The cult of Bush
Posted by Greg on February 13, 2006
Kos points us to an interesting piece by Glenn Greenwald which focuses on the complete meltdown of dissent and introspection within today’s Republican party. You’re either with Bush all the way, or you (gasp) a liberal.
Now, in order to be considered a “liberal,” only one thing is required – a failure to pledge blind loyalty to George W. Bush. The minute one criticizes him is the minute that one becomes a “liberal,” regardless of the ground on which the criticism is based. And the more one criticizes him, by definition, the more “liberal” one is. Whether one is a “liberal” — or, for that matter, a “conservative” — is now no longer a function of one’s actual political views, but is a function purely of one’s personal loyalty to George Bush.
Greenwald uses Andrew Sullivan as a case in point, showing how the conservative commentator, who has endorsed Bush, supports the war formerly known as on terror, favors tax cutes, prefers balanced budgets, and supports states rights is somehow now a “liberal” because he dares to criticize administration policy on torture.
As Sullivan states:
Label debates are silly. But I should say, for the record, that I favor the war in Iraq and Afghanistan, have been horrified by the incompetence of the occupation, but have been trying to make constructive arguments for how to win for quite a while now. Yes, I oppose the torture and abuse of military detainees. I’m a little stunned that this is now something that now requires one to be seen as a “liberal.”
I support almost all of Bush’s tax cuts (I support the estate tax) but also believe in balanced budgets and spending restraint (heretic!); I oppose affirmative action; I oppose hate crime laws; I respect John Kerry’s military service; I believe all abortion is morally wrong and that Roe vs Wade was dreadful constitutional law (but I do favor legal first trimester abortions); I support states’ rights, especially in social policy, such as marriage; I oppose the expansion of the welfare state, as in the Medicare prescription drug plan; I supported John Roberts’ nomination and Sam Alito’s; I believe in a firm separation of religion and politics, but I certainly take faith seriously and wrestle with my own.
He shows others like Bob Barr and John Sununu being tarred by the same brush. Money quotes:
And in that regard, people like Michelle Malkin, John Hinderaker, Jonah Goldberg and Hugh Hewitt are not conservatives. They are authoritarian cultists. Their allegiance is not to any principles of government but to strong authority through a single leader.
and
If it now places one “on the Left” to oppose unrestrained power and invasiveness asserted by the Federal Government along with lawlessness on the part of our highest government officials, so be it. The rage-based reverence for The President as Commander-in-Chief — and the creepy, blind faith vested in his goodness — is not a movement I recognize as being political, conservative or even American.
Absolutely. Kos is right – there really should be more discussion of this in the mainstream media.
See also:
And check out Greenwald’s update at his own site HERE.
