American Conservatism
American Exceptionalism
In America, the modern Conservative Republican is known by many stereotypical slanderous remarks. Conservatives are known as, “…right-wing zealots, reactionaries, bigots, and homophobes” (Limbaugh, “I Told You So” 19). Therefore, it would be fascinating to understand what a conservative truly is, what they stand for, and why they are so often referred to with snide remarks. The mainstream hatred of conservatism did not truly begin until the early 1980s with the election of Ronald Reagan as President of the United States. There had certainly been many conservatives in politics before Reagan; however, he brought forth to the world a new kind of politics. He expanded the horizons of America and did what was necessary to restore the optimism and vigor to working class Americans. Conservatism has evolved a great deal over the second half of the 20th century; from Senator Barry Goldwater’s failed attempt at the presidency in 1964, to Reagan’s success in the 1980s. It has been a fascinating journey for conservatism in America and it has only just begun.
In 1964, Senator Barry Goldwater began his campaign for President of the United States of America. He based the majority of his campaign around the ideology of conservative values; unfortunately, the election was not in his favor and he was defeated decisively by Lyndon Johnson (Presidential Election). The defeat of Goldwater was not, however, a complete loss to the conservative movement. One week prior to the election, a former actor and Governor of California delivered a speech on behalf of Senator Goldwater. The speech became known as “A Time for Choosing” and was delivered with alacrity by Ronald Reagan. The televised speech was sponsored by a group of private fundraisers and Reagan centered his speech around conservatism and the need for a conservative leader in Washington D.C. Reagan made many memorable statements in his speech, the most famous revolving around the need for a strong military in order to defend America from foreign attacks. He referred to his ideology as “peace through strength” and said, “You and I have a rendezvous with destiny. We will preserve for our children this, the last best hope of man on earth, or we will sentence them to take the last step into a thousand years of darkness” (Reagan, “Speaking” 36). In other words, Reagan expressed a deep concern for the protection of the United States from a menacing threat. A threat that was ever present during the Cold War. In that sentence, Reagan made a strong statement directed towards the Soviet Union. The views he expressed in 1964 towards national defense, foreign policy, and government bureaucracies helped set the stage for his own presidential campaign in 1980.
During the election of 1980, Ronald Reagan was running against the incumbent Jimmy Carter (Reagan, “American Life” 220). Ronald Reagan ran on a strong platform based solely around his conservative values. He built a campaign around a strong national defense, reducing government bureaucracies, returning power to the States, and self-accountability. After the failed foreign policies of Jimmy Carter, Reagan also set forth to conquer the Soviet Union. After his election, he immediately increased defense spending, creating thousands of nuclear weapons. He created a sort of miniature arms race between the United States and the Soviet Union and literally bankrupted the Soviets. As Rush Limbaugh later said, “Reagan rejected Communism, détente, and containment, and set us on a course to win—not manage—the Cold War” (Limbaugh, “The Great One”). The election of Ronald Reagan brought forth a new sense of optimism to America. Reagan had great leadership abilities and was very charismatic, he became known as “The Great Communicator” and for the eight years he served as President of the United States, he restored the vigor and optimism to working class Americans (The Great Communicator). In the eyes of many Americans, Reagan had done exactly what he promised. He led the United States through the Cold War and emerged as the world’s only superpower; he had done so without a single gunshot. Ronald Reagan ended the Cold War with strong diplomacy, and without any hint of violence (Reagan, “American Life” 669).
Ronald Reagan left the office of the President in January of 1989 and was succeeded by George H.W. Bush (Presidential Election). It was a monumental victory and marked the first time in many years that the Republicans were ensured at least twelve years controlling the Executive Branch of government. The economy was thriving in 1989 when Reagan left office and conservatives began to emerge around the country. Paul Johnson writes about true conservatism, he correlates capitalism with conservatism. He alludes that Reagan was so successful because of his budget and tax cuts, Johnson also writes that the Reagan Revolution led to the emergence of conservatives around the world because of their economic ideologies (Johnson). While conservatives began to emerge throughout the country, Rush Limbaugh began his nationally syndicated conservative talk show in August of 1988 (Limbaugh, “Told You So” 2). The show runs for three hours every weekday and Limbaugh delivers his political commentary intertwined with satire and hilarity. The show is nearing its 22 year being broadcast nationally and Limbaugh has over 20 million listeners a week, making him the most listened to talk show host in the world (Chafets). It is obvious that the success of Reagan led to the success of other like minded political figures throughout America. It would also seem that the success of Rush Limbaugh is due in part to the foundation of conservatism laid by Ronald Reagan and Barry Goldwater. Nevertheless, the era of conservatism reached a level of stagnation during the end of the 20th and beginning of the 21st centuries.
In 1992, Bill Clinton was elected as President of the United States and his subsequent two terms did little to increase the reputation of conservatism. In 2000, George W. Bush was elected as President and many thought he would restore the conservative ideology to America. During his campaign he often referred to himself as a “compassionate conservative” but his administration was far from the conservative agenda (Compassionate Conservative). The failed policies of George H.W. Bush led to the election of Bill Clinton and subsequently to the election of George W. Bush. Since the Reagan administration, no President has done anything to positively further the role of the conservative movement. Rather, they have managed to create larger government bureaucracies and have created more federal mandates that are harmful to working class Americans. For all practical purposes, America has become much more liberal in its political ideology since the Reagan administration. Nevertheless, many conservatives are still surfacing across the country. The Rush Limbaugh Radio Program is still the number one rated talk show in the world, and political columnists such as Ann Coulter are topping the New York Times bestseller lists. Conservatism is not dead in America; rather, it is in desperate need for a revival.
In 2008, John McCain received the Republican nomination to campaign for President of the United States. He chose Alaska Governor Sarah Palin as his running mate in order to create a grass roots conservative movement. John McCain’s political ideology was quite moderate and only slightly paled to the grotesque liberalism displayed by Barack Obama; nevertheless, by choosing Sarah Palin as his running mate, McCain excited his base voters. Sarah Palin became an overnight phenomenon. She was a Governor, an avid hunter, an athlete, a mother, and a Washington outsider. She also exhibited all of the values of conservatism; she had worked to reduce the federal government in Alaska, she was in favor of drilling for oil and taking advantage of our natural resources, and she believed wholeheartedly in family values (About Sarah). Sarah Palin did more for the campaign than John McCain, she excited the base voters and Americans once more saw the glimmer of conservatism in national politics. Sarah Palin was proud to be an American and she demonstrated it; unlike her opponents who seemed to cringe at America’s achievements. While Obama was apologizing to the world for America’s actions, Sarah Palin was demonstrating how proud she was of American exceptionalism. Had Sarah Palin been nominated by the Republican Party to run for President, the results of the 2008 election may have been drastically different. Rush Limbaugh wrote, “Conservatism works every time it is tried” (Limbaugh, “Told You So” 280).
In 2010, during the midterm elections, American voters showed their lack of approval for Obama by electing many Republicans to offices at the national and local levels. The most surprising election; however, took place in the Senate race in Massachusetts. The seat had formerly been held by Ted Kennedy for nearly half a century, but in 2010, a man named Scott Brown emerged from seemingly nowhere to win the Senate seat. Scott Brown ran his entire campaign around a conservative agenda and he was incredibly successful winning the seat by a very decisive margin (Brown Scores Upset). Brown’s campaign ideology was similar to the ideals expressed by Barry Goldwater. In 1960, Senator Goldwater wrote “The Conscience of a Conservative” in which he laid down the basic conservative philosophy. Goldwater speaks a great deal about returning power to the states, about civil rights, and about labor and economic freedoms. However, his main thesis is formed around a simple question. He writes, “…the Conservative’s first concern will always be: Are we maximizing freedom?” (Goldwater 14). Goldwater spent his political career trying to reduce the role of the federal government in an effort to return the power to the people. Ronald Reagan, Sarah Palin, and most recently Scott Brown have all expressed this same ideology. They believe the government should not micromanage private lives and for the most part, the candidates who have campaigned on this ideology have been successful.
The Obama administration has been one of unprecedented governmental growth. General Motors has been sanctioned by the United States, government bailouts have been distributed to large corporations, and there is an effort to socialize healthcare. The Obama administration is doing the exact opposite of what a conservative believes. They are making the American people dependent on the national government. People are no longer held accountable for their actions, because the government is there to bail them out of trouble. Rush Limbaugh writes, “Too many people are waiting for the government to solve their problems instead of taking initiative themselves” (Limbaugh, “Told You So” 8). Ronald Reagan once made a speech that was illustrative of his view on the ever expanding role of the government, he said, “…government is not the solution to our problem; government is the problem” (Reagan, “Speaking” 61). A conservative is not calling for a complete disbandment of government; rather, they are calling for a reduction of governmental growth. The government has expanded so that it meddles in the private lives of every American citizen. It’s unmitigated growth and establishment of onerous taxes has created a nation where people have less of a desire to succeed. There is no incentive to earn or produce when you are going to be taxed by the government, and people have no incentive to succeed when they know the government will simply care for them if they fail. The majority of Americans have earned what they have and they should not be punished by the government, or saddled with heavy taxation because they have achieved. They should be rewarded for what they have achieved. Limbaugh writes, “Success begets further success” (Limbaugh, “Told You So” 2). Conservatives believe that people have the innate desire to achieve and they would do so if the government would step out of the picture and allow them to do so.
Conservatism has changed and evolved a great deal since the 1964 candidacy of Barry Goldwater. Goldwater set America on a course for conservatism and many people have attempted to follow in his path. In the political realm; Reagan, Palin, and Scott Brown have been the most successful. They set the course for other politicians to follow and have once more opened the door to popular American conservatism. In the business of entertainment; Rush Limbaugh, Sean Hannity, and Ann Coulter dominate in radio, cable, and print respectively. They have helped to educate Americans on the ideals and values of a true conservative and they have worked tirelessly to promote the ideals thereof. For all practical purposes, conservatives believe in the “American Dream,” they believe that a person can and will achieve if they are given the opportunity. They believe in state rights, limited powers of the federal government, a strong national defense, and in family values. No one knows what the future will bring to conservatism; however, the recent trend has been moving more to the values of conservatism. In the upcoming presidential election of 2012, it will be fascinating to see who the Republican Party nominates as their candidate. If they nominate a true conservative, it would seem a Republican victory would be completely plausible. In the end, the ideals of a conservative may be best summed up by an unlikely figure. Lee Iacocca, the former CEO of Ford Motor Company wrote, “You don’t get anywhere by standing on the sidelines waiting for somebody else to take action” (Iacocca 14). In other words, a conservative believes wholeheartedly in self accountability and in being self sufficient. In the mind of a conservative, with a little hard work and determination, anything is possible.
Works Cited
“About Sarah.” http://www.sarahpac.com/about. Web. 22 February 2010.
“Brown Scores Upset Over Coakley in Massachusetts Senate Race.” http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2010/01/19/polls-close-competitive-massachusetts-senate-race/. Web. 22 February 2010.
Chafets, Zev. Late Period Limbaugh. The New York Times Magazine. 6 July 2008. Web. 22 February 2010.
“George W. Bush: Compassionate Conservative.” http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/George_W._Bush:_Compassionate_Conservativ. Web. 22 February 2010.
Goldwater, Barry. The Conscience of a Conservative. Shepherdsville: Victor Publishing Company, 1960.
Iacocca, Lee. Where Have All the Leaders Gone? New York: Scribner, 2007.
Johnson, Paul. “Looking for a True Conservative.” Forbes 184.9 (2009): 19. Academic Search Premier. EBSCO. Web. 17 February 2010.
Limbaugh, Rush. “The Great One.” National Review 28 June 2004: 36. Academic OneFile. Web. 17. Feb. 2010.
Limbaugh, Rush. See, I Told You So. New York: Pocket Star Books, 1993.
“Presidential Election.” http://www.historycentral.com/elections/1964.html. Web. 22 February 2010.
Reagan, Ronald. An American Life. New York: Simon and Schuster, 1990.
Reagan, Ronald. Speaking My Mind. New York: Simon and Schuster, 1989.
“Ronald Reagan: The Great Communicator.” http://www.cnn.com/2004/ALLPOLITICS/06/05/reagan.obit/index.html. Web. 22 February 2010.
In 1964, Senator Barry Goldwater began his campaign for President of the United States of America. He based the majority of his campaign around the ideology of conservative values; unfortunately, the election was not in his favor and he was defeated decisively by Lyndon Johnson (Presidential Election). The defeat of Goldwater was not, however, a complete loss to the conservative movement. One week prior to the election, a former actor and Governor of California delivered a speech on behalf of Senator Goldwater. The speech became known as “A Time for Choosing” and was delivered with alacrity by Ronald Reagan. The televised speech was sponsored by a group of private fundraisers and Reagan centered his speech around conservatism and the need for a conservative leader in Washington D.C. Reagan made many memorable statements in his speech, the most famous revolving around the need for a strong military in order to defend America from foreign attacks. He referred to his ideology as “peace through strength” and said, “You and I have a rendezvous with destiny. We will preserve for our children this, the last best hope of man on earth, or we will sentence them to take the last step into a thousand years of darkness” (Reagan, “Speaking” 36). In other words, Reagan expressed a deep concern for the protection of the United States from a menacing threat. A threat that was ever present during the Cold War. In that sentence, Reagan made a strong statement directed towards the Soviet Union. The views he expressed in 1964 towards national defense, foreign policy, and government bureaucracies helped set the stage for his own presidential campaign in 1980.
During the election of 1980, Ronald Reagan was running against the incumbent Jimmy Carter (Reagan, “American Life” 220). Ronald Reagan ran on a strong platform based solely around his conservative values. He built a campaign around a strong national defense, reducing government bureaucracies, returning power to the States, and self-accountability. After the failed foreign policies of Jimmy Carter, Reagan also set forth to conquer the Soviet Union. After his election, he immediately increased defense spending, creating thousands of nuclear weapons. He created a sort of miniature arms race between the United States and the Soviet Union and literally bankrupted the Soviets. As Rush Limbaugh later said, “Reagan rejected Communism, détente, and containment, and set us on a course to win—not manage—the Cold War” (Limbaugh, “The Great One”). The election of Ronald Reagan brought forth a new sense of optimism to America. Reagan had great leadership abilities and was very charismatic, he became known as “The Great Communicator” and for the eight years he served as President of the United States, he restored the vigor and optimism to working class Americans (The Great Communicator). In the eyes of many Americans, Reagan had done exactly what he promised. He led the United States through the Cold War and emerged as the world’s only superpower; he had done so without a single gunshot. Ronald Reagan ended the Cold War with strong diplomacy, and without any hint of violence (Reagan, “American Life” 669).
Ronald Reagan left the office of the President in January of 1989 and was succeeded by George H.W. Bush (Presidential Election). It was a monumental victory and marked the first time in many years that the Republicans were ensured at least twelve years controlling the Executive Branch of government. The economy was thriving in 1989 when Reagan left office and conservatives began to emerge around the country. Paul Johnson writes about true conservatism, he correlates capitalism with conservatism. He alludes that Reagan was so successful because of his budget and tax cuts, Johnson also writes that the Reagan Revolution led to the emergence of conservatives around the world because of their economic ideologies (Johnson). While conservatives began to emerge throughout the country, Rush Limbaugh began his nationally syndicated conservative talk show in August of 1988 (Limbaugh, “Told You So” 2). The show runs for three hours every weekday and Limbaugh delivers his political commentary intertwined with satire and hilarity. The show is nearing its 22 year being broadcast nationally and Limbaugh has over 20 million listeners a week, making him the most listened to talk show host in the world (Chafets). It is obvious that the success of Reagan led to the success of other like minded political figures throughout America. It would also seem that the success of Rush Limbaugh is due in part to the foundation of conservatism laid by Ronald Reagan and Barry Goldwater. Nevertheless, the era of conservatism reached a level of stagnation during the end of the 20th and beginning of the 21st centuries.
In 1992, Bill Clinton was elected as President of the United States and his subsequent two terms did little to increase the reputation of conservatism. In 2000, George W. Bush was elected as President and many thought he would restore the conservative ideology to America. During his campaign he often referred to himself as a “compassionate conservative” but his administration was far from the conservative agenda (Compassionate Conservative). The failed policies of George H.W. Bush led to the election of Bill Clinton and subsequently to the election of George W. Bush. Since the Reagan administration, no President has done anything to positively further the role of the conservative movement. Rather, they have managed to create larger government bureaucracies and have created more federal mandates that are harmful to working class Americans. For all practical purposes, America has become much more liberal in its political ideology since the Reagan administration. Nevertheless, many conservatives are still surfacing across the country. The Rush Limbaugh Radio Program is still the number one rated talk show in the world, and political columnists such as Ann Coulter are topping the New York Times bestseller lists. Conservatism is not dead in America; rather, it is in desperate need for a revival.
In 2008, John McCain received the Republican nomination to campaign for President of the United States. He chose Alaska Governor Sarah Palin as his running mate in order to create a grass roots conservative movement. John McCain’s political ideology was quite moderate and only slightly paled to the grotesque liberalism displayed by Barack Obama; nevertheless, by choosing Sarah Palin as his running mate, McCain excited his base voters. Sarah Palin became an overnight phenomenon. She was a Governor, an avid hunter, an athlete, a mother, and a Washington outsider. She also exhibited all of the values of conservatism; she had worked to reduce the federal government in Alaska, she was in favor of drilling for oil and taking advantage of our natural resources, and she believed wholeheartedly in family values (About Sarah). Sarah Palin did more for the campaign than John McCain, she excited the base voters and Americans once more saw the glimmer of conservatism in national politics. Sarah Palin was proud to be an American and she demonstrated it; unlike her opponents who seemed to cringe at America’s achievements. While Obama was apologizing to the world for America’s actions, Sarah Palin was demonstrating how proud she was of American exceptionalism. Had Sarah Palin been nominated by the Republican Party to run for President, the results of the 2008 election may have been drastically different. Rush Limbaugh wrote, “Conservatism works every time it is tried” (Limbaugh, “Told You So” 280).
In 2010, during the midterm elections, American voters showed their lack of approval for Obama by electing many Republicans to offices at the national and local levels. The most surprising election; however, took place in the Senate race in Massachusetts. The seat had formerly been held by Ted Kennedy for nearly half a century, but in 2010, a man named Scott Brown emerged from seemingly nowhere to win the Senate seat. Scott Brown ran his entire campaign around a conservative agenda and he was incredibly successful winning the seat by a very decisive margin (Brown Scores Upset). Brown’s campaign ideology was similar to the ideals expressed by Barry Goldwater. In 1960, Senator Goldwater wrote “The Conscience of a Conservative” in which he laid down the basic conservative philosophy. Goldwater speaks a great deal about returning power to the states, about civil rights, and about labor and economic freedoms. However, his main thesis is formed around a simple question. He writes, “…the Conservative’s first concern will always be: Are we maximizing freedom?” (Goldwater 14). Goldwater spent his political career trying to reduce the role of the federal government in an effort to return the power to the people. Ronald Reagan, Sarah Palin, and most recently Scott Brown have all expressed this same ideology. They believe the government should not micromanage private lives and for the most part, the candidates who have campaigned on this ideology have been successful.
The Obama administration has been one of unprecedented governmental growth. General Motors has been sanctioned by the United States, government bailouts have been distributed to large corporations, and there is an effort to socialize healthcare. The Obama administration is doing the exact opposite of what a conservative believes. They are making the American people dependent on the national government. People are no longer held accountable for their actions, because the government is there to bail them out of trouble. Rush Limbaugh writes, “Too many people are waiting for the government to solve their problems instead of taking initiative themselves” (Limbaugh, “Told You So” 8). Ronald Reagan once made a speech that was illustrative of his view on the ever expanding role of the government, he said, “…government is not the solution to our problem; government is the problem” (Reagan, “Speaking” 61). A conservative is not calling for a complete disbandment of government; rather, they are calling for a reduction of governmental growth. The government has expanded so that it meddles in the private lives of every American citizen. It’s unmitigated growth and establishment of onerous taxes has created a nation where people have less of a desire to succeed. There is no incentive to earn or produce when you are going to be taxed by the government, and people have no incentive to succeed when they know the government will simply care for them if they fail. The majority of Americans have earned what they have and they should not be punished by the government, or saddled with heavy taxation because they have achieved. They should be rewarded for what they have achieved. Limbaugh writes, “Success begets further success” (Limbaugh, “Told You So” 2). Conservatives believe that people have the innate desire to achieve and they would do so if the government would step out of the picture and allow them to do so.
Conservatism has changed and evolved a great deal since the 1964 candidacy of Barry Goldwater. Goldwater set America on a course for conservatism and many people have attempted to follow in his path. In the political realm; Reagan, Palin, and Scott Brown have been the most successful. They set the course for other politicians to follow and have once more opened the door to popular American conservatism. In the business of entertainment; Rush Limbaugh, Sean Hannity, and Ann Coulter dominate in radio, cable, and print respectively. They have helped to educate Americans on the ideals and values of a true conservative and they have worked tirelessly to promote the ideals thereof. For all practical purposes, conservatives believe in the “American Dream,” they believe that a person can and will achieve if they are given the opportunity. They believe in state rights, limited powers of the federal government, a strong national defense, and in family values. No one knows what the future will bring to conservatism; however, the recent trend has been moving more to the values of conservatism. In the upcoming presidential election of 2012, it will be fascinating to see who the Republican Party nominates as their candidate. If they nominate a true conservative, it would seem a Republican victory would be completely plausible. In the end, the ideals of a conservative may be best summed up by an unlikely figure. Lee Iacocca, the former CEO of Ford Motor Company wrote, “You don’t get anywhere by standing on the sidelines waiting for somebody else to take action” (Iacocca 14). In other words, a conservative believes wholeheartedly in self accountability and in being self sufficient. In the mind of a conservative, with a little hard work and determination, anything is possible.
Works Cited
“About Sarah.” http://www.sarahpac.com/about. Web. 22 February 2010.
“Brown Scores Upset Over Coakley in Massachusetts Senate Race.” http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2010/01/19/polls-close-competitive-massachusetts-senate-race/. Web. 22 February 2010.
Chafets, Zev. Late Period Limbaugh. The New York Times Magazine. 6 July 2008. Web. 22 February 2010.
“George W. Bush: Compassionate Conservative.” http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/George_W._Bush:_Compassionate_Conservativ. Web. 22 February 2010.
Goldwater, Barry. The Conscience of a Conservative. Shepherdsville: Victor Publishing Company, 1960.
Iacocca, Lee. Where Have All the Leaders Gone? New York: Scribner, 2007.
Johnson, Paul. “Looking for a True Conservative.” Forbes 184.9 (2009): 19. Academic Search Premier. EBSCO. Web. 17 February 2010.
Limbaugh, Rush. “The Great One.” National Review 28 June 2004: 36. Academic OneFile. Web. 17. Feb. 2010.
Limbaugh, Rush. See, I Told You So. New York: Pocket Star Books, 1993.
“Presidential Election.” http://www.historycentral.com/elections/1964.html. Web. 22 February 2010.
Reagan, Ronald. An American Life. New York: Simon and Schuster, 1990.
Reagan, Ronald. Speaking My Mind. New York: Simon and Schuster, 1989.
“Ronald Reagan: The Great Communicator.” http://www.cnn.com/2004/ALLPOLITICS/06/05/reagan.obit/index.html. Web. 22 February 2010.
