Catholic Exchange

Best diagnosis I’ve seen of what went wrong with American conservatism.

Written by

bhodge

in

Goodbye to All That

Money graf:

“Defining Victory” describes the post-9/11 world in terms that have since become familiar. First, it insists on a war that has no definite enemy and no foreseeable end. Short of one-world despotism or universal brotherhood, the U.S. cannot literally defeat “all those who mean to do our people harm.”

Contrary to what some think, I regard political parties and various ideologies as useful tools for enacting what bits of Catholic social teaching can be enacted. I feel no "party loyalty" as I don't for a second believe parties feel any loyalty to me or anyone else not useful to them. Further, I don't believe in ideology. I believe in prudence. Ideology has the nasty habit of blinding people to reality in favor of what their ideology tells them is real. I think Catholic teaching, which (after all) comes from God, who knows what's going on, is a far safer guide to reality than the ideology of men. And Catholic teaching insists on prudence–on keeping your eyes open and seeing what *is so*, rather than on slogging along and sticking with the ideology even when it is manifestly crazy.

That, in essence, is why the Right and I have moved apart. I stayed with Catholic teaching. The right, of its own free will, declared itself an "ideology" and then proceeded to be guided by that ideology instead of paying attention to common sense and prudence. (Not to mention, justice, fortitude, and temperance).

Hopefully, they will get over their infatuation with the crazies who have decided that Big Government Conservatism–a sort of Great Society with Guns–can bring about an End to Evil via Endless War for Endless Peace. Till then, I will criticize them as I criticise the equally crazy statists of the Left for their various assaults on human dignity and common sense.

Comments

  1. Guest Avatar
    Guest

    Yes, Mark,

    Politicians seem driven to ideologies, and, hence, voters November 7 had little for effective choice where God and just plain holy-horse sense – prudence – come in.

    For, as God is the Only One Who can afford an ego, He is also the Only One Who can afford an ideology, which if present is Christ Jesus, and He Who died to sin to rise to glory. Praised be God in His Son, and His ideology.

    I, too, vote ‘Jesus’ first and foremost, whoever appears to be of His followers. Not so much ‘independent’ as ‘dependent on Him’.

    Though, I found little of ‘Christ’, or the ‘analysis’ of policy and situation he seems to yearn for, or ‘solutions’ in Bramwell’s extensive article. To me, it was little more than, shall we say, ‘counter-Coulter’.

    I remain your obedient servant, but God’s first,

    Pristinus Sapienter

    (wljewell @mail.catholicexchange.com or …yahoo.com)

  2. Guest Avatar
    Guest

    Mark,

    The sort of America envisioned by the folks at American Conservative magazine, most especially its founder Patrick Buchanon, is one largely free of Mexicans and Jews.  However you've imagined conservatism to have gone wrong, it won't go right taking its cues from these folks.

  3. Guest Avatar
    Guest

    I don’t know about Buchanan, since I have read little of his work. What is said about him means less as it is ‘fed’ by BigLie liberalism.

    However, of Jews and Mexicans . . .

    Belloc presaged the notion that Jews were less ‘unwanted in Britain’ than wanting their own place. His attitude was less ‘get rid of Jews’ than it was ‘Jews, find someplace to hide!’

    The Mexicans, with their seeming determination to fail at assimilation among us, remind me of Belloc’s concern. ‘If you want to be a Mexican, stay in Mexico! Improve your culture – don’t presume on others’ cultures.’

    I would presume as President of the United States to counter-invade Mexico. This would be less Polk-like macho adventure than self-defensive late-‘preemption’ and posture. I would take their Pemex holdings against they’re actually negotiating about border considerations. While holding said institution, the Pemex profits would go to as many small-development Mexican combines – villages and families – as I could enrich to develop the country as we could before we stood down. I.e., of my thinking, if jobs are in Mexico, why chance going to the U.S.A.?

    Yeah – time to tell the Iraqis ‘you’re gonna be more ‘n more on your own’, and bring three divisions back to lead the first assault against the recalcitrant and vitiating Mexican corruptidoes that mal-run that country.

    I remain your obedient servant, but God’s first,

    Pristinus Sapienter

    (wljewell @mail.catholicexchange.com or …yahoo.com)

  4. Guest Avatar
    Guest

    Rich:

     

    I disagree with the nativism of Buchanan et al.  Indeed, I think it a bit crazy.  But I do think the morphing of the GOP into another sort of statist organization is one of the most absured political transformations we have seen in our generation.

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