We (still) like Ike
Whom should Takimag endorse in ‘08? Well, much like last time around, we’re faced with a choice between, on the one hand, Sen. Charybdis—John McCain, a decent man who’s far too socialistically inclined on the home front and far too full of the milk of neocon blindness in foreign affairs—and, on the other, Sen. Scylla—Barack Obama, the “antiwar candidate” who isn’t and whose only establishment-rocking measures are likely to be invitations to all his leftist and race-baiting friends to come to Washington. Though choosing a principled third-party candidate is still an option, perhaps it’d be better to follow Eric Margolis and endorse a Republican—Dwight Eisenhower:
The Canadian and U.S. election races look like passengers fighting over deck chairs on the sinking Titanic. The terrifying financial panic that has engulfed the entire globe seems to make all other human pursuits seem trivial.
But let’s not forget an important political dimension to this crisis. The disaster would not have erupted had small “c” conservative economic and moral principles been followed.
Unfortunately, neither Canada nor the U.S. has a genuine moderate conservative political party, only power seekers and agents of special interests who masquerade as conservatives.
America’s Republicans long ago deserted the conservative political, economic and foreign policies of the greatest true conservative president, Dwight Eisenhower. ‘Ike’ believed in small government, avoiding foreign wars and entanglements, a non-aggressive foreign policy, low taxes, restrained government spending and keeping government out of the social domain.
This greatest modern American president called for nuclear disarmament and rightly warned his nation of the dangers of what he called “the military industrial complex.” Half a century later, I still like Ike—and am proud to call myself an “Eisenhower Republican.”
Equally important, traditional conservative principles demand hard work, thrift and saving. One does not buy anything until saved-up cash is available. Governments spend only what they collect in taxes, not future generations’ money known as “deficit spending.” While necessary for long-term investment, borrowing must be strictly limited and tightly supervised.
Today’s Republicans call themselves “conservatives” but are nothing of the kind. Under President George W. Bush, government size, spending and deficits have become gargantuan. “Conservative” in the U.S. has become synonymous with social dogmatism of the religious hard right and rural crassness and ignorance. Now, thanks to their “rescue package,” Republicans (and Democrats) seem well on their way to socialism.
Under Bush, the U.S. has become a swaggering imperial power locked in two lost wars abroad. The president’s only real conservative act was to cut taxes. But even this was folly when Washington was pouring $1 trillion into foreign colonial adventures—almost all borrowed from China and Japan.
Comments
Eisenhower left the Truman doctrine almost entirely in place with the exception of armed conflict in Korea. Ike still wanted to occupy the South ... Same amounts of foreign aid and entangling alliances. Not to mention the drastic expansion of federal power with interstate highways and unconstitutionally becoming involved in education. Thanks but no thanks .... Taft would have been much better.
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I agree with Patrick.
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When Mr. Margolis praises Ike for “keeping government out of the social domain” does he have things like compulsory inclusiveness or the current redefinition of marriage in mind?
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Haaa ... Baldwin ... chewww....
Excuse me.
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I recommend “Spotty”, a mexican dog down Jalisco way on the Pacific Coast. He’s got the shakes and is a bit of a known pederast but he speaks Washington’s Language.
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This greatest modern American president called for nuclear disarmament and rightly warned his nation of the dangers of what he called “the military industrial complex.”
He also warned of private Universities being corrupted by the governmentally funded scientific-technological elite; but, who ever references THAT from his speech?
http://mcadams.posc.mu.edu/ike.htm
Of course, his speech-writers wrote of the importance of balancing this and balancing that and his speech-writers cautioned against extremes in this that and the other thing, BUT, not once did the speech-writers mention The Constitution. And Ike was not rash enough to wing-it and introduce that particular Rule of Law.
No, it was just assumed that the entire world had elected Ike (or approved of his elevation to the Good Empire’s Throne) to be our secular God and he and his ilk were charged with spreading universal goodness and opposing universal badness.
UGH!!!
Such collectivist twaddle masquerading as Conservatism? If this be Conservatism, then I’ll be happy to hang alone.
I’m headed back to my cave
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Throughout America’s adventure in free government, such basic purposeshave been to keep the peace; to foster progress in human achievement, and to enhance liberty, dignity and integrity among peoples and among nations.
Really, Ike? That is what you understood your oath of office to mean?
I suppose, then, that my vows to my wife really meant I was at liberty to impregnate every other (good-looking, mind you)woman in the world so as enhance liberty, dignity, and increase membership in the Catholic Church because that is the Universal Church Jesus established.
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Ike’s signature achievement—and it was substantial—was Operation Wetback, which was conducted dut during conducted over several months in 1954. Virtually all illegal Mexican workers were deported. Try even suggesting anything resembling that today, especially with the number of illegals being 10 to 20 times as high 20 times 20 times as high. Can anyone here imagine President Bush pulling this off?
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McCain isn`t a decent man. I`d drop in if Obama threw in a barbecue, but the only way I`d come to McCain`s was if he was on the menue.
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“One does not buy anything until saved-up cash is available.” I saw a place where this is still the rule, last February. It is the (perhaps now misnamed) Socialist Republic of Vietnam. One of our guides told us how they have to save up to buy their own motorbike (costing ca. USD400) and when they do, they invite their frineds over for a “washing the bike” party, the washing being done with 333 Beer or the equally ubiquitous Tiger beer. I have the tee-shirts ("one dolla” each) to show for it.
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The best beer was Larue, in Hoi An. I presume it is mostly a mid-country (the old An nam) drink but don’t know for sure.
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Here I was hoping to see Takimag endorse one of the third party candidates. I think it is about time that Takimag came out with their candidate.
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