The Conservative’s Big Daddy

In the 28 August issue of the “National Review,” a conservative political publication, columnist Florence King welcomed George W. Bush’s selection of Dick Cheney as his runningmate, which was fine. I relished the selection of Mr. Cheney, too–but not at all for the reason Ms. King has disturbingly specified.

Ms. King hails Mr. Cheney as “a universal father symbol.” She claims that he represents ” . . . Everyfather, the consummate figure who has been missing from our national life long enough to make his absence felt in the chaotic statistics about single moms, gay marriage, and deranged teens that are recited daily.”

Although I don’t necessarily support “deranged teens”–whatever that means–after reading that passage, I thought, “My God, she wants a state father figure.” She wants the presidency of the United States to represent her father figure. She actually wants the presidency of the United States to be her Big Daddy. My goodness, how deranged can some conservative commentators be?

All this time, I had thought it was the liberal position to embrace government paternalism–to worship Big Brother and collectively look to big government for social salvation. Looking at Hillary Clinton’s old dictum (“It takes a village to raise a child”), one might think that it is the liberal position to regard the nation as one big extended family. Not so.

Consider Ms. King’s reference to “national life.” What “national life”? Americans shouldn’t have a “national life.” If they had any lives at all, they would have private lives.

I thought only the Communists and socialists regarded the nation as one big happy family. I thought only the socialists rejected individualism in favor of the nanny state.

When conservative voters want the government–their presidents, governors and legislators–to be their mommies and daddies, I would say America has a very serious problem. As it is, too many other voters–liberals, independents and moderates–already want the state to be their very own Big Mommies and Daddies.

And what does Big Mommy and Daddy do? Why, they provide “free” universal healthcare. They provide “free” education. They indoctrinate society with proper “values.” They look out for their wards, their helpless little children–the electorate.

Now maybe conservative Republicans do not want “free” universal Hillary healthcare, but they sure do clamor for their Big Daddy to tell them what to believe in, what to value, as one big happy family. I think that’s pathetic. Conservatives should grow up.