RPI Board Member Lew Rockwell captures the centralizing, totalitarian nature of the neo-conservatives in his well-landed critique of neocon Michael Gerson’s big idea for the day: forced conscription! Because nothing makes an 18 year old love his country like being made a slave to it for a few years!
Here’s Lew’s take, with an excellent proposal at the end:
A Republican neocon is worried. There is too much Jeffersonianism about these days. Americans are distrusting the federal government, the biggest, richest, most powerful state in the history of mankind. They see it as a worldwide enemy of freedom, peace, and prosperity–not to mention privacy. Ameericans are not unified and stupified enough in the service of the regime. The answer? More nationalism, more statism, and military and bureaucratic national service for 18-year-olds. He quotes the serpentine prose of CIA agent Bill Buckley in favor of this totalitarian notion. But why just kids? I favor the creation of the 1st Neocon Platoon, the Fighting Right-Social Democrats.
