The suicide of American conservatism

by

Gerald Plessner

March 12, 2007 - March 2007 may be the time that historians mark as the end of the American conservative movement. And when its demise is confirmed, the cause of death will be suicide.

Just look at the news:

CONVICTION OF A PRESIDENTIAL ADVISOR FOR PERJURY

I. "Scooter" Libby, an advisor to the president and a long-time associate of the vice president, has been convicted of perjury for lying to federal prosecutors and a grand jury about a conspiracy developed at the instruction of the vice president.

The conspiracy's goal was to discredit a critic of the president's war on Iraq, but its major result was to "out" a United States intelligent agent, ending her career and destroying the valuable intelligence program she served. It had cost the United States millions of dollars to develop. Additionally, the loss probably did substantial damage to the nation's defenses against terrorism and the safety and morale of our agents around the world.

Instead of condemning the Administration's recklessness and the harm it did to our national security, conservative leaders on obvious orders from the White House, attacked the guilty verdict, demanding an immediate pardon for the convicted felon. No such immediate pardon has ever been granted.)

EVANGELICAL HYPOCRISY OF BIBLICAL PROPORTIONS

A key leader of the American Evangelical movement provided another example of their failure to live up to professed conservative values. Instead, he reached for more political power and continued economic support from a conservative administration and his mislead followers.

On March 9, 2007, James Dobson, America's Evangelical pope, interviewed Republican presidential aspirant and serial adulterer Newt Gingrich on Dobson's national radio show. As reported by John Dickerson on Slate.com, "Newt Gingrich went on his (Dobson's) nationally syndicated program and spoke at length about past infidelity and his two divorces. Though Gingrich has said he will wait to decide if he will run for president, the move looked like an attempt to inoculate himself from charges of immorality and make his pitch to social conservatives who like his policy positions but may take issue with his personal history."

Among other sins, Gingrich admitted to having an adulterous affair with his future wife while still married to his second wife, while at the same time leading the Congressional impeachment campaign against then president Bill Clinton.

His obvious plea for forgiveness got a friendly reception from Dobson, who referred to Gingrich's transgression as "having sex with a woman other than your wife" while never using the word "adultery".

The 2008 presidential election may feature a Republican party so bereft of qualified candidates that it has to nominate a man who has cheated on and dumped two wives, marrying a third woman half his age. But Gingrich in not alone in the multiple-marriage category. (For a detailed account of Gingrich's infidelity go to www.geraldplessner.com/chapter/docs.cgi?doc=20031214011224)

Rudy Giuliani has been married three times, is estranged from his children and was involved in an open adulterous relationship with his third wife, a potential first lady. John McCain has been married twice and has admitted an adulterous relationship and publicly confessed his guilt.

Such men are hardly stalwart examples of conservative family values.

ATTACKS ON THE CONSTITUTION

March 2007 will mark a low point in American conservatism's commitment to the rule of law as well.

United States Attorney General Alberto V. Gonzales, at the behest of the president and probable direction of the vice president, has moved aggressively to eliminate the right of habeas corpus for non-citizens and, whether intentionally or not, for many American citizens as well.

Gonzales showed remarkable disdain for the rule of law by stating before the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee that, "The Constitution doesn't say every individual in the United States or citizen is hereby granted or assured the right of habeas corpus. It doesn't say that. It simply says the right shall not be suspended except in cases of rebellion or invasion."

Added to the president's campaign to aggrandize his office by diminishing the roles of the legislative and judicial branches, the effort by Gonzales to restrict habeas corpus and our other rights established in the Bill of Rights is very troubling.

The refusal of most conservative politicians to speak out against this attack on our most basic American rights may portend the death of an American conservatism loyal to the Constitution, the rule of law and our democratic traditions.

The conservative movement has aggressively moved away from the democracy envisioned by our Founders and towards an authoritarian system more akin to the one our Founders cast off.

For more on Gonzales' damage to our rights, go to:

(www.geraldplessner.com/articles/article.cgi?doc=20070219021906)

MORAL BANKRUPTCY

These and many other examples of conservative hypocrisy point up its moral bankruptcy. While campaigning for the rights of unborn human fetuses, the religious right has attacked the rights of living Americans to equal treatment under the law in legal, inheritance and lifestyle decisions. It has campaigned vigorously against scientific discoveries that will relieve human suffering and reduce premature death. And it has forced our government to stop providing life-saving birth control options to people around the world.

While judging and condemning others for violations of their high moral standards they have seen a disturbing number of Evangelical religious leaders who have been dismissed for illicit sexual relationships, both with women and men.

Radio bloviator Rush Limbaugh has been prosecuted for illegal purchase and use of prescription drugs. Conservative guru William Bennett has admitted without apology, a serious addiction to gambling on slot machines, and radio host Bill O'Reilly and FOX News settled a lawsuit alleging O'Reilly's telephone sex addiction forced on a female employee.

Add to all that the Administration's failures in the response to Hurricane Katrina and its miserable treatment of service men and women wounded in Iraq and Afghanistan, while it showers favors on the rich and its financial supporters, and you have a conservative movement ready to implode upon itself. And the damage has been self-inflicted.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Gerald Plessner is a Southern California businessman who writes regularly on issues of politics and culture. He would be pleased to hear from you and may be contacted at gerald@geraldplessner.com. To receive his commentaries go to maillist-subscribe@geraldplessner.com.