Was John F. Kennedy a Conservative?
"And so, my fellow Americans, ask not what your country can do for you; ask what you can do for your country." C'mon, this is absolutely conservative in its thinking. He's saying not only does the country not owe you anything, you really should consider serving the country in some way. You are not entitled to a free education, healthcare and a drivers licenses. These are all privileges. Ones we should take advantage of and expect the best of, yet many people today feel they are owed these things. Kennedy feels one should consider giving back what has been so generously given and to be grateful for the many blessing this country provides. Are there problems? Absolutely. Yet, we in this country get to protest, voice our complaints, and demand change. In some countries, voicing an opinion contrary to the state line, gets you jailed, tortured or killed.
"Domestic policy can only defeat us; foreign policy can kill us." This coming from a man fighting communism in general and the Soviet Union in particular. The parallels today with our fight against modern day religious terrorism is pretty obvious. Our petty grievances with one another will only hold us back. Healthcare, education, poverty, immigration etc. Not agreeing on these subjects and squabbling over them forever is the American way of doing politics. It holds us back, but doesn't kill us. Yet if we cannot agree that we have a common enemy in militant and extremist forces outside of our country, it can literally kill us as we saw on September 11, 2001.
"In the long history of the world, only a few generations have been granted the role of defending freedom in its hour of maximum danger. I do not shrink from this responsibility - I welcome it." I can hear the screams of 'warmonger!', if these immortal words were uttered by George Bush or any of the leading candidates for president, yet Kennedy was a well educated historian who knew what he spoke of. Kennedy felt the United States did have a special role in the world and historically speaking we are obligated to live up to it.
"Israel was not created in order to disappear - Israel will endure and flourish. It is the child of hope and the home of the brave. It can neither be broken by adversity nor demoralized by success. It carries the shield of democracy and it honors the sword of freedom." The middle east has always been a hot bed of controversy. Israel at the center both literally and physically, but by defending Israel's right to not only exist, but to flourish, Kennedy is anointing Israel with the same sort of high purpose he has bestowed on his own countryman. Contrast this to former President Jimmy Carter, who feels Israel is a horrific, human rights abuser and apartheid state. Carter utterly ignores the many atrocities of Israeli enemies, but the durability of Israel stands and as JFK said Israel will not be broken by adversity, let alone the rants of a bitter, failed president with an axe to grind.
"Let every nation know, whether it wishes us well or ill, that we shall pay any price, bear any burden, meet any hardship, support any friend, oppose any foe to assure the survival and the success of liberty." Okay, this is a lot more eloquent than Bush's famous 'you're either with us or you're against us' line, but it's hard to deny that the sentiments are the same. Even in Kennedy's era there were nations who wished us ill. Much has been made during the current administration about the our lack of good will from other nations. Another example of where a good grasp on history would come in handy. For much of United States existence there have been those who wish us harm. In the 20th century alone we had Germany, Italy, Japan, North Korea, Libya, Iran, Iraq and Afghanistan. I won't even go into the Eastern bloc, but people need to know, the strongest most powerful will always have enemies. It's human nature to resent the leader, especially if the leader doesn't do it your way and puts its own interests first.
"I'm an idealist with no illusions." One of the many problems the left and Democrats have today is their reliance on a 1960's way of thinking. As if policy should be made according to John Lennon's song, Imagine. The song while perfect in it's melody, words and spirit, is frankly delusional. And as we know now, Lennon was probably quite mind altered, so to speak, when he wrote the anthem. But JFK was different. He grew up as a Greatest Generation patriot. And while we all know about his flaws and the serial womanizing, it's hard to ignore his timeless stance on life. The above quote shows a certain maturity of his own generation along with the hope and optimism of the boomers to come.
I realize for every one of these great quotes there is an equal and opposing quote to prove how liberal Kennedy was. I do not disagree, yet I think it only strengthens the point how far left liberals and the Democratic party has gone in this country when one of their shining icons sounds more right than left. I often describe myself as a John F.Kennedy Democrat, not a Ted Kennedy Democrat. The contrast between the two brothers sums up a lot about the Democratic party today.
John F. Kennedy will always be a great American, but I think its time to start thinking of him as a great conservative American.
Published by Teri O'Connor
mom, photographer, Real Estate Agent, writer, middle aged college student, dog owner. These are a few words to describe myself. A native of Southern California, I have lived my entire life as a Valley Girl... View profile
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10 Comments
Post a CommentWhen Kennedy said "ask not what your country can do for you..." he was talking about the war in Vietnam and he was calling the people to action to fight in the war, that entire speech was actually a speech about the Vietnam war effort and how he was for it. He was also very conservative in his economic policy-he wanted to cut taxes, have free trade/reduce tariffs and wanted good government relations with business. However, his problem was he did not understand congress or how to get the policies he wanted through legislation! He served nine years in senate and did absolutely nothing which is why as president he also did very little.
Look at Kennedy's voting record and public statements...he was for tax cuts, containing communism, was friends with McCarthy and Nixon, and supported Eisenhower over Stevenson in 1956.
A Liberal Definition by John F. Kennedy
http://www.liberalparty.org/JFKLPAcceptance.html
To say that Kennedy was a conservative is like saying McDonald's is healthy. It's a thought that some folks like to entertain, but it's definitely not true. I disagree with the writer's interpretation of the famous "ask what you can do for your country" line. Kennedy was making a call for Americans to be active and to look out for each other. Remember, it was he who created the Peace Corps, an organization that can hardly be categorized as conservative. Also, the quotes here are cherry-picked to fit with the writer's agenda (to suggest that JFK wasn't a liberal). Has she come across the "we breathe the same air" quote? That's liberalism at its finest.
I have scutinzed all of the Kennedy-Nixon debates and have come to the conclusion that if JFK was alive today he wouldn't even get the Democratic nomination. He was far too conservative for today's "Progressives". He was a Democrat who actually loved his country and felt it was Job #1 to secure peace and freedom at home and around the world. My oh my, where is JFK when we need him?
I was raised by my grandparents who thought the Kennedys were the greatest family to ever live. I loved JFK and I wasn't even alive for his presidency. As I grew older I started to pay a lot of attention to politics and the Dems have changed, radically. You are on point, JFK lines up more with todays conservative rather than todays liberal. He is what you call a classic liberal. Keep up the good work.
What conservative would say these things that John F. Kennedy said?
On religion in government: "I believe in an America where the separation of church and state is absolute..."
On poverty: "Economic growth without social progress lets the great majority of the people remain in poverty, while a privleged few reap the benefits of rising abundance." "If a free society cannot help the many who are poor,it cannot save the few who are rich."
On the arts: "...the nation which disdains the mission of art invites the fate of Robert Frost's hired man, the fate of having "nothing to look backward to with pride, and nothing to look forward to with hope."
On America's standing in the world: "I look forward to an America which commands respect throughout the world not only for its strength but for its civilization as well.
On the minimum wage: "The Fair Labor Standards Act was enacted... to protect this Nation from the evils and dangers resulting from wages too low to buy the bare
Exactly!
"Let every nation know, whether it wishes us well or ill, that we shall pay any price, bear any burden, meet any hardship, support any friend, oppose any foe to assure the survival and the success of liberty." I have used this quote many times in my arguing with Democrats, circa 2007. I have often asked what happened to JFK's sentiment? Alas, I never get an answer. JFK was a Dem even a Republican would vote for. If the Dems could find another like him (young, vibrant, dedicated and strong)they might be damn near unbeatable. As long as Hillary and Obama are the best they got, they are still in for a tough fight. We'll see.
Most people see Kennedy as the last good Democrat, and Lyndon B. Johnson ushered in this new age of liberalism, leaving no room for worthwhile Democrats.