In Fairlie's view, conservatism should follow the British Tory model in which government is to preserve tradition and social order, to protect the people against the capitalists. But, primarily under Reagan, American conservatism and especially the GOP rejected tradition in favor of embracing the free market and speeding the accumulation of wealth. Fairlie was appalled at that turn because the ugly aspects of capitalism tend to coarsen and destabilize society. They could not unite the country when they were so focused on supporting business.
Fairlie said that bedroom-snooping moralists were equally misguided. Government should not meddle in personal affairs and should not agitate people needlessly.
Both of these goals of the GOP led to the vulgar sight of the upper class pandering to the common man for votes. Describing the 1980 GOP convention Fairlie described them as:
Narrow minded, book banning, truth censoring, mean spirited; ungenerous, envious, intolerant, afraid; chicken, bullying; trivially moral, falsely patriotic; family cheapening, flag cheapening, God cheapening; the common man, shallow, small, sanctimonious.
No surprise that Sarah Palin came on the scene as the GOP hit bottom. Fairlie was also annoyed with the Reaganite hostility to Washington:
The Reaganite conservative does not trust the political system, and so is always trying to circumvent it; he does not trust the instincts of Congress, but places profound faith in the wisdom of the executive if he is in charge; he does not trust the deep religious instinct of a people, unless it is decked out in the tawdry costume of a minute of silent prayer in school. The only loyalty that eight years of Reaganite conservatism has inspired is of each to the country of his self.
Calling Dick Cheney. So how does the GOP get out of this mess? Conservatism needs a soul -- and needs to enjoy life.
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