Carolina Politics Online

This is the first time I’ve read Jack Hunter, but it’s clear we think alike.

If we look at the two extremes in foreign policy cited by DeMint, it becomes clear that Graham falls into the first extreme camp. The other extreme — being “nowhere none of the time” — is genuine isolationism. But is anyone actually advocating this? Paul and DeMint certainly aren’t. What they are saying is that America’s military might be stretched beyond its practical limits and that as a nation we must face fiscal reality.

Applying a cost-benefit analysis to foreign policy is wise — not to mention quintessentially conservative. But to Graham this is isolationist. Many conservatives don’t like Graham for multiple reasons, but they consider him to be strong on issues of national security when in reality the exact opposite is true. It is on foreign policy where Graham is the most liberal, believing we can spend infinitely on questionable matters that Republicans can never question

But DeMint is asking these questions. In fact, DeMint is saying we have to ask these questions and face certain realities. As he said on Fox Business, “The best way to defend our country is to move toward a balanced budget, concentrate our defense capabilities back here at home … but we’re not in a position now to do what we’ve been doing over the last several decades.”

Republicans like Graham approach Pentagon spending the way liberals approach welfare. In much the same way conservatives are always accused of throwing the poor out on the street whenever they suggest reforming welfare, anyone who suggests cutting military spending is labeled an isolationist.

Such scare tactics have served liberals well for decades. They have also served Graham well, but perhaps not for much longer, as Republicans follow DeMint’s lead and reassess the contradictions in their own philosophy that prevent the GOP from becoming the conservative party it should be.

Charleston City Paper

Ah, but you see, Lindsey Graham is not a conservative; he is a neo-conservative.  He is a big government, big spending, hawkish George W Bush neocon who simply isn’t committed to making the tough choices that need to be made to preserve our country’s future and way of life.  Hunter points out something that I’ve been talking about for awhile.  How can the Republican Party complain about the Democrats’ unwillingness to commit to spending cuts in entitlement programs when they behave with the same “Chicken Little” mentality every time someone suggests scaling back military spending?  Do we really need a military budget larger than the entire rest of the world combined?  If we cut just 10% of that we’d suddenly be vulnerable to the roaring forces of the Huns?

The difference between DeMint and Graham is that DeMint has been slowly coming around over the years to the reality of our situation.  He eventually saw the problem with earmarks and swore them off.  Now he is realizing that the Ron Paul foreign policy isn’t so nutty nor nearly as dangerous as the picture painted by chickenhawks like Lindsey.  DeMint is gradually adopting a more libertarian view point on many issues as opposed to Graham who makes no bones about the fact that he is no libertarian and that the GOP will not be built on libertarian ideals.

I think, and I hope I’m not wrong, but I think Graham may have spoken a bit too soon that day.  While Ron Paul is clearly not going to get the GOP presidential nomination, his ranks of followers have exponentially swollen.  What perhaps is most impressive is the groundswell of young supporters he has.  The 18-29 demographic is one that typically eludes the GOP on election day, but I’m hoping that could start to turn if the young Paul supporters continue to stay active even after the primary and gradually push the Republican Party towards a more libertarian agenda.  We gained some ground in Congress with the Tea Party candidates as well in 2010, but the fact that Newt Gingrich won the majority vote of self identified tea partiers in South Carolina last weekend makes me question if the movement has now been corrupted by the status quo neocons in the GOP.

I do think these past two election cycles have woken a lot of sleeping people up, though.  The question is are the people willing to keep pushing and not let frustration with the corrupt and dawdling ways of Washington dampen their spirit.