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Is American Conservatism Dead?

by: Bill Moyers Journal, t r u t h o u t | Programming Note

photo
Sam Tanenhaus. (Photo: New America Foundation / Flickr)

    Airdate: Friday, September 18, 2009, at 9:00 PM (EDT) on PBS (check local listings).

    In the first days of President Obama's administration, an essay from Sam Tanenhaus entitled "Conservatism Is Dead" sparked debate over contemporary conservatism and its place in modern American politics. Digging deep into the roots and evolution of the American conservative movement, Sam Tanenhaus talks with Bill Moyers about why he believes that conservatism is dead and how it might yet come back to life. Tanenhaus is the editor of both The New York Times Book Review and the Week in Review section of the Times. And, with public support for labor unions at its lowest point in 70 years, Bill Moyers talks with experts Michael Zweig, director of the Center for the Study of Working Class Life at SUNY Stony Brook, and Bill Fletcher, director of organizing and education at the American Federation of Government Employees, about the state of organized labor.

  

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Comments

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Conservatism has been

 Thu, 09/17/2009 - 14:18 — Anonymous (not verified)
Conservatism has been corrupted. Long Live Fascism and racism and religious intolerance from the moral right. Nuts.

How can the conservative

 Thu, 09/17/2009 - 14:42 — Lice-christ (not verified)
How can the conservative movement be dead when Obama is a right wing, conservative Democrat? When the religious right cries anti-public option because it might fund abortions, what does Obama do? He assures them it will not. What does Obama do with DOMA in the court room? He has his lawyers use the same bestiality arguments against gays that the religious right used in all their cases. What about the two wars of Afghanistan and Pakistan brought forth from the Bush Doctrine? What about a challenge to Don't Ask, Don't tell? Political scholars have described Obama's position on Israel to be "to the right of George Bush. What about NAFTA and CAFTA that have remain untouched and will remain so? Shall I go on? Please, without recourse to arguments such as "Obama will get to it," or, "his hands are tied," or some other piece of evasive nonsense, show me where Obama is to be considered anything other than a right wing conservative Democrat. The House is filled with them and Obama is their chief.

Moyers--conservatism

 Thu, 09/17/2009 - 15:38 — Anonymous (not verified)
Moyers--conservatism

Conservatism isn't dead--it

 Thu, 09/17/2009 - 15:41 — Timothy J. Schutte (not verified)
Conservatism isn't dead--it has gone howling mad, and has forever marginalized the Republican Party.

It seems like the word

 Thu, 09/17/2009 - 17:58 — JLG (not verified)
It seems like the word “conservative” is largely a misnomer in its political application. “Conservative” means that you want to conserve something. A conservative investment strategy exercises caution – pretty much the opposite of mass marketing credit default swaps that can’t possibly be honored without massive government bailouts. A conservative approach to resource management would require (the drum roll please) Conservation; certainly not boundless consumption and “drill baby drill”. The most visible of political “conservatives” seem interested in conserving little beyond privilege.

Conservatism is very much

 Thu, 09/17/2009 - 18:33 — ms. billie stewart (not verified)
Conservatism is very much alive in my community in Bryan/College Station, Texas, along with liberal democrats of which i, at 87, am and have been all my life. and yes, it has gone almost completely mad.

I would not falsely dignify

 Thu, 09/17/2009 - 18:57 — nikto (not verified)
I would not falsely dignify conservatism by mis-labeling it as a "philosophy". Conservatism has never been a philosophy---It is, and always has been, a STRATEGY. Yes, a strategy for maintaining the power of the Elite and holding back reforms and freedom. Ultimately, Conservatism will be sent to The Guillotine by a battered, beleaguered society.

You folks are right. Don't

 Sat, 09/19/2009 - 12:45 — Dr. Bernard Lammers (not verified)
You folks are right. Don't let these people call themselves conservatives. All they want to preserve is their wealth & income. They certainly don't try to conserve the earth's resosurces for future generations. The words "liberal" and "conservative" have confused people long enough. Use the terms "progressive" and "reactionary."