Governmental exceptionalism!

[raw_thought]

Right winger's always talk about " American Exceptionalism". The examples they give are all about government policy! For example, how we defeated Hitler. Actually the American public did not want to get involved in a European conflict.
Instead of " American exceptionalism" the proper term is "governmental exceptionalism"!
Considering that no conservative will praise the virtues of government it follows ( reductio ad absurdum - definition of reductio ad absurdum by the Free Online Dictionary, Thesaurus and Encyclopedia. ) that they are embracing an idea that they themselves reject. Therefore, their position is silly and absurd.

 

[Revoltingest]

Huh? Please clarify it for us slow learners.

 

[raw_thought]

All the examples of "American exceptionalism" conservatives give are actually examples of "government exceptionalism". Therefore, they are praising government! But they hate government! Therefore, they are contradicting themselves and being very silly!
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/04/16/sarah-palin-where-is-obam_n_540668.html
http://www.usatoday.com/story/opinion/2013/10/25/obama-putin-american-exceptionalism-column/3181829/

 

[Revoltingest]

All the examples of "American exceptionalism" conservatives give are actually examples of "government exceptionalism". Therefore, they are praising government! But they hate government! Therefore, they are contradicting themselves and being very silly!
Oliver Stone: The myth of American exceptionalism

One reason I'm a libertarian instead of a conservative is their preference
(generally, not always) for bigger government. It seems that they don't hate
government so much as they hate the government we currently have.

 

[Valjean]

American exceptionalism is a quasi-religious paternalism, a belief that the normal rules of conduct do not apply to America, that we are charged by God or destiny to manage the affairs of the rest of the world with a free hand.

 

[Reverend Rick]

Governmental Exceptionalism? Now there is an oxymoron if there ever was one.

 

[Willamena]

All the examples of "American exceptionalism" conservatives give are actually examples of "government exceptionalism". Therefore, they are praising government! But they hate government! Therefore, they are contradicting themselves and being very silly!
Sarah Palin: Where Is Obama's 'Faith In American Exceptionalism?'
Oliver Stone: The myth of American exceptionalism

The solution is simple. Don't read The Huffington Post.

 

[Monk Of Reason]

Right winger's always talk about " American Exceptionalism". The examples they give are all about government policy! For example, how we defeated Hitler. Actually the American public did not want to get involved in a European conflict.
Instead of " American exceptionalism" the proper term is "governmental exceptionalism"!
Considering that no conservative will praise the virtues of government it follows ( reductio ad absurdum - definition of reductio ad absurdum by the Free Online Dictionary, Thesaurus and Encyclopedia. ) that they are embracing an idea that they themselves reject. Therefore, their position is silly and absurd.

The Huff post is like the democrat version of fox. Not always as bad in terms of just blowing science and general facts out of the water but just as biased.

 

[raw_thought]

If the Huffington post is biased or not has nothing to do with this thread.
The point is that the examples conservatives give of "American exceptionalism" are actually examples of "government exceptionalism". Our entry into WW2, the defeat of Hitler, space program, etc are all examples of government policies.
Therefore, when a conservative proclaims "American exceptionalism" he is actually proclaiming "government exceptionalism." Unfortunately, he is not bright enough to know that that is what he is doing.

 

[Kilgore Trout]

Last time I checked, the American government was part of America and composed of Americans.

 

[raw_thought]

When a conservative says "American exceptionalism" he is not referring to the elites in government.* True, they are Americans in a technical literal way. But no one uses " the people" to mean those in power. The "masses " refers to the powerless majority. For example, if one said, " the Germans should overthrow Hitler" one does not expect Goring and Himmler to help Hitler hit himself.
Even tho Goring, Himmler and Hitler ( well actually he was Austrian, but you get the point) were all Germans.
* Actually, if that were true, my point would be even stronger! That conservatives advocate government exceptionalism! In other words conservatives contradict themselves and so therefore their position is absurd.

 

[raw_thought]

The American people did not want to fight Hitler. The majority were isolationists. However, FDR and the government decided that Hitler was a huge threat and had to be stopped.
Similarly, the Emancipation Proclamation was not popular in the south or NORTH. However, Lincoln and the government did what was right.
Space program? The American people thought that money should have been spent at home. If the space program is a good thing or a bad thing, the fact remains that conservatives cannot use the space program as an example of "American exceptionalism". The space program is an example of "government exceptionalism".

 

[Kilgore Trout]

I can't speak for any other Americans, but personally, I'm quite exceptional. And I'm not even a conservative - or a politician!

 

[metis]

Last time I checked, the American government was part of America and composed of Americans.

Some do seem to conveniently forget that.

 

[Revoltingest]

Last time I checked, the American government was part of America and composed of Americans.

No, most of'm are reptillian off worlders.