Learning the right lessons from America

Over at Comment Central Danny Finkelstein is enthusing about the McCain campaign, the changing nature of the Republican Right and what it means for Britain.  There are always lessons we can learn from American politics but it is dangerous to import techniques and trends without thinking.

The Republican Party is having to change.  Three of its most potent issues - crime, tax and welfare - have been significantly 'retired'.  But they haven't been retired in Britain...

As we consider learning from America let's not forget those big differences.  We fear that Danny wants to take the very different position of US conservatives and impose the wrong lessons on British conservatives.  See this article from him: The Right Knows It's Wrong.

Here are three lessons that are worth learning, though...

1. The internet continues to mature as a political tool and UK politicians are ignorant of most of the possibilities.  See this from Robert Colvile.
2. Leading Republican thinkers like David Frum and Michael Gerson are urging their fellow conservatives to be less hostile to government.  We must remember we are the party of limited government, not antipathy to government.  [Related link: The era of big government conservatism?].
3. Green issues are now central stage in conservative politics and McCain and Cameron helped put them there.

Comments

[David Williamson]

Do not be so quick to think that traditional thinking and values are no longer in "fashion".
People are waking up to the failed multicultural experiment of the politically correct brigade.
You may yet find that good old "straight talking" will triumph over "spin" and "popularism" in the post Blair era, people are truly SICK of hypocritical flannel.
Cameron is going to fail us big time, even if he wins, its only because people have seen right through this Diabolical Labour government fiasco.
for goodness sake get rid of him NOW

[Dave B]

I'd dispute whether or not Mr Bush has cut taxes.

If you don't cut spending, when you cut taxes, but increase borrowing instead, then you aren't cutting taxes, you're deferring them.

[TFA Tory]

Bush may have reduced some taxes but he has been fiscally irresponsible. The deficit has spiralled out of control and has has been a major factor in the current credit crunch.

Typically for a neo-con, Finkelstein welcomes David Frum's call for big government conservatism to dominate the movement (i.e. a purge of traditional conservatives who favour limited government and are wary of foreign entanglements). In practice, Frum is arguing for is a continuation of the Bush Administration's big government liberal imperialism.

McCain is an ideological of Frum, as demonstrated by his joint legislation with Democrats like Feingold. He is a staunch supporter of the EU Super-State. McCain must be opposed by true Conservatives.

It is no surprise that social democrat like Finkelstein is enthusiastic about the candidacy of liberal Republican. I hope that a serious independent candidate emerges to smash the big government consensus that is dominating Conservative politics in the UK and the US.

[Umbrella man]

The other lesson refers to your post on the politics of small promises. The promise of big change is winning in USA with McCain and Obama. We're stuck in Britain with managerialism.

[Supply sider]

Rubbish Dave B. Lower taxation can be paid for by "the proceeds of growth" and tax cuts also help boost growth.

[Dave B]

"Lower taxation can be paid for by "the proceeds of growth""

Yes, but that's not what Mr Bush did.

"and tax cuts also help boost growth."

Yes, but spending under Mr Bush has increased faster.

Borrowing has to be repaid at some point, and a government's source of income is tax.

[Dominic Harvey]

While I completely agree that Crime, Tax and Welfare are three of the most important issues an incoming Conservative government would need to deal with, could somebody please show me where Dave and friends have offered coherent policies on any of those three issues? On crime, we have vague reassurances about building more prisons, on tax we have Gideon pledging to match Labour's extravagant spending commitments rather than offer tax cuts, and on welfare we have more unspecific promises...

[Goldie]

I write this from the States. Read my lips: there is ABSOLUTELY nothing to be learned from the Republicans.

McCain will be slaughtered in November.

[Joe James Broughton]

Interesting prediction (Goldie)......
tell us more why you think that

what result are you predicting...

Perhaps Dem 51, Rep 47, Nader 2

[Yet Another Anon]

John McCain will cruise to victory in the Presidential elections - more than 50% of the vote nationally, he'll sweep the Southern states and the margin in delegates wil be very big, Ralph Nader entering the race will make it more difficult for the Democrat nominees. If Ralph Nader had not stood in 2000 Al Gore would probably have ended up becoming President.

The only thing that could possibly go wrong for John McCain would be a well known person standing for Reform such as Kris Kristofferson or Chuck Norris which could draw support away - no sign of this happening though.

There has been something of a failure on welfare in the US in that reforms have resulted in it costing more than ever, US Federal Spending has increased with George W. Bush as President, the work that George Herbert Walker Bush and Bill Clinton did to reduce the Budget Deficit has been undone - this somewhat detracts from the good work in the War on Terror and raising Defence Spending that has occurred since 2000 and it would have been better if John McCain had been President from 2000 to 2008 rather than George W. Bush.

The Democrats appear on course to strengthen their hold on Congress.

[Dave J]

Goldie, care to actually make an argument to back up your assertion? As someone who's been deeply and actively involved in politics in the US my entire adult life, I think you're dead wrong, and I'd be curious to know why you think what you do.

[Malcolm Dunn]

Dave J, Goldie's usually hopelessly wrong on events in British politics (see his doom laden predictions of the last two local election results) I would imagine his predictions on events in the USA will be no more accurate.