United Liberty

David Boaz, Vice President of the Cato Institute, doesn’t seem to be encouraged by the state of conservatism by the sights and sounds from CPAC:

What did tell me something very disturbing about the state of conservatism was Mitt Romney’s speech at CPAC. It was a well-written and well-delivered speech, and I agreed with much of what I heard on C-SPAN Radio. But after all the talk about how Republicans have learned their lessons, how they know that they went badly awry during the Bush-Hastert-DeLay years, Romney drew cheers for saying, “I am convinced that history will judge President Bush far more kindly—he pulled us from a deepening recession following the attack of 9-11, he overcame teachers unions to test school children and evaluate schools, he took down the Taliban, waged a war against the jihadists and was not afraid to call it what it is—a war, and he kept us safe.” And then he drew wild, foot-stomping cheers for going on: “I respect his silence even in the face of the assaults on his record that come from this administration. But at the same time, I also respect the loyalty and indefatigable defense of truth that comes from our “I don’t give a damn” Vice President Dick Cheney!” (Text )

I am reminded that in February 2008, after seven disastrous years of overspending, federal intrusion, entitlement expansion, civil liberties abuses, and foundering wars, President Bush spoke at CPAC, and the assembled conservatives greeted him with chants of “Four More Years!”

Really? You wanted more of that? And you’re still cheering it in 2010?

Ed Crane says Republicans should purge neo-conservatives:

What happened to the Republicans? Well, the two Bush presidencies didn’t help. Neither did the supply-side movement, focused on tax cuts and economic growth. Supporters of those ideas didn’t talk about spending cuts, much less the proper role of government. They had the effect of replacing “liberty” as the motivating force behind the GOP with “growth,” a somewhat less-inspiring ideal.

But perhaps most pernicious has been the role played by the neoconservatives. The late William F. Buckley used his conservative flagship publication, National Review, to make anti-communism the litmus test for joining the conservative movement. Dealing with the Soviets during the Cold War was clearly an important task, but it should not have opened the door of the limited-government movement to the neoconservatives, who are now — and always have been — advocates of big government. With the neocon foot in the policymaking door after the Cold War ended, the drumbeat for war in Iraq began in earnest a decade before 9/11.

It is important to realize that neocons are not just nation-building, America-first advocates. They like big government across the board. No Child Left Behind, the thinly disguised effort to nationalize education in America, was principally a neocon initiative. Consider this comment from the late Irving Kristol, self-described “godfather” of the neoconservative movement: “Neocons do not feel that kind of alarm or anxiety about the growth of the state in the past century, seeing it as natural, indeed inevitable.” Indeed.

Susan Collins, a “Republican” Senator from Maine, is one of only a handful GOP Senators who might approve the massive spending bill the Democrats and Obama Administration has been pushing the past couple weeks.  My major question: Is she a Republican? After looking at her stances on issues, she seems to be in favor of big government.

A new poll came out yesterday showing Senator Joseph Lieberman has registered the second highest disapproval rating of any sitting US Senator, only eclipsed by (NJ-D) Robert Torricelli who resigned his seat in 2002 in midst of scandal. From The Hill-

“This is the highest disapproval rating in any Quinnipiac University poll in any state for a sitting U.S. senator–except for New Jersey’s Robert Torricelli, just before he resigned in 2002,” said Quinnipiac University Poll Director Douglas Schwartz.

Max Boot, a contributing editor of the fervently neoconservative publication The Weekly Standard and senior fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations has stated what progressives and libertarians dread most, that Obama is warming up nicely to neoconservatives in Washington. Some might contend that his appointments thus far have gained more approval from the statist right than from his own party. Maxx Boot in his own words regarding the matter-

Barring a miracle of epic proportions, less than one week from now the nation will choose Sen. Barack Obama as the next President of the United States. But who will this young Senator choose to serve in his cabinet? His choice for Secretaries of State, Defense and Treasury are key decisions that will shape the “Obama Doctrine” and determine whether he governs as a principled leftist, pragmatic leftist, or centrist. While not a perfect candidate, of the names floated thus far, I believe Republican Senator, Chuck Hagel would make the best Secretary of Defense in an Obama Administration.