Extreme conservativism is not meant to be within the acceptable spectrum.
The acceptable spectrum is supposed to be centered around neoliberalism. Neoliberal technocrats have sought to steer the “Ship Of State” through narrow waters between “Revolution” (the far left) and “Reaction” (the far right). Neoliberals might be willing to steer, from time to time, nearer to reaction than revolution, but the intent is to stay as close to the neoliberal center as possible. Here’s a graphic that the neoliberals came up with to illustrate the concept.
Obviously, the neoliberal technocrats have failed, and the US federal government (the Ship Of State) is now nearly completely captured by various far right reactionary groups. But the mainstream media, in general, is still operating in the mode of neoliberal, centrist thinking. Which is understandable, since that’s the mode they’ve been in for more than half a century.
I understand what you are saying and that many in the media may even believe this is what has been done over the last half century. But that is not true. At least not for the last 25 years. They have been steadily veering farther and farther right and this is the result. They changed what they saw as the window, the Overton window you might say, and didn’t even realize it (some did).
And the result is that now, when someone pushes back against crashing the ship into the cliff of reaction, they are pushed back against just the same as if they were trying to steer us directly into revolution. It’s all a farce.
The neoliberal technocrats didn’t deliberately steer toward the reactionary side. When the ship was moving more to the right, it was when reactionaries were in power, and thus “steering the ship.” In 2000, Al Gore, who is very much a neoliberal technocrat, was supposed to be president, but he lost in a kind of mini coup to George W Bush and the neoconservatives. The neoliberal technocrats wouldn’t take back power - control of the ship of state - again until 2008 when Barak Obama was elected president. They would of course lose control once again in 2016. They would regain control in 2020, but quickly lose it again in 2024. It is likely, I think, that the neoliberal technocrats have lost control of the ship of state permanently. I don’t think they will ever steer it again.
I think you are misunderstanding what I meant. The “neoliberal technocrats” absolutely do not, understand any circumstances, steer the ship towards the center. They steer it towards power. That power as of late has been reactionary.
To be clear the neoliberal technocrats never lost power. They are Republicans and Democrats both.
Neoliberalism is the center, of the spectrum of acceptable political opinion they had established, and tried, but ultimately failed, to maintain.
To be clear the neoliberal technocrats never lost power. They are Republicans and Democrats both.
That was true in the late 70s, 80s, and early 90s. However, the Republican party became less and less neoliberal through the 90s, and by the early 2000s the Republican party had been taken over by the neoconservatives. There is overlap between neoliberalism and neoconservatism, but they are distinct ideologies. Then, in 2016, the Republican party was taken over by Trump, who is neither a neoliberal nor a neoconservative. Trump doesn’t seem to have a guiding ideology. Trump is a useful idiot for multiple groups (Christian conservatives, silicon valley tech bros, far right accelerationists, and foreign powers), all of whom are vying for control of the federal government, for various reasons.
I think you meant to say extreme conservatism.
Extreme conservativism is not meant to be within the acceptable spectrum.
The acceptable spectrum is supposed to be centered around neoliberalism. Neoliberal technocrats have sought to steer the “Ship Of State” through narrow waters between “Revolution” (the far left) and “Reaction” (the far right). Neoliberals might be willing to steer, from time to time, nearer to reaction than revolution, but the intent is to stay as close to the neoliberal center as possible. Here’s a graphic that the neoliberals came up with to illustrate the concept.
Obviously, the neoliberal technocrats have failed, and the US federal government (the Ship Of State) is now nearly completely captured by various far right reactionary groups. But the mainstream media, in general, is still operating in the mode of neoliberal, centrist thinking. Which is understandable, since that’s the mode they’ve been in for more than half a century.
I understand what you are saying and that many in the media may even believe this is what has been done over the last half century. But that is not true. At least not for the last 25 years. They have been steadily veering farther and farther right and this is the result. They changed what they saw as the window, the Overton window you might say, and didn’t even realize it (some did).
And the result is that now, when someone pushes back against crashing the ship into the cliff of reaction, they are pushed back against just the same as if they were trying to steer us directly into revolution. It’s all a farce.
The neoliberal technocrats didn’t deliberately steer toward the reactionary side. When the ship was moving more to the right, it was when reactionaries were in power, and thus “steering the ship.” In 2000, Al Gore, who is very much a neoliberal technocrat, was supposed to be president, but he lost in a kind of mini coup to George W Bush and the neoconservatives. The neoliberal technocrats wouldn’t take back power - control of the ship of state - again until 2008 when Barak Obama was elected president. They would of course lose control once again in 2016. They would regain control in 2020, but quickly lose it again in 2024. It is likely, I think, that the neoliberal technocrats have lost control of the ship of state permanently. I don’t think they will ever steer it again.
I think you are misunderstanding what I meant. The “neoliberal technocrats” absolutely do not, understand any circumstances, steer the ship towards the center. They steer it towards power. That power as of late has been reactionary.
To be clear the neoliberal technocrats never lost power. They are Republicans and Democrats both.
Neoliberalism is the center, of the spectrum of acceptable political opinion they had established, and tried, but ultimately failed, to maintain.
That was true in the late 70s, 80s, and early 90s. However, the Republican party became less and less neoliberal through the 90s, and by the early 2000s the Republican party had been taken over by the neoconservatives. There is overlap between neoliberalism and neoconservatism, but they are distinct ideologies. Then, in 2016, the Republican party was taken over by Trump, who is neither a neoliberal nor a neoconservative. Trump doesn’t seem to have a guiding ideology. Trump is a useful idiot for multiple groups (Christian conservatives, silicon valley tech bros, far right accelerationists, and foreign powers), all of whom are vying for control of the federal government, for various reasons.
We probably agree more than disagree.