It's not meant to be a derogatory or facitious question. It was just something that popped into my head while I was thinking about the Republican ideologies.
Last night I had dinner with
Kevin,
Callie, John,
Catherine, and UH foreign policy professor Terry Hallmark. Those of you under the impression that Republicanism and conservatism are one-dimensional concepts should have been there. There was an ongoing political debate about a national service draft (military or otherwise) and despite the disagreements
everyone there used a Republican rationale to butress their arguments, one of which even included targetting SUVs. That had me thinking about the ideological conflicts within the Republican Party and the camps from which they spring. I was able to, more or less, divide the GOP into five seperate camps:
1. Corporate Republicans - Pro-business, fiscally conservative, and socially moderate. This would probably comprise of most of the Republicans in the northeast as well as the business communities across the country that veer Republican. They take a Hamiltonian view of foreign policy, intervening when it's in the national interest, whether it be financial or security interests. Also known as "Country Club Republicans." Examples would include Homeland Security Cheif Tom Ridge and former HUD Secretary Jack Kemp.
2. National Greatness (neoconservative) Republicans - Though not a fan of big business, even less a fan of liberal thought. This camp is composed largely (but not exclusively) of former liberals who have shifted right over the years for a variety of reasons. Unlike Liberty Republicans and (to a much lesser extent) Corporate Republicans, they don't disdain big government. They do disdain a big
liberal government. Their view of the role of government is to promote civic virtue (as opposed to the more liberal view that government's job is to take care of people that need it). They are right of center fiscally but too eclectic on social issues to gauge. They are probably best known (right now) for their pro-military, Jacksonian view of foreign policy. Examples include Senator John McCain and former Senator Fred Thompson.
3. Liberty Republicans - Fiscally libertarian, socially moderate. While they agree with Corporate Republicans on tax cuts, they disdain business subsidies and incentives that the Corps support. Free market, free market, free market. They are the least "law and order" faction of the Republican Party, uncomfortable with big government in any form, including the police. Examples include former New Mexico Governor Gary Johnson and former Congressman Tom Campbell.
4. Theological Republicans - The much-maligned "Religious Right." Fiscally neutral, but very socially conservative. They oppose the welfare state, but often for more social than economic reasons. Their forebears were populists, though, and you're likely to find an economic liberal streak in many. Generally, though, they've cast their lot in with fiscal restraint in light of government money being spent on artwork they consider repulsive, social programs that undermine the family, and a government whose agenda is suspect. Examples include Attorney General John Ashcroft and former Oklahoma Governor Frank Keating.
5. Legacy Republicans - These people should be Democrats or just not vote at all. They are Republicans because their parents were Republicans or most of their friends are, but they've never really thought it through themselves. Party identification and ideology is primarily a matter of convenience. Examples include former Senator Warren Rudman and Senator Linc Chafee.
So I enumerated these camps and started trying to do the same for the Democratic Party and I kept getting tripped up. It was actually a little easier for the Libertarian and Green Parties. So this is a question for you Democrats, in what ideological camps would you divide up your party? Or would it have to be less by ideology and more by demographic? (Black Democrats, Hispanic Democrats, Gay Democrats, etc?)
Note that not every member of your party will fit in to one group. For instance, I am probably a combination between National Greatness and Liberty Republican. Bush would be a Corporate and Theological one. Generally, though, people will only fall into one or two of the camps.
So, either here or on your blog, tell me what you come up with!
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