
Jack Hunter on Glenn Beck
First off, let me just say that before Beck moved to Fox I watched him on CNN occasionally, and to be quite frank – I actually enjoyed his show. He seemed like a decently smart guy who was maybe just a bit over the top in a few areas – perhaps a bit too passionate about self-reliance and such (he often had Mr Self-Reliance himself – Ted Nugent – on his show). He didn’t seem as divisive as many other talking heads, though, and he was entertaining and bright.
When he debuted on Fox he was a changed man. “Melodrama” is the word Jack uses, and that’s exactly right. Melodrama, wild-eyed conspiracy theories, shock value. And yet… [Read more →]
September 17, 2009 7 Comments
The Tyranny of Mark Levin’s Liberty
July 10, 2009 12 Comments
