Jonah Goldberg laments all the conservatives lamenting the passing of the so-called giants of conservatism.
Jonah quotes David Klinghoffer who said:
“Once, the iconic figures on the political right were urbane visionaries and builders of institutions — like William F. Buckley Jr., Irving Kristol and Father Richard John Neuhaus, all dead now,” Klinghoffer lamented. “Today, far more representative is potty-mouthed Internet entrepreneur Andrew Breitbart.”
It is very easy to , and I am a fan, lament the incivility of others. As a Catholic blogger with a certain audience I am often accused of decrying that which I exhibit on day to day basis. Guilty as charged. That said, double standards inherently imply that there is at least some standard.
That all said, let me further quote Jonah.
The best conservatives are always dead; the worst are always alive and influential. When Buckley and Kristol, not to mention Barry Goldwater and Ronald Reagan, were alive, they were hated and vilified by the same sorts of people who now claim to miss the old gang. The gold standard of the dead is always a cudgel, used to beat back the living.
Jonah is on point. Those old conservatives are always better. I agree. So the question is, who do we have now?
I am a Catholic. I am a conservative. I not only believe that the two are not mutually exclusive, I believe that the two are axiomatic for those who have one foot in heaven and the other foot on earth.
Who can a politically conservative Catholic hang his hat on? There is Sarah. Sarah has shown remarkable skill in tapping into the zeitgeist with certain je ne sais quoi? Without a doubt, Sarah has it! She is also completely unelectable. Comments to the contrary will fall on deaf ears.
Jeb, as awesome as he may be, is a non-starter. Romney has an economic edge to him that is a real advantage during this time but…
Romney. Do I really have to go into this? Massachusetts? Romneycare? His pro-choice past? Dead conservatives may always seem better, bit Romney isn’t even the living dead. Zombies are more reliable.
The next two elections cycles may be historic for conservatives. Do we really want to put up a candidate that Bob Dole probably feels queasy about? Haven’t we learned that lesson?
So leaving Sarah and Mitt out of it, who? Huckabee is all but a pro-life Democrat. That is not to day he is a Stupak. No. He really believes in life. He also believes in Big gummint. No bout a doubt it.
Mitch Daniels….Don’t get me started.
So who?
Say we take back one or even both houses of Congress. What then?
I do not ask the question as one with the answers. The opposite. I am stumped. Who? Who?
As per Jonah, it is a truism that the old dead conservatives have always look better than the living. After this generation of conservatives, this truism may be on the ropes.
Who am I missing?
August 4, 2010 at 6:56 pm
Tim Pawlenty needs more national exposure, but is a bright, solid, strong leader.
I wonder if the new "Mormons are just regular guys" TV commercials are being aired in anticipation of another Romney run, to make everyone comfortable with his religion.
Not the real or fake Jimbo
August 4, 2010 at 6:59 pm
Condi Rice is no doubt being as pro-abortion as she was before.
Lots of people thought of partitioning Iraq 6 years ago. That doesn't eliminate Brownback.
I don't like Mormonism any more than anyone else here, but I'd rather have a Mormon than a Wrightist or a lapsed Wrightist. I take his pro-life conversion at face value.
And I love Alan Keyes. If Bobby Jindal is too young, Keyes and Palin would be a dream team (until the polls started to come in).
August 4, 2010 at 7:03 pm
The only one from the class of '08 I would consider is Ron Paul.
August 4, 2010 at 7:43 pm
I vote for Rush Limbaugh. He wouldn't win, but what a hoot the campaign would be! OK, back to the serious responses now….
August 4, 2010 at 8:08 pm
Anon @ 1:56. Thanks for that disclaimer there 🙂
As for Ron Paul: Without trying to start a HUGE debate on that here, I will just say that those who truly believe that "Non-Interventionism" is different from Isolationism are very much mistaken. Regardless of whether or not you believe that is the case, either and both notions are a fanciful and extremely dangerous form of national security Utopian Toothfairism. The Atlantic and Pacific do NOT protect us anymore. Haven't for a while.
I could easily list 50 points here why this is the case, but I will spare you. However it's important enough that I will offer the following:
1. US economic interests closely parallel US security interests.
2. The US has a moral obligation to protect our allies.
3. Taking the fight to the enemy is a better strategy then waiting for an attack and then fighting on the terms of the enemy (read Sun Tsu and a million others).
4. 9/11 was a wake up call. Even a primitive enemy can strike a devastating blow from far away when they have a safe haven to plan, train and prepare.
5. Our terrorist adversaries will continue to have greater access to WMD and, unlike the old USSR, they have no reason not to use them – and will.
7. The government has a MORAL obligation to protect the lives of its citizens.
Ron Paul espouses a dangerous policy of American Isolationism (non-interventionism/non-senseism) that is at odds with history, economics and the actual, real world in which we live. This is a policy that would get Americans (and others) killed and, at best, would be an immoral gamble with the lives of, potentially, millions of people.
Ron Paul's foreign policy could best be described as sticking our national head into the sand.
I can only think of only one worse place to stick one's head…and this is pretty close.
Joe: Alan Keyes? He's just not for real. He should have stayed out of politics and made millions as a radio talk show host instead. Although I'll give you that he has given some of the best pro-life speeches I have EVER heard!
August 4, 2010 at 8:16 pm
Folks, waiting for someone to rise up from nowhere and lead us is political laziness. We need to get off our collective butts and get involved in ALL levels of our representative government. That includes state, county, city or town. When that is done the process of elimination will provide someone who will work for We The People.
Because that is what we want. We already have a bona fide Messiah, don't need a counterfeit wannabe to lead us to the promised land of this life. We need a public SERVANT who will follow the prevailing mood of this country and perform his duties accordingly.
We are the ones in charge, let's start acting like it and remind the public servants their job security depends on making us happy.
Because when the boss goofs off, gets lazy and doesn't keep an eye on things, the hired help doesn't perform worth a hoot.
August 4, 2010 at 8:22 pm
There is no one to vote for. We are way over due for a shift in the party system; historically the increasingly irrelevant party would disappear and a new party would take its place. Unfortunately, the Republicans and Democrats have monopolized the system, raising the barrier of entry to impossible levels.
So don't vote. Say you don't vote loudly. Warn every single Republican that you won't listen to their pro-life rhetoric, but that you might get off your duff on election day IF they actually do something now. Say similar things about other conservative issues.
Note how many 'conservative' governors like to talk about how many of the things the federal government is doing is unconstitutional, but they don't actually do anything that might get a federal employee looking cross-eyed at them?
(Jindal did this a lot with the oil spill- break those policies, risk jail time, then I'll start respecting you.)
IF conservatives don't vote, if the same old lip service (we never actually get a smaller government, do we?) stops working, the members of the political class who depend on our votes will panic- and they might just start doing what we want them to. The Democrat party should have disappeared long ago, but the agreements made between them and the Republicans have kept them alive for far too long. We are in an age of zombie socialism; true socialism has been discredited, but the political class, regardless of party affiliation is addicted, so they keep going down the wrong road, whether they know better or not.
Not voting is more powerful than voting is right now. It is only through not voting that at least some segment of the political class will see their potential careers going down the drain. It's a cushy job they have, and at least on the pro-life issue, they haven't had to deliver since 1972! If you vote, you just reinforce there idea that they can continue with this foolishness.
August 4, 2010 at 8:57 pm
"Remember, Jindal's first appearance on the national stage last year? It didn't go so well"
Everyone has a bad night. Gosh I must have seen Jindl now speak 40 times in person and he is still impressive. That being said Jindal is not running NOR according to the latesr rumor becoming head of the GOP. I see no activity on the ground here that indicates he is leaving
August 5, 2010 at 12:08 am
Everyone is missing the tea leaves.
I predict, if John Kasich wins the Ohio governorship, he will go on to win the Presidency within the decade and be one of the great Conservative Presidents of all time.
Remember where you heard it first 🙂 … I predicted the Sara Palin VP selection:
http://vivechristusrex2000.blogspot.com/2008/08/closer-look-at-sarah-palin-for-vice.html
August 5, 2010 at 1:47 am
The problem is the Republican party has lost its conservative footing. Keeps trying to accomodate by moving into the middle. This last election is a prime example, McCain, Guliani? Give me a break. Sarah Palin is a disaster if not a joke but so many people just love her. If she has anything to do with the Republican presidency in 2012 the Republicans would lose again. Let that horse go, it isn't a winner. Sorry folks.
Would love to to think of some up and coming Conservatives that would have a chance at changing this, none come to mind unfortunately.
August 5, 2010 at 1:53 am
Chris Christie & Paul Ryan are great choices for 2016. Draft Haley Barbour!
August 5, 2010 at 3:27 am
Rick Perry? He's done pretty well by Texas.
August 5, 2010 at 4:00 am
Lt. Col. Allen West – definitely.
August 5, 2010 at 4:26 am
Paul Ryan and Allan West are great, and I'd love to see either (or both on the same ticket!) run some time soon, but as many people have noted, they're not yet adequately seasoned (and no, the Obamination wasn't either, but that's no reason to repeat the same sort of mistake).
Newt Gingrich may be the only nationally recognized politician with the experience and the skills to pull it off. Yes, I know his negatives, but nobody's perfect and he'd be an awful lot better than the current occupant of the White House. The more I see of him lately, the better I like him.
August 5, 2010 at 11:38 am
Herman Cain. Dynamic black. Successful businessman. Exceedingly pro-life. Surviver of stage 4 cancer. Turned around Godfathers pizza. Youngest VP of pilsbury. Biggest draw would be his recent experience as a talk show host and his dynamic personality and speeches.
August 5, 2010 at 1:23 pm
Basil Marceaux.
August 5, 2010 at 3:49 pm
I think Scott's right.
Given the likelihood of a Romney vs. Palin matchup, with neither able to win over enough support to win it all, I think a Rick Perry run would likely be successful by becoming the second choice of Sarah fans and Romney backers.
August 5, 2010 at 5:48 pm
HA! You mean "Basil Maceauxdotcom", don't you? 🙂
OOOooooh Ryan and West ticket! They'd both make good Presidents but I think West has the edge on sheer leadership skills. But then Ryan may be "wasted" as VP.
August 6, 2010 at 6:13 pm
Chris Christie, or Bob McDonnel.
Both Catholic, I believe.
August 8, 2010 at 2:28 pm
I don't think we have seen him or her yet.
I know God still has great plans for this country.
I know there is a leader out there that He is preparing for some pretty tough times. Isn't this the way He has always worked throughout history?
We have to get off our duffs, sure, we have to get ourselves to Adoration and we need to pray and fast like never before.
God's time isn't our time, but it's always just in time.