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Bi-Weekly Discussion - Is "Constitutional Conservatism" Dying?

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Brian B.
Bi-Weekly Discussion - Is "Constitutional Conservatism" Dying?

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This is going to be an online meetup using Zoom. If you've never used Zoom before, don't worry — it's easy to use and free to join.

Here's the link to the event: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/87479996793?pwd=QEdfC2PESFKK18sHaK4MrRwT11sPYj.1

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IS CONSTITUTIONAL CONSERVATISM DYING?

INTRODUCTION:

Back in 2019, I decided to affiliate the Philly Political Agnostics meetup with the Burke-Paine Society, a non-profit organization founded in 2017 that brings together political discussion groups with the aim of fulfilling 3 objectives: (1) rebuild cross-partisan trust, (2) redefine national identity, and (3) ignite a political renaissance. The name of the group is based on Yuval Levin's 2013 book, The Great Debate: Edmund Burke, Thomas Paine, and the Birth of Right and Left. Levin sees Burkean conservatism & Painean liberalism not as utterly opposed political philosophies, but rather as two wings of a broader political philosophy - i.e. the "classical liberalism" of the Enlightenment that advocated for a constitutional republic with a separation of powers, free & fair elections, free speech, a free press, freedom of religion, freedom of assembly, equality before the law, due process, etc.

The purpose of this meetup is two-fold: (1) we want to assess how much our meetup's emphasis on civility, rational inquiry, intellectual humility & pragmatism overlaps with the Burkean conservative wing of the classical liberal tradition, and (2) we'll consider whether current trends within American conservatism are moving away from the "constitutional conservatism" that tries to preserve the classical liberal values we inherited from the Founders.

In the 1st section, we'll review the history of the American conservative movement from its genesis in the opposition to FDR's New Deal & the anti-communist movement of the 1950s up through the Bush administration's War on Terror in the early 2000s. We'll consider how the shifting factions within the conservative movement related to the classical liberal tradition, and ask whether the GOP's fidelity to the Founding principles was undermined by the "Southern strategy" that won over former segregrationists, the rise of the Religious Right, and the decline of the liberal wing of Rockefeller Republicans.

In the 2nd section, we'll look at how the conservative movement was thrown into turmoil during the Obama years by the rise of the Tea Party and the short-lived "libertarian moment". We'll consider whether it was racial resentment or economic anxiety that provoked not only the grassroots opposition to Obama but also a growing disdain towards the GOP establishment.

In the 3rd section, we'll look at how two branches of the Straussian intellectual tradition reacted very differently to the rise of Donald Trump, with the "neocons" on the East Coast becoming Never Trumpers and the "Claremonsters" on the West Coast becoming ardently pro-Trump. We'll consider whether Straussianism is compatible with the classical liberal tradition or is more in line with Machiavellianism & reactionary politics.
In the 4th section, we'll look at how Christian conservatives became divided during the Trump presidency over not only whether they should support Trump, but also over whether they should continue to support the major principles of classical liberalism. In particular, we'll look at the points made in recent debates between David French & Sohrab Ahmari and Jonah Goldberg & Patrick Deneen.

Although this discussion will focus more on historic shifts in conservative political philosophy than broader trends in public opinion and at points it may seem like hair-splitting or wonkery, there's 3 reasons you may want to take these philosophical debates seriously:
(1) Some of these pundits & scholars may become influential within the GOP & various think tanks, in which case their ideas may have a big effect on policymaking;
(2) Even if you think economic & demographic trends shape politics far more than ideas, these pundits & scholars may be attuned to how these trends are changing the meaning of "conservatism";
(3) Even if you think these pundits & scholars are just imposing a simplistic narrative onto complex & conflicting trends, refuting them may help you form a better theory of what's really going on.

RELEVANT MATERIAL FROM PAST MEETUPS:
Back in January of 2019, we had a meetup entitled "Can & Should We Be Politically Agnostic?" where we talked about how classical liberal values were compatible with epistemic humility. In the 3rd section, we talked about how a type of political agnosticism evolved among conservatives during the Cold War as a response to Communism, based on Eric Vogelin's notion of totalitarianism as attempting to "immanentize the eschaton", Michael Oakeshott's focus on "nomocracy" (i.e. rule of law) instead of "teleocracy" (i.e. judicial activism), and Karl Popper's preference for "piecemeal social engineering":
https://www.meetup.com/Philadelphia-Political-Agnostics/events/dxmsjqyzcbrb/

Back in December of 2019, we had a meetup entitled "Can We Depolarize Politics?" and in the 2nd section we looked at the debate over the effects of Nixon's "Southern strategy" on the G.O.P. and why the Republicans in Congress have voted more consistently conservative & been less amenable to bipartisan compromise since the 1980s & '90s.
https://www.meetup.com/Philadelphia-Political-Agnostics/events/txqhxqyzqbtb/

In March of 2018, we had a meetup entitled "What Can We Learn From the 2016 Election?" and in the 4th section we talked about whether political science studies proved Trump's election was motivated by white racism rather than economic anxiety, as well as how "just world belief" and resentment of P.C. rhetoric might be mistaken for racism.
https://www.meetup.com/Philadelphia-Political-Agnostics/events/xvbrznyxfbgb/

Back in March, we had a meetup called "Should We Base Politics On Science Or Religion?" and in the 1st section we discussed the legal arguments surrounding whether the U.S. was founded as a Christian nation with religious tolerance or a secular nation with separation of church & state.
https://www.meetup.com/Philadelphia-Political-Agnostics/events/mjlzgrybcfbcb/
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DIRECTIONS ON HOW TO PREPARE FOR OUR DISCUSSION:
The videos & articles you see linked below are intended to give you a basic overview of some ideological trends within America's conservative movement. As usual, I certainly don't expect you to read all the articles prior to attending our discussion. The easiest way to prepare for our discussion is to just watch the numbered videos linked under each section - the videos come to about about 47 minutes total. The articles marked with asterisks are just there to supply additional details. You can browse and look at whichever ones you want, but don't worry - we'll cover the stuff you missed in our discussion. In terms of the discussion format, my general idea is that we'll address the topics in the order presented here. I figure we'll spend about 30 minutes on each section.
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I. THE POST-WWII DEVELOPMENT OF AMERICAN CONSERVATISM & HOW IT CONNECTS WITH THE CLASSICAL LIBERAL TRADITION:

  • HOW WAS THE POST-WAR CONSERVATIVE MOVEMENT DIFFERENT FROM THE "OLD RIGHT" OF THE 1920s-30s? DID WILLIAM F. BUCKLEY'S EFFORTS TO EXPEL THE ANTI-SEMITES & BIRCHER CONSPIRACY THEORISTS, AND LATER THE SEGREGATIONISTS, FROM THE "NEW RIGHT" HELP ENSURE IT WAS STILL LIBERAL RATHER THAN REACTIONARY?
  • WAS FRANK MEYER'S "FUSIONISM" OF TRADITIONAL CONSERVATISM & LIBERTARIANISM MERELY A PRAGMATIC COALITION NECESSITATED BY THE COLD WAR, OR WERE THESE 2 IDEOLOGIES MUTUALLY BENEFICIAL?
    WERE RUSSELL KIRK'S 10 PRINCIPLES COMPATIBLE WITH THIS FUSIONISM, OR WAS IT MORE AKIN TO EUROPEAN CONSERVATISM?
  • DID WHITE SOUTHERNERS SHIFT TO THE REPUBLICAN PARTY BECAUSE OF AN IMPLICITLY RACIST "SOUTHERN STRATEGY" ORCHESTRATED BY NIXON, OR WAS IT A GRADUAL SHIFT BASED ON A MULTITUDE OF FACTORS? IF WHITE SOUTHERNERS WERE MORE AUTHORITARIAN, AS SOME POLITICAL SCIENTISTS CLAIM, DID IT DISTORT THE GOP'S CONCEPTION OF "LIBERTY"?
  • WAS THE DECLINE OF THE "ROCKEFELLER REPUBLICANS" A SYMPTOM OF THE DECLINING LIBERALISM OF THE GOP, OR MERELY A REJECTION OF BIG GOV'T? WAS BUSH'S "COMPASSIONATE CONSERVATISM" AN ECHO OF THIS EARLIER TREND?
  • HOW DID THE RISE OF THE "RELIGIOUS RIGHT" AFFECT THE CONSERVATIVE MOVEMENT? IS EVANGELICISM COMPATIBLE WITH CLASSICAL LIBERALISM?

1a) Nick Carroll, "Modern American Conservative History" (video - 9:52 min, start at 0:54)
https://youtu.be/PsUALh_YSdk&t=54s
1b) Carol Swain, "Why Did the Democratic South Become Republican?" (video - 5:19 min.)
https://youtu.be/UiprVX4os2Y

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II. "CONSTITUTIONAL CONSERVATIVES," THE TEA PARTY & THE SHORT-LIVED "LIBERTARIAN MOMENT" (CIRCA 2008-2016):

  • DID DISSATISFACTION WITH THE IRAQ WAR & THE 2008 FINANCIAL CRISIS LEAD TO THE RISE OF RON PAUL & THE "LIBERTARIAN MOMENT"?
  • DID RON PAUL'S POPULARITY INCREASE THE ATTRACTION TO LIBERTARIANISM AMONG CONSERVATIVES, OR DID IT LEAD TO THE RETURN OF PALEOCON, NEOCONFEDERATE & BIRCHER IDEAS?
  • WHAT DO WE KNOW ABOUT THE IDEOLOGICAL MAKEUP OF THE TEA PARTY? WERE THEY MORE LIBERTARIAN OR MORE NATIVIST & POPULIST - OR DID THEIR IDEOLOGY SHIFT BETWEEN 2009 & 2012?
  • DID OBAMA'S PRESIDENCY CAUSE AN UPTICK IN RACISM, NATIVISM & CONSPIRACY THEORIZING AMONG CONSERVATIVES, AS CRITICS HAVE ALLEGED?
  • WHAT IS "CONSTITUTIONAL CONSERVATISM"? DID THE RISE OF THE TERM AMONG TEA PARTY CANDIDATES SIGNAL A RENEWED FIDELITY TO CLASSICAL LIBERAL PRINCIPLES OR MERELY A RHETORICAL PLOY?
  • WHY DID RAND PAUL UNDERPERFORM IN THE 2016 GOP PRIMARY? DID TRUMP'S WIN SIGNIFY THE END OF THE "LIBERTARIAN MOMENT"?

2a) NowThis World, "How The Tea Party Is Splitting The GOP" (video - 3:04 min.)
https://youtu.be/LRS8M0b0Z7E
2b) Sarah Maccammon, "Why Hasn't Rand Paul Inherited His Father's Success?" (podcast - 3:58 min.)
https://www.wnyc.org/story/why-hasnt-rand-paul-inherited-his-fathers-success/

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III. THE EAST/WEST COAST STRAUSSIAN SPLIT & WHY THE NEOCONS ARE "NEVER TRUMP" WHILE THE CLAREMONSTERS SUPPORTED TRUMP:

  • WHAT WAS LEO STRAUSS'S POLITICAL PHILOSOPHY & WAS IT COMPATIBLE WITH CLASSICAL LIBERALISM? IF SO, WHY DID IT ATTRACT FORMER TROTSKYITES WHO MOVED RIGHT IN THE 1960s?
  • OTHER THAN THE FACT THAT HARRY JAFFA & ALAN BLOOM FELL OUT & EAST COAST STRAUSSIANS WERE CLOSER TO THE CENTERS OF POWER IN NYC & DC THAN THOSE ON THE WEST COAST, WERE THERE IDEOLOGICAL DIFFERENCES THAT EXPLAIN THEIR SPLIT?
  • DID NEOCONS REJECT DONALD TRUMP MERELY BECAUSE HE HAD A (MOSTLY) ANTI-INTERVENTIONIST FOREIGN POLICY? IS THEIR ALLIANCE WITH CENTRIST DEMOCRATS A PRINCIPLED DEFENSE OF LIBERALISM OR MERELY REALPOLITIK?
  • DID THE SOCIAL & ECONOMIC PROBLEMS OF CALIFORNIA LEAD WEST COAST STRAUSSIANS TO SUPPORT DONALD TRUMP DUE TO HIS NATIVISM?
  • DID THE "CLAREMONSTERS" MISTAKE THE 2016 ELECTION FOR A "FLIGHT 93" SCENARIO WHEN IT WAS MORE LIKE TURBULENCE ON AN OTHERWISE SAFE FLIGHT, SO THAT THEIR VERY ATTEMPT TO "SAVE" THE COUNTRY ENDED UP CAUSING A CRISIS, AS DAVID FRENCH ARGUED?

3a) The Hill, "Dems embrace of neocon 'Never Trumpers' is a disaster" (video - 8:18 min.)
https://youtu.be/zApEEpfw6Bw
3b) The Worthy House, "Review of 'The Stakes - America at the Point of No Return' by Michael Anton" (video - 28:16 min, start at 1:30 & listen to 8:15)
https://youtu.be/xhw_fOwpWC4&t=90s

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IV. THE CHRISTIAN CONSERVATIVE DEBATE OVER CLASSICAL LIBERALISM & THE CULTURE WAR:

  • WERE EVANGELICALS A MODERATING FORCE WITHIN THE G.O.P. IN THE PAST ON CERTAIN ISSUES, LIKE RACIAL HARMONY & SOCIAL WELFARE? HAS THIS CHANGED OVER THE LAST 30 YEARS?
  • DOES THE LONG-TERM DECLINE IN CHURCH ATTENDANCE & RISE OF THE "NONES", ALONG WITH THE LEGALIZATION OF NO-FAULT DIVORCE, ABORTION, GAY MARRIAGE & TRANS RIGHTS, PUT CONSERVATIVE CHRISTIANS INTO A SENSE OF CRISIS? HAS THIS IN TURN DECREASED THEIR WILLINGNESS TO "LIVE & LET LIVE"?
  • WAS AMARI RIGHT TO SEE CIVILITY & CLASSICAL LIBERAL NORMS LIKE "VIEWPOINT NEUTRALITY" IN GOV'T AS A LIABILITY FOR FIGHTING THE CULTURE WAR, OR WOULD ABANDONING LIBERALISM BE DISASTROUS FOR CONSERVATISM, AS FRENCH ARGUED?
  • IS DENEEN RIGHT THAT THE HYPER-INDIVIDUALISM IN BOTH THE SOCIAL & ECONOMIC ASPECTS OF LIBERAL IDEOLOGY IS HARMFUL TO SOCIAL COHESION?
  • DOES ROD DREHER'S "BENEDICT OPTION" (MIGRATING TO LIVE IN SELF-ISOLATING COMMUNITIES) OFFER A PEACEFUL WAY OUT OF THE CULTURE WAR FOR CONSERVATIVE CHRISTIANS? WOULD IT RESULT IN A SORT OF CHRISTIAN THEOCRACY AT THE STATE OR LOCAL LEVEL?

4a) Steve Deace & Josh Hammer, "Do Conservatives Really Want to Fight the Left?" (video - 7:08 min, start at 1:26)
https://youtu.be/6ClZnTLtgaU&t=1m26s
4b) Patrick Deneen, "The Rise of Populism Comes from the Failure and Success of Liberalism" (video - 5:38 min.)
https://youtu.be/hHGIPKXflJA&t=12s

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