How would RW'ers feel about an "Ex-Conservative" Movement?

[ck4829]

One of the many weapons that RW'ers use against gay people is a small force called the ex-gay movement.

Let's play along with them, and create an Ex-Conservative movement, actually more a comedic movement than anything else (I've always wanted to create one of these). Our goal: To promote a life free of Conservatism and Right Wing Extremism.

How do you think the RW'ers would respond to that?

[Sammy Pepys]

1. I think you'd need to make it an ex-Republican movement...

...rather than an ex-conservative movement. While conservatives disagree on lots of things within their own ranks, conservatism really isn't a party per se and conservatives don't exclude non-conservatives in their intellectual history. One of the most respected thinkers in histoyr, F.A. Hayek, wrote an essay called "Why I Am Not a Conservative". Despite that, they still revere him.

An "ex-conservative" also need not be exclusively liberal. They could have easily traded their conservatism for libertarianism.

[MADem]

2. It's not really the best analogy. Ex-conservatives, assuming they are sincere and not faking it

out of some sort of pressure (and where would that come from?) would be welcomed in the Democratic Party. That person, the Conservative who renounces his stances, has free will, has a real choice, and is not coerced to fake it by peer or family pressure, isn't going to have that trapped feeling that the Ex Gay folks like Ted "Three Week Cure" Haggard have.

"Ex-gays" as near as I can tell are more afraid of losing their connection to their fundy families and friends than admitting an essential aspect of their being. So they confess to 'mistakes' and use excuses like stress or drugs, and deny that what they are is what they are.

[OHdem10]

3. Consrvatism, Conservative are the right targets--

The Republicans were very smart years ago. They
first targeted Liberalism and succeeded in
giving it(Liberalism) such a smear that people
in our own party now call themselves Progressive.

By trying to destroy Liberalism, now all Republicans
have to do is call someone liberal and they little
shrink and wilt instead of fighting back.

We permitted the republicans to define Conservatism
as Guns, Gays and God. We never challenged the
economics of Conservatism. The sad situation
our country faces at this moment is the direct
result of Economic Conseratism.

"Economic Fundamentalism--privatize everything, rely
on yourself and expect nothing from your government--
----private spending is always productive and efficient
while public spending is always wasteful and inefficient----"

The basic ideiolgy of Conservatism(Economic Fundamentalism)
small government, low to no taxes" (if they can get
away with it". -- specifically means that situations
like Katrina, Walter Reed, Hurricane Victims in other
states, have been treated exactly as Economic Fundamentalism
intends. If you do not believe there is a role for
government, you will not be that interested or have
the knowledge on how to deal with such situuations.

Think about it--cutting taxes in wartime--when in
all other wars taxes were raised to pay for them.
The list is endless.

In conclusion go after the ideolgy then you can easly
pick off appropriate Republicans.