Irving Kristol Dead

DavidS

Anti-Tea Party Member
Sep 7, 2008
9,811
770
48
New York, NY
Irving Kristol Dead At 89

Irving Kristol, considered the father of neoconservatism, died in Washington at the age of 89, the Weekly Standard reported.
Kristol, the father of Bill Kristol, was a leading conservative voice and founded several conservative publications, including Encounter, The Public Interest, and The National Interest. He was an editor and then managing editor at Commentary magazine from 1947-1952.
The Weekly Standard has published a collection of links by Irving Kristol here.
Kristol received the Medal of Freedom in 2002 from President George W. Bush, who called him a "brilliant writer of remarkable insight and wit, [who] profoundly improved public discourse on the ideas he championed."



Read more at: Irving Kristol Dead At 89
 
An interesting man, and a critical component of the break in the Democrat Party from the Cold War liberalism of Kennedy, and to a lesser degree, Johnson. This fleeing of hawkish liberals from the Democrat Party into the Republican Party transformed both into the modern era of politics today.

The Republicans slowly saw itself engaged in creeping liberalism, while the Democrat Party became an extension of the once-failed radical liberalism of the McGovern era, an era that came rushing back post Nixon/Watergate/Vietnam. The radicals of 30 years ago are now deeply imbedded within the Democrat Party - and control nearly every leadership position.

Kristol's death may very well signal another transformative moment within the Republican Party as it appears to be re-embracing its traditional conservatism based in both Reagan, and to an even greater extent, Goldwater.
 
An interesting man, and a critical component of the break in the Democrat Party from the Cold War liberalism of Kennedy, and to a lesser degree, Johnson. This fleeing of hawkish liberals from the Democrat Party into the Republican Party transformed both into the modern era of politics today.

The Republicans slowly saw itself engaged in creeping liberalism, while the Democrat Party became an extension of the once-failed radical liberalism of the McGovern era, an era that came rushing back post Nixon/Watergate/Vietnam. The radicals of 30 years ago are now deeply imbedded within the Democrat Party - and control nearly every leadership position.

Kristol's death may very well signal another transformative moment within the Republican Party as it appears to be re-embracing its traditional conservatism based in both Reagan, and to an even greater extent, Goldwater.
I consider myself a Goldwater Republican tempered with the reality that we must be global in this smaller world. Personally, I thing the GOP went wrong in pandering so much to the RR and forgetting Goldwater fundametals.
 
An interesting man, and a critical component of the break in the Democrat Party from the Cold War liberalism of Kennedy, and to a lesser degree, Johnson. This fleeing of hawkish liberals from the Democrat Party into the Republican Party transformed both into the modern era of politics today.

The Republicans slowly saw itself engaged in creeping liberalism, while the Democrat Party became an extension of the once-failed radical liberalism of the McGovern era, an era that came rushing back post Nixon/Watergate/Vietnam. The radicals of 30 years ago are now deeply imbedded within the Democrat Party - and control nearly every leadership position.

Kristol's death may very well signal another transformative moment within the Republican Party as it appears to be re-embracing its traditional conservatism based in both Reagan, and to an even greater extent, Goldwater.
I consider myself a Goldwater Republican tempered with the reality that we must be global in this smaller world. Personally, I thing the GOP went wrong in pandering so much to the RR and forgetting Goldwater fundametals.


By RR I assume you mean religious right on not Ronald Reagan!

It was incredible how Reagan was able to both capture the full support of the religious conservatives, as well as the political moderates/Reagan Democrats. He actually transcended politics - America at that time had a "Reagan Party", that the Republican Party gained from, and many life long Democrats found themselves voting for.

Goldwater was the political foundation upon which Reagan's conservative ideals were built, but Reagan was a far more capable and intuitive messenger of those ideals than was Goldwater.

Kristol's neoconservatism was strongest under the tenure of Democrat Scoop Jackson. It played a far more marginal part in the presidency of Reagan, but found favor again in the Clinton era, and than even more so in the Bush era.

So many make the error of linking neo conservatism to Republican, and that is simply incorrect. Kristol cut his teeth in the era of JFK and LBJ. Some consider JFK to be the first true neoconservative president. Kennedy's infamous Secretary of Defense was certianly neoconservative in nature. (He also served under LBJ) Nixon was certainly influenced by neoconservatives as well - but the foundation remains rooted in the Democrat Party of the 20th Century - at least up to the 1970s.
 
Last edited:
An interesting man, and a critical component of the break in the Democrat Party from the Cold War liberalism of Kennedy, and to a lesser degree, Johnson. This fleeing of hawkish liberals from the Democrat Party into the Republican Party transformed both into the modern era of politics today.

The Republicans slowly saw itself engaged in creeping liberalism, while the Democrat Party became an extension of the once-failed radical liberalism of the McGovern era, an era that came rushing back post Nixon/Watergate/Vietnam. The radicals of 30 years ago are now deeply imbedded within the Democrat Party - and control nearly every leadership position.

Kristol's death may very well signal another transformative moment within the Republican Party as it appears to be re-embracing its traditional conservatism based in both Reagan, and to an even greater extent, Goldwater.
I consider myself a Goldwater Republican tempered with the reality that we must be global in this smaller world. Personally, I thing the GOP went wrong in pandering so much to the RR and forgetting Goldwater fundametals.


By RR I assume you mean religious right on not Ronald Reagan!

It was incredible how Reagan was able to both capture the full support of the religious conservatives, as well as the political moderates/Reagan Democrats. He actually transcended politics - America at that time had a "Reagan Party", that the Republican Party gained from, and many life long Democrats found themselves voting for.

Goldwater was the political foundation upon which Reagan's conservative ideals were built, but Reagan was a far more capable and intuitive messenger of those ideals than was Goldwater.

Kristol's neoconservatism was strongest under the tenure of Democrat Scoop Jackson. It played a far more marginal part in the presidency of Reagan, but found favor again in the Clinton era, and than even more so in the Bush era.

So many make the error of liking neo conservatism to Republican, and that is simply incorrect. Kristol cut his teeth in the era of JFK and LBJ. Some consider JFK to be the first true neoconservative president. Kennedy's infamous Secretary of Defense was certianly neoconservative in nature. (He also served under LBJ) Nixon was certainly influenced by neoconservatives as well - but the foundation remains rooted in the Democrat Party of the 20th Century - at least up to the 1970s.
LOL. Yes, religious right and not Ronald Reagan.

I see someone actually understands neoconservatism. Bravo.







BTW, Krauthammer rocks. I have yet to see anything from him with which I disagree.
 
Last edited:
I consider myself a Goldwater Republican tempered with the reality that we must be global in this smaller world. Personally, I thing the GOP went wrong in pandering so much to the RR and forgetting Goldwater fundametals.


By RR I assume you mean religious right on not Ronald Reagan!

It was incredible how Reagan was able to both capture the full support of the religious conservatives, as well as the political moderates/Reagan Democrats. He actually transcended politics - America at that time had a "Reagan Party", that the Republican Party gained from, and many life long Democrats found themselves voting for.

Goldwater was the political foundation upon which Reagan's conservative ideals were built, but Reagan was a far more capable and intuitive messenger of those ideals than was Goldwater.

Kristol's neoconservatism was strongest under the tenure of Democrat Scoop Jackson. It played a far more marginal part in the presidency of Reagan, but found favor again in the Clinton era, and than even more so in the Bush era.

So many make the error of liking neo conservatism to Republican, and that is simply incorrect. Kristol cut his teeth in the era of JFK and LBJ. Some consider JFK to be the first true neoconservative president. Kennedy's infamous Secretary of Defense was certianly neoconservative in nature. (He also served under LBJ) Nixon was certainly influenced by neoconservatives as well - but the foundation remains rooted in the Democrat Party of the 20th Century - at least up to the 1970s.
LOL. Yes, religious right and not Ronald Reagan.

I see someone actually understands neoconservatism. Bravo.







BTW, Krauthammer rocks. I have yet to see anything from him with which I disagree.[/QUOTE]


I agree - he has really been creating some incredibly insightful and yes, tough observations on the current political climate. I do believe Krauthammer will be the conservative gadfly to the Obama administration. He swims in the deep end of the intellectual pool, where Obama is clearly in way over his head...
 
By RR I assume you mean religious right on not Ronald Reagan!

It was incredible how Reagan was able to both capture the full support of the religious conservatives, as well as the political moderates/Reagan Democrats. He actually transcended politics - America at that time had a "Reagan Party", that the Republican Party gained from, and many life long Democrats found themselves voting for.

Goldwater was the political foundation upon which Reagan's conservative ideals were built, but Reagan was a far more capable and intuitive messenger of those ideals than was Goldwater.

Kristol's neoconservatism was strongest under the tenure of Democrat Scoop Jackson. It played a far more marginal part in the presidency of Reagan, but found favor again in the Clinton era, and than even more so in the Bush era.

So many make the error of liking neo conservatism to Republican, and that is simply incorrect. Kristol cut his teeth in the era of JFK and LBJ. Some consider JFK to be the first true neoconservative president. Kennedy's infamous Secretary of Defense was certianly neoconservative in nature. (He also served under LBJ) Nixon was certainly influenced by neoconservatives as well - but the foundation remains rooted in the Democrat Party of the 20th Century - at least up to the 1970s.
LOL. Yes, religious right and not Ronald Reagan.

I see someone actually understands neoconservatism. Bravo.







BTW, Krauthammer rocks. I have yet to see anything from him with which I disagree.


I agree - he has really been creating some incredibly insightful and yes, tough observations on the current political climate. I do believe Krauthammer will be the conservative gadfly to the Obama administration. He swims in the deep end of the intellectual pool, where Obama is clearly in way over his head...
Indeed. BHO is no dummy by far, but few compare to Krauthammer in analysis.
 
Kristol's death may very well signal another transformative moment within the Republican Party as it appears to be re-embracing its traditional conservatism based in both Reagan, and to an even greater extent, Goldwater.

I agree with almost your whole post, except this part.

How are the republicans embracing conservatism? Because of their rhetoric lately since Obama's been in office?

They're ALWAYS more conservative when they're up against a dem majority. But then when they actually have the power, like during the Bush admin, they show their true colors and act like liberals.

There are very few real conservatives in office these days. You can probably count them on one hand.
 
Kristol's death may very well signal another transformative moment within the Republican Party as it appears to be re-embracing its traditional conservatism based in both Reagan, and to an even greater extent, Goldwater.

I agree with almost your whole post, except this part.

How are the republicans embracing conservatism? Because of their rhetoric lately since Obama's been in office?

They're ALWAYS more conservative when they're up against a dem majority. But then when they actually have the power, like during the Bush admin, they show their true colors and act like liberals.

There are very few real conservatives in office these days. You can probably count them on one hand.


I feel your pain - believe me I do!

I think what we are seeing is a reminder among some Republicans of what the party once stood for - namely the small government movement that is growing in momentum among not only "Republicans", but Independents and moderate Democrats, who are all actually conservatives.

And this movement did NOT begin with the Obama administration, but rather began in earnest with the Bush administration and the years of Republican control of Congress. Obama's all-out leftist offense of late has simply increased this long underlying conservative agitation over an ever expanding government.

Obama may very well prove the undoing of the Democrat Party for the near term, just as Bush was for the Republicans since about 2005.

For that to happen though will require someone within the Republicans to emerge as a consistent and reasonable voice for conservatism, and of yet, that has not happened.

Hopefully it will within the next 12-18 months, but for now, conservatives collectively, be they Republicans, Democrats, or Independents, are simply working in opposition to Obama and the other statists who currently control Congress...
 
The failed former liberals became, eventually, failed neo-conservatives. My mother told me to say only good about a guy who died. He died. Good.
 

Forum List

Back
Top