Ahira's Hangar

I've heard about two books about the conservativism in the US, Conservatives without Conscience by John Dean and The Conservative Soul by Andrew Sullivan. John Dean's book is very much about the Republican Party and Sullivan's book is more about conservatism as a socio-political movement.

As I've been lead to believe, the book by John Dean says that the Republican party has sold its soul to the Religious Right and abandonded the conservatism of Barry Goldwater and Robert Taft. He uses as examples ERA and pro-choice members of the Republican party, and regardless what temporary politcal victories this sellout of the Republicans to the Right Wing Christians might have gained them, that overall it's unhealthy for the party to be so entangled with the religious movement. Dean also identifies a trend of authoritarianism in the Republican party that he contends is against the history of American politics and the Republican party. FYI, the title of Mr. Dean's book is an homage to Barry Goldwater's book Conscience of a Conservative; BTW, Ronald Reagan identified that book as one of the influences that induced him become a Republican.

Andrew Sullivan, native of England, former editor of the The New Republic, former member of Margaret Thatcher's think tank, and in his book says that one of the essential elements of being a political conservative is to possess a doubtful attittude about ones actions in the social and political arena. He goes on to say that certitude is anti-conservative. Additionally, he says that human life cannot be arranged by a book of instructions; regardless if that book would be The Communist Manifesto, The Affluent Society, The Bible, or The Koran.

Now, I suppose it would be convenient to dismiss both these books by saying Dean and Sullivan are really closeted liberals (being closeted is a funny irony in Andrew Sullivan's circumstance). But is that sort of casual analysis really accurate. taraswizard
Allan Rosewarne N9SQT/WDX6HQV
Chicago area
W/T forever, always
Buffy fans Chicago
my livej<i></i>

While I am unfamiliar with those two books, an excellent read that sounds as if it might be in the same general vein of the first one is called What's Wrong With Kansas? which explores the uncomfortable alliance with the Republican Party with the religious right, and how that alliance leads a great number of people to support a party which literally does nothing to help them - and which in fact, has economic policies that greatly harm them. ******************************************************

Our lives are the songs that sing the universe into existence.~David Zindell
<i></i>

If only doubt was a central tenet of the conservatives. Instead, it seems that a rigid moral/political/social certainty has replaced it, and not to anyone's benefit.

Like the Bloodguard, ( wrong forum), I distrust certainty. Like vanity, it leaves no room for improvement.

--A ____________________________________

A sense of the sardonic preserves a man from believing in his own pretensions. -The Sayings Of Maud'Dib<i></i>

Sullivan's book is excellent. Give it a try.

<i></i>