Today's Article
Americans now
need real answers
to their growing real
problems, not further
hatred and
division.
need real answers
to their growing real
problems, not further
hatred and
division.
The American Spark
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Neo-Cons Find It Harder To Divide Americans On 'Raw Nerve'
Issues
By Cliff Montgomery - May 15th, 2008
Abortion. Affirmative Action. Race. Gender. Religion.
For decades, neo-conservatives gleefully mined these deeply emotional, innately divisive issues for personal
and political gain. The tactic was simple: Point out the otherwise latent differences between Americans to tear
them one from another, then conquer a torn nation with your slight, embittered majority.
But abortion and affirmative action opponents are finding that the old "divide-and-conquer" tactics of past
years no longer work. Americans now need real answers to their growing real problems, not further hatred and
division.
Neo-cons have suffered more failures than victories this political season with their "raw nerve" issues. But with
nothing else to offer voters except further division, they've continued their attempts to place "raw nerve" ballot
measures before voters in a number of states this November.
But tearing apart America just doesn't work like it used to...
At least five ballot measures have failed; numerous others face legal battles. A measure to ban almost all
abortions already is on South Dakota's ballot however, and numerous other proposals may well
advance--including two which may be decided in November by the possible swing state of Colorado.
The forthcoming proposals have been produced by two different multi-state campaigns.
Anti-abortion activists make up one group. This bunch--almost certainly without a single ethicist or medical
doctor among them--hope voters will turn into law their personal religious dogma that human life begins at the
moment of fertilization.
The other neo-conservative charge is being spear-headed by California businessman Ward Connerly, who
opposes any government program which allows black people and women a level playing field in society.
Connerly's anti-affirmative action tirades met with success three times in previous elections, with voters in
Michigan, California and Washington passing measures which banned government-sponsored assistance for
women and minorities who hope to obtain jobs in public education, state employment and public contracts.
Connerly this year attempted the same tactic in five more states, but his personal campaign against equality
already has met with two major defeats. He acknowledged that his campaign would not possess enough
signatures to meet a deadline in Missouri, and he had little choice but to stop his drive in Oklahoma, thanks to
stiff challenges to the questionable signatures gathered there.
The idea of Connerly and other neo-cons was never to provide answers to these issues, but simply to fracture
the American electorate. The recent failure of these measures is due solely to the fact that the
neo-conservative movement has proven itself woefully unable to represent the will of the American people.
In 2006, its ineptness led to the loss of both congressional houses. And in 2008, the confederacy of dunces
that is neo-conservatism appears well on its way to losing the White House as well--provided the Democrats
don't ruin themselves first.
A sad excuse for a modern political movement, neo-conservatism has built its entire power base from
spitefulness and smoldering hatreds. Thus the movement contains an inherent flaw. It has created passionate
adherents who are only fit to destroy and tear down; that is the beginning and the end of the movement.
Neo-cons cannot build--it simply is not in their nature to find common ground with those who disagree with their
views. It is a movement solely based on furthering latent divisions. It is thus, in a phrase, innately
anti-democratic.
This is not to say that the same should be said of true conservatism--often called "libertarianism" in America.
Libertarians also are referred to as "classic" or "classical" liberals.
While modern liberals believe that a free people should use its democratically-controlled government to
oversee and reign in the overwhelming power of the corporation, Libertarians trust a powerful government even
less than they do a powerful corporation.
Both real conservatives and modern liberals therefore only differ in their style of liberalism--a proud political
tradition, defined by the Merriam-Webster Dictionary as "a belief in the autonomy of the individual, and
standing for the protection of political and civil liberties."
Neo-conservatism, by contrast, is spitefully illiberal and anti-liberal.
That is why the last seven years have provided little but pain, division and the erosion of American democracy
and civil rights. And that is why neo-conservatism's long, national nightmare may soon thankfully end.
Like what you're reading so far? Then why not order a full year (52 issues) of the The American Spark
e-newsletter for only $15? A major article covering an story not being told in the Corporate Press will be
delivered to your email every Monday morning for a full year, for less than 30 cents an issue. Order Now!
Issues
By Cliff Montgomery - May 15th, 2008
Abortion. Affirmative Action. Race. Gender. Religion.
For decades, neo-conservatives gleefully mined these deeply emotional, innately divisive issues for personal
and political gain. The tactic was simple: Point out the otherwise latent differences between Americans to tear
them one from another, then conquer a torn nation with your slight, embittered majority.
But abortion and affirmative action opponents are finding that the old "divide-and-conquer" tactics of past
years no longer work. Americans now need real answers to their growing real problems, not further hatred and
division.
Neo-cons have suffered more failures than victories this political season with their "raw nerve" issues. But with
nothing else to offer voters except further division, they've continued their attempts to place "raw nerve" ballot
measures before voters in a number of states this November.
But tearing apart America just doesn't work like it used to...
At least five ballot measures have failed; numerous others face legal battles. A measure to ban almost all
abortions already is on South Dakota's ballot however, and numerous other proposals may well
advance--including two which may be decided in November by the possible swing state of Colorado.
The forthcoming proposals have been produced by two different multi-state campaigns.
Anti-abortion activists make up one group. This bunch--almost certainly without a single ethicist or medical
doctor among them--hope voters will turn into law their personal religious dogma that human life begins at the
moment of fertilization.
The other neo-conservative charge is being spear-headed by California businessman Ward Connerly, who
opposes any government program which allows black people and women a level playing field in society.
Connerly's anti-affirmative action tirades met with success three times in previous elections, with voters in
Michigan, California and Washington passing measures which banned government-sponsored assistance for
women and minorities who hope to obtain jobs in public education, state employment and public contracts.
Connerly this year attempted the same tactic in five more states, but his personal campaign against equality
already has met with two major defeats. He acknowledged that his campaign would not possess enough
signatures to meet a deadline in Missouri, and he had little choice but to stop his drive in Oklahoma, thanks to
stiff challenges to the questionable signatures gathered there.
The idea of Connerly and other neo-cons was never to provide answers to these issues, but simply to fracture
the American electorate. The recent failure of these measures is due solely to the fact that the
neo-conservative movement has proven itself woefully unable to represent the will of the American people.
In 2006, its ineptness led to the loss of both congressional houses. And in 2008, the confederacy of dunces
that is neo-conservatism appears well on its way to losing the White House as well--provided the Democrats
don't ruin themselves first.
A sad excuse for a modern political movement, neo-conservatism has built its entire power base from
spitefulness and smoldering hatreds. Thus the movement contains an inherent flaw. It has created passionate
adherents who are only fit to destroy and tear down; that is the beginning and the end of the movement.
Neo-cons cannot build--it simply is not in their nature to find common ground with those who disagree with their
views. It is a movement solely based on furthering latent divisions. It is thus, in a phrase, innately
anti-democratic.
This is not to say that the same should be said of true conservatism--often called "libertarianism" in America.
Libertarians also are referred to as "classic" or "classical" liberals.
While modern liberals believe that a free people should use its democratically-controlled government to
oversee and reign in the overwhelming power of the corporation, Libertarians trust a powerful government even
less than they do a powerful corporation.
Both real conservatives and modern liberals therefore only differ in their style of liberalism--a proud political
tradition, defined by the Merriam-Webster Dictionary as "a belief in the autonomy of the individual, and
standing for the protection of political and civil liberties."
Neo-conservatism, by contrast, is spitefully illiberal and anti-liberal.
That is why the last seven years have provided little but pain, division and the erosion of American democracy
and civil rights. And that is why neo-conservatism's long, national nightmare may soon thankfully end.
Like what you're reading so far? Then why not order a full year (52 issues) of the The American Spark
e-newsletter for only $15? A major article covering an story not being told in the Corporate Press will be
delivered to your email every Monday morning for a full year, for less than 30 cents an issue. Order Now!