what is a neo con?

Question

What makes them different than conservatives if there is a difference?

Answer 1

"Neo-con" is a made up term by the left to describe anyone who doesn't agree with them. On the other hand, there is a huge difference between classical liberalism and the ideals of the neo-liberals.

Answer 2

Conservatives are traditionally fiscally conservative and usually socially conservative as well. The main difference is the area of foreign policy. Conservatives have always advocated non interventionist foreign policy. Conservatives are in both parties and their convictions in the area of foreign policy have lead them to criticize unnecessary wars to entrance into treaty organizations. Conservatives voted against the treaty of Versailles that ended world war one because it required American entrance into the league of nations. Conservatives also opposed American entrance into the UN and NATO.

Neo Cons can be socially and fiscally conservative, moderate, and even sometimes liberal, but advocate a much more aggressive foreign policy. Some neo cons have also spoken out against American entrance into international treaties but because they believe that these treaties hold American foreign policy back. Neo cons believe in "spreading democracy" but usually with the end of the barrel. Current neo con doctrine, established after the end of the cold war, essintially stated that America should utilize the period of time in which it is the unquestionably dominate economic and military superpower in the world to "prepare the battlefield" for the rise of the next superpower and thus the next competitor to America's international primacy. For this reason neo cons have always had a special preoccupation with the middle east because of its strategic resources (oil). They have also advocated increasing Israels national security by eliminating hostile regimes to it (i.e. Iraq, Syria, and Iran).

To break it down liberals tend to want America to be loved, conservatives, carry less about love, seek respect, and neo cons seek it to be feared. It has happened so much that it is almost a proven fact of international relations that if a nation is feared it will eventually be destroyed or undone because it would have inspired the formation of international alliances agaisnt it (Napoleon, Hitler, Stalin etc.).

Answer 3

The old type of conservatives were isolationists. They opposed free trade, and they disliked the Jews in general, and Israel in particular.

Neoconservatives (the new type of conservatives) are not isolationists. They support free trade, and they support Israel.

There are a lot of liberals who also hate the Jews in general, and Israel in particular, and they use the term "Neocon" as if it were an insult. But neocons don't consider it to be a bad word.

Answer 4

Neo-cons embrace Trotskist ideology of spreading revolution (err.. democracy...) all over the world.
How could they be mixed with the conservatives who prefer keeping an old order?

They are rather neo-liberals
(I prefer calling them neo-leiberals, a derivative from Trotsky's name, Leiba).

Answer 5

To me a neo-con is a koolaid drinker on the right (ultra conservative) but to anyone on the left, I think you will find a neo-con is anyone who disagrees with them. On Y/A, neo-con is just typical name calling from the left. It would be like me calling anyone on the left "commie-lib".

Answer 6

Reg Cons seem to be more about fiscal responsibility, strong defense and lower taxes.

Neo Cons seem to be the more "belief" driven faction of the party with strong idealogical preferences tied to a entrenched value system.

Answer 7

breifly, after the civil rights movement, there was a tiny group of conservatives who opposed this change. they were the neo-cons or new conservatives.
there has been no such thing for decades. now it is just used as an insult toward anyone who supports the president.

Answer 8

BIG DIFFERENCE!!!!

Have you noticed how Bush and his blank check congress spend tax dollars to no end (deficit spending)? That is a signature trait of a neo-con. True conservatives believe in fiscal responsibility.

Have you noticed how Bush has trampled over the Constitution? Yet another neo-con trait as they desire big government/big brother to control people. True conservatives actually have died to protect the Constitution.

Have you noticed how Bush's White House is riddled with dishonesty and scandal? True conservatives actually do have morals, although you can't tell due to the current crop of neo-cons in conservative clothing.

Neo-cons are dishonest, and disloyal. They only care about themselves and no one else. They will say whatever they need to at the moment to get their way regardless of who gets hurt or used in the process. They thrive on fear and seek to dehumanize all who stand in opposition to them.

In the end, a true conservative is pretty selfless (ex: they fought and died in the Civil War to preserve the nation and end slavery), while a neo-con is "all about me".

Answer 9

You know what?
I don't know.
You know what I DO know?
David Letterman looks an awful lot like Alfred E. Neuman.
Only difference is Alfred E. Neuman is actually still funny.

Answer 10

Neoconservatism is the first variant of American conservatism in the past century that is in the 'American grain.' It is hopeful, not lugubrious; forward-looking, not nostalgic; and its general tone is cheerful, not grim or dyspeptic.

Conservatism is a relativistic term used to describe political philosophies that favor traditional values, where "tradition" refers to religious, cultural, or nationally defined beliefs and customs. The term is derived from the Latin, conservāre, to conserve; "to keep, guard, observe"

the term 'neocon' is usually meant to be an insult to any who espouses a viewpoint other than the posters. such as 'dumbocrate' is meant to insult the other.