There is much debate among those of us on the right as to how the US government should prioritize America’s interests and domestic security against the needs of overseas allies and other global challenges.
The debate tends to be framed with the understanding that “America First” is the (barely) reputable position conservatives may hold, but isolationist pressure is causing a dangerous shift to the disreputable position of “America Only.” I reject that premise.
I would posit that “America First” was the polite request from the vast majority of conservatives. But the ruling class has emphatically dismissed that request, making it clear that America’s domestic crises, such as spending-fueled inflation and a border invasion, will only be addressed after we divert America’s blood and treasure to every other global situation. In other words, never.
In response, “America Only” is the less polite follow-up offer.
Tucker Carlson is receiving a lot of criticism for his “America Only” rhetoric from conservatives with more interventionist inclinations, and Dennis Prager also wrote about this topic recently.
“America First or America Only?” [Dennis Prager – 11/21/2023]
The idea of America First accords with both reason and religious morality.
However, some prominent conservatives, whom I know and respect, seem to equate “America First” with “America Only.”
And that is neither logical, nor moral, nor American.
There is a lot of soaring faux-Reaganesque rhetoric in Prager’s piece, which is fine, but it pretends that “America First” is even on the table as an option. With narco-terrorists and human traffickers entering our country unimpeded, it’s clear that “America First” is not a consideration of our rulers.
It seems to me that the options might be ranked as below, with the conservative base divided between options 1 and 2 (“America Only” and “America First”
, the Republican establishment is at option 3 (“America Someday”, while the Democrats and the rest of the ruling class are at options 4 and 5 (“America Last” and “America Never.”
- America Only
- America First
- America Someday
- America Last
- America Never
To re-state the thesis, most conservatives will settle for “America First.” But if that is not really an option, then they don’t slide into the internationalist “America Someday” bucket out of Republican party loyalty, instead they move the other direction into the isolationist “America Only” slot.
Before I go further, I will state that I am not an isolationist nor “America Only,” but I find myself getting pushed that way when my government cares more about the integrity of Ukraine’s border than about the US border.
I’ll also point out that I am a die-hard defender of Israel, and of my Jewish brothers and sisters across the globe. I enthusiastically support Israel for religious, political, cultural, and civilizational reasons, and I consider the war that Israel is fighting against Hamas to be part of the long-term defense of the Unites States and its values. I do not feel the same way about the Slavic turf war in eastern Ukraine.
But…neither I do not begrudge those principled “America Only” folks who feel isolationist toward Ukraine, Israel*, Taiwan, and all the rest. I understand where they’re coming from, and how sick they are of the uni-party always putting America last.
(*Unless they utter something about Zionism or the suffering of Palestinians. Then I know they’re not standing on principle, they’re simply anti-Jew.)
While many conservatives were glad to provide support to Ukraine initially – especially when it looked like Kiev might fall – it is clear now that keeping the stalemate going is the aim of the political class. A legion of corruptocrats need the money to keep flowing to them through omnibus funding of all things Ukraine, and the military industrial complex profits from keeping the war going so long as Ukraine and Russia can keep supplying men to die.
And it’s not enough for us taxpayers to fund that foreign war, we are now being asked to fund Ukraine’s civilian economy too, including paying the salaries of its schoolteachers!
It is entirely rational for US citizens to decide that they will not support any more foreign wars until the US border is secured. Congress and those seeking to become President would be wise to take note that “America Someday” is no longer going to be tolerated, and if “reputable” politicians refuse to put America first, they will be replaced by “disreputable” politicians who will focus on America only.
[buck.throckmorton at protonmail dot com]