Hey David another interesting point...Thank you for sharing, its a thought-provoking essay on Schlesinger analysis of conservative ideology and your observations regarding its validation through the Trump presidency.
Your comparison between the Schlesinger perspectives; the dutiful Kennedy scribe versus his father's more incisive political analysis provides an interesting framework for examining political consistency. The elder Schlesinger's thesis that conservative ideology often masks wealth maximization motives certainly deserves consideration, especially when examining policy shifts that seem to contradict stated principles.
Your examples highlighting perceived contradictions between traditional Republican values (freedom, rule of law, fact-based governance...) and various actions during the Trump era raise important questions about ideological consistency across the political spectrum. The tariff opposition you mention from figures like Grassley and Cruz does illuminate interesting fault lines within the party.
While your critique is forceful, I wonder if we might consider that both major political parties experience tensions between stated ideals and practical governance. Political inconsistency isn't uniquely conservative, progressives face similar challenges between ideological purity and pragmatism.
I think the most valuable aspect of your analysis is the prompt to examine all political movements with a critical eye toward the gap between rhetoric and action. This skepticism serves democracy well when applied universally.
The challenge exist across the political spectrum. The question is how we might encourage more ideological consistency in our political discourse. Or do we tear it all down and start anew, kinda like Trump is attempting now.
This one is a zinger! Tells the raw truth about the Republican Party and what they believe.
Hey David another interesting point...Thank you for sharing, its a thought-provoking essay on Schlesinger analysis of conservative ideology and your observations regarding its validation through the Trump presidency.
Your comparison between the Schlesinger perspectives; the dutiful Kennedy scribe versus his father's more incisive political analysis provides an interesting framework for examining political consistency. The elder Schlesinger's thesis that conservative ideology often masks wealth maximization motives certainly deserves consideration, especially when examining policy shifts that seem to contradict stated principles.
Your examples highlighting perceived contradictions between traditional Republican values (freedom, rule of law, fact-based governance...) and various actions during the Trump era raise important questions about ideological consistency across the political spectrum. The tariff opposition you mention from figures like Grassley and Cruz does illuminate interesting fault lines within the party.
While your critique is forceful, I wonder if we might consider that both major political parties experience tensions between stated ideals and practical governance. Political inconsistency isn't uniquely conservative, progressives face similar challenges between ideological purity and pragmatism.
I think the most valuable aspect of your analysis is the prompt to examine all political movements with a critical eye toward the gap between rhetoric and action. This skepticism serves democracy well when applied universally.
The challenge exist across the political spectrum. The question is how we might encourage more ideological consistency in our political discourse. Or do we tear it all down and start anew, kinda like Trump is attempting now.