Most coins have two sides. So do most stories, problems and opinions. One double sided issue that should have been obvious (but wasn’t) to most so called conservatives is the issue of public spending.
For decades Republicans and most conservatives (they are not the same thing) have railed against “Big Government”. In general they have been met by applause and positive votes. It is a slogan that has served them well from the days of President Reagan on. I do believe that Reagan’s famous “Government is the problem” philosophy was genuine. It was incomplete though.
It was incomplete because then, and now, conservatives and republicans alike tend to advocate the spending of limitless sums on military and law enforcement budgets as “patriotic” measures. They do this without even a wink or nod, and in apparent denial or incomprehension that these too are “Big Government” programs. They are so just as much as Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid.
By spending like drunken Turks on anything that even remotely smacks of military or police the Republicans have also largely forfeited any right to speak of responsible fiscal policy. By cloaking all spending in the shroud of patriotism and shouting down and shaming anyone who dared question the monies for such projects the Republicans vastly inflated the defense budgets. This when our numbers of actual soldiers, sailors, airmen and marines was declining. As was the quality of their training throughout the 1990’s and the early 2000’s.
When something costs more and more for a smaller return questions must be asked. We are now spending the most money on defense since World War Two. Two wars going on you say? Understood. But explain to me how we spend that kind of money on the one of the smallest armies we have had since the end of WWII. Reagan’s 600 ship navy is now around 300 yet consumes as much money as the force twice its size did. Questions should be asked, should have been asked. Yet none (that were heard) were.
President Obama has now embarked on a massive spending campaign that focuses a small percentage on the economy and a vast amount on leftist pet projects. Using the cloak of the recession as Bush did 9/11 he is making the most of the crisis. Do I oppose all government intervention? Of course not. I do though oppose all frivolous spending and that is about all I have seen so far.
Republicans are now in the slightly embarrassing position of opposing the growth of government and spending that they did so much to encourage. This despite all their slogans against big government. They were hollow then and may be now as well. There are signs that many actual conservatives are slowly abandoning the GOP. They are reluctant due to the lack of a home elsewhere. Also frightening for them is the prospect of weakening the republicans ability to counter or at least slow the growth of a socialist government.
Traditional conservatives, those who believe you are responsible for yourself and your family, love their country, respect the authority of the church and tradition and see patriotism as defensive not offensive may be making a turn. Whether they turn to the formation of a third party, or no party at all remains to be seen. The constant talk of John Galt and abandoning the fight against socialistic forces to retreat to private life may be a sign of this.
I know this is headier stuff than normal for The Daily Rum but you just can’t ignore it. More to come.
von Rum
