The new conservatism, cont.

The other week I said that, as a result of the Palin nomination, a new conservatism has come into existence, or at least has been brought to the fore, replacing the conservatism we thought we knew, and that I didn’t have a name for it yet. Carol Iannone’s powerful comment today revealing the core idea of this new movement gives me an idea of what it should be called: “the Cult of Natalism for the Sake of Natalism,” or, better, “Christians for Illegitimacy.”

- end of initial entry -

Bruce B. writes (September 16):

I don’t think it’s a new kind of conservatism that needs a name. I think it’s something you identified years ago. Today’s conservatives define themselves by their opposition to the left. This is just an example of that phenomenon.

LA replies:

Hmm…. [thinking]

That would be a sufficient explanation, wouldn’t it? If whatever they do, they do to keep the left from power, then that would explain their buying into Palin-type feminism, their gushing over illegitimate pregnancy, their prohibiting criticism of the idea of a mother of a small baby being VP, and all the rest of it. All of their current betrayals of conservatism are simply the result of their absolute opposition to the left and thus their support for whatever they think will beat the left. If a conservative transvestite with a winning personality became the GOP vice presidential nominee and gave an otherwise lackluster GOP ticket a real chance to win, National Review, James Dobson, and Lucianne.com would start singing the praises of conservative transvestism.

Bruce B. replies:

Agreed but I think there’s a deeper meaning than just beating the left. If something or someone seems to contrast strongly with the left then it really does seem conservative to them. I think this is the deeper meaning of what you wrote about conservatives defining themselves by their opposition to the left. They don’t start at first principles.

Since Ms Moose-cuber contrasts nicely with Hillary, she seems conservative.

Hopefully, I’m making sense :-)

LA replies:

Yes.

Posted by Lawrence Auster at September 15, 2008 12:18 PM | Send