Why Do Conservatives Hate America?

The news that Rio has been chosen to host the 2016 Olympics, while disappointing for American patriots, could hardly be considered unexpected. No South American city has ever hosted the international competition; by contrast, the United States hosted the Summer Olympics as recently as 1996, in Atlanta. Chicago and the United States made one of the strongest bids our nation has ever presented, but as John McCain well knows, it's hard to stand in the way of history being made.

Of course, John McCain also knows all too well that no matter how noble the cause, there are people willing to cheapen it for political gain. In case you missed the, er, "controversy," Barack Obama - who, as you may be aware, is the President of the United States, and is consequently tasked with representing our nation to the world - took it upon himself to do just that, and represent our bid before the IOC to bring the Olympics back to the United States. In other words, we have the duly elected leader of the United States coupling with representatives from the third largest city in the United States seeking to bring a massive infusion of prestige, capital, and tourism into... the United States. Who could be against that?

As it turns out, a small but vocal percentage of the United States.

Let's go over that again - conservatives are opposed to bringing the Olympics to an American city because Barack Obama, the President of the United States, wants to support an American city in trying to land the Olympics.

Now, I can remember a not-so-distant time when speaking out against the President was considered treason, something no Real American would ever consider. I can even remember a time when President George W. Bush went before the Chicago Bid Committee and U.S. Olympic Committee to declare - wait for it - that "this country supports your bid, strongly." All of a sudden, people are cheering in their offices when the United States fails to achieve its goals?

I had been going to write "this situation put conservatives in the odd position of rooting against America," but the simple fact is, that isn't odd for conservatives at all. Today's conservative disdain for the United States is not an isolated incident. They have managed to "love" America so much that they've reset the whole scale, and now hate the country in a constant misguided quest to "love" it better than everybody else. They are like the husband who beats his wife because he "cares" about her, except they also don't want the wife voting or getting an education.

This is the same attitude that drives the conservative zeal for cutting taxes. The United States, they claim, is the best country in the world, and apparently the best way to show that is by not giving it the means to do anything. Taxes are the method by which civilization is paid for; they are an investment in our nation, an investment that conservatives are simply not interested in making. What kind of "patriot" won't invest in America? That must be love.

The logical conclusion of this attitude can be seen in the secessionist leanings of even mainstream conservative voices such as Governer Rick Perry and Sarah Palin. Conservatives have spent the last 8 years telling us to "love it or leave it"; now, all of a sudden, they claim to be able to do both. Nothing says you love your country like taking your piece of it and leaving.

On the other hand, at least the secessionists are being honest - there are still conservatives who are running for government positions on a platform of hating the American government.

Look, conservatives. I'm not asking you to change your ways. You're free to go on thinking the United States is evil - it's not even treason, no matter how satisfying it would have been to turn that around on you. I'm just looking for some honest answers. So just lay it on me straight - why do you hate America so much?

Follow Tim Ellis on Twitter: www.twitter.com/DJDynamicNC

Comments

[ejhickey]

The opposition to the Olympics was wide ranging and included people of all political persuasions, liberal conservative , libertarian , progressive, and people who are non political . The opposition was based on the suspicion and fear that the only beneficiaries of the Olympics would be the politically connected . Opponents were also concerned that the so called benefits of having the Olympics were a myth perpetuated by the same few who plan to benefit at the expense of the many. Any anti Obama feeling resulted from wondering why he lent his name and his office to this transparent attempt to gloss over the failures of the Daley regime.

Now that the Olympic nonsense has been laid to rest , residents of chicago can turn to more important matters like ending school violence and getting our parking meters back from Morgan Stanley.

[Jack78]

10. Dead people can't vote at IOC meetings

9. Obama distracted by 25 min meeting with Gen. McChrystal

8. Who cares if Obama couldn't talk the IOC into Chicago? He'll be able to talk Iran out of nukes.

7. The impediment is Israel still building settlements.

6. Obviously no president would have been able to acomplish it.

5. We've been quite clear and said all along that we didn't want the Olympics.

4. This isn't about the number of Olympics "lost", it's about the number of Olympics "saved" or "created".

3. Clearly not enough wise Latina judges on the committee

2. Because the IOC is racist.

1. It's George Bush's fault.

Rich Lawry

[Sharke]

...Continued:

But it has to be said that the less our government interferes in our lives, the more valuable that government is to the United States of America. We have a state to protect our individual rights, not abrogate them through excessive taxation to further the political careers of morally bankrupt political entrepreneurs with a Rolodex of special interests.

We cheer the loss of the Olympics because of the disgraceful scale of the political cronyism and corruption behind it. Chicago is, through decades of liberalism, in a desperate state. The games were never a financial investment for that city, despite what the political spin doctors told us. They were to be a symbolic paean for two men determined to build a catastrophically expensive monument to themselves - Mayor Daley and President Obama. They symbolized everything that is wrong with the Chicago machine and their loss is a thoroughly satisfying blow to that monstrous hulk of corruption.

The "conservatives who oppose the Chicago Olympics hate America" meme will flit, as these things always do, around the left wing blogs before fizzling out into nothing.

[Tim Ellis - Huffpost Blogger]

I feel it is important to be able to admit when one is wrong.

I disagree with a few of the details of your post, but I think you hit the nail on the head with the substance.

Additionally, I clearly managed to avoid conveying the sense of irony I was going for with my article. That's what I get for rushing it. Responsibility accepted.

A strong and logically consistent conservative movement not burdened with the Sarah Palin anti-intel­lectualism endemic to today's organization is a boon to America, and indeed, a necessary part of our Republic. And a well-reasoned opposition, no matter the philsophy behind it, is important as well. This post embodies that, and I'm willing to accept that my article and argument was flawed.

Well argued. My article next week will reflect this.

Just as it is important to stand for what you believe in, it is important to be able to learn from your mistakes and recognize opposing arguments of merit.

In the spirit of accord, I'm willing to overlook the implied ad hominem attack that you began your otherwise solid response with. I am proud of my long assocation with raving, and willing to stand up for what the community represents.

Regards.

[Sharke]

(continued)....

This is what sets the original concept of America head and shoulders above every other country in history and this is the standard by which all other nations should be judged - not a measure of how many services the government provides to its overtaxed citizens. The reason why this standard is paramount is not because I say it is, or because it's patriotic to say so, but because the most axiomatic truth we can establish about human existence is that every single individual born into this world owns his own body and his own life. From this truism, the concept of property rights and individual liberty flow naturally. It does not matter how many services the government of a nation provides to its overtaxed citizens - if a nation does not officially recognize this basic truth then it has no moral basis for existence.

America has this basic truth written into its Constitution. That is not to say that the reality of America is perfect - far from it. In as much as we stray from the Constitution, we stray from the essence of America and the reason why the concept behind America is better than the concept behind every other nation on Earth. Politicians on both sides of the political spectrum are guilty of this and should be ashamed of themselves.

[Sharke]

I won't comment on Mr. Ellis' profession and the likelihood of someone active on the rave scene possessing an objective sense of judgment. No need.

But I will cut to the chase and point out that like so many on the left, his words betray a complete and utter ignorance of the true essence of the United States and the reason why it is the greatest country in the world. Mr. Ellis, America reigns supreme not because it is perfect but because it was the first country in the world to officially recognize, through its Constitution, the primacy of individual liberty and the notion that every individual is an end in himself and not - as was the case before America's inception - the property and subordinate of whichever chieftain, monarchy, state or regime one was unlucky enough to have been born under.

[E5infantry]

I recognize that you are one of America's pre-eminate scholars, what with your long and illustrous carreer of throwing parties, but I can't help but note how asinine this entire post is. But, just hypothetically, is it possible that some might oppose the olympics on grounds of not hating America? You know, like feeling that this would be a waste of resources needed now, not to be paid back in 7 years? Or perhaps a desire to have the commander in chief during a period of two wars do a little more commanding?

[Pavelefty]

Are you serious? Easy answer: No, on all counts. Anyone who opposes imposing several billions of dollars of debt on Chicago so Daley and Obama can ladle big wads of cash into their cronies' pockets hates America. By definition.

[E5infantry]

Dammit. OK, is there someway I can fall in love with American again?Do I have to embrace cronyism and such? Is there no other way?

Help me Ellis-wan, you're my only hope.

[4inline]

Uh, yes, losing could be unexpected especially after Obama, Michelle and Oprah flew over and 'sacrificed' to help bring them here.

[masanf]

It is hard to take seriously anyone who whines about the supposed terrible behavior of conservatives who supposedly questioned the patriotism of everyone with whom they disagreed, and then turns around and does the same exact thing. Where I come from such behavior is known by a word that begins with an h and ends with an ypocrisy.

[Tim Ellis - Huffpost Blogger]

That's a terrible mispelling of irony.

On the other hand, I've clearly misconveyed it and I do take full responsibility for that. I'll clarify this next week. My apologies.

[masanf]

This is absolutely ridiculous, and hilarious. I don't want a corrupt organization in the habit of legitimizing dictators (Beijing and Berlin anyone)to throw an insanely over-hyped and insanely irrelevant track meet that would cost Chicago at least $5 Billion, therefore I am rooting against the United States? And please, for the love of God, can we quit acting like opposing Barack Obama is the same as "rooting against the United States"? And cutting taxes is Un-American too, at least according to the genius who penned this piece of pure brilliance. I bet the individuals who guided the American Revolution would be shocked to find out that opposition to higher taxes is tantamount to sedition.

The individuals who founded this country believed "government is a necessary evil" and the "government that governs best is the one that governs least". I guess in the mind of the "author" of this piece, they were down-right Unamerican, right?


"Conservatives have spent the last 8 years telling us to "love it or leave it"; now, all of a sudden, they claim to be able to do both. Nothing says you love your country like taking your piece of it and leaving."

Yeah, and the left has been responding with "Dissent is the highest form of patriotism". Looks like that got thrown out the window. Tell me again, who is the hypocrite here?

[Tim Ellis - Huffpost Blogger]

As you'll recall, the issue was taxation without representation. When you have taxation WITH representation - for example, if there were a nation-wide election which was won by the progressive candidate - then that's well within the sweep of what the founders intended. Taxation WITH representation. Just so that's clear.

Similarly, there is a fairly obvious difference between cutting taxes situationally, and dogmatically opposing ALL taxation at ALL times.

I apologize for my poor writing - obviously I wasn't quite able to convey irony properly. The entire point of the article is to highlight that a movement that has defined itself with decades of "my country, right or wrong" is suddenly pulling an about-face fast enough to get whiplash. Dissent is welcome - so give me a good and rational dissenting opinion. "Obama was born in Kenya" or "Obama should keep government out of Medicare" - or, in this case, "Obama sucks because he didn't get the Olympics for America even though we didn't want him to get the Olympics for America" are dissent, but they're not very well reasoned. There are certainly good reasons to oppose bringing the Olympics here, and I've heard some great arguments there - but I think you and I both know that when opponents are saying Obama's support for Olympics should be opposed because "he's too busy," they're not exactly claiming the intellectual high ground.

[ramper]

Lets try this again. Sweeping stereotyping that uses labels like Conservatives are........... Liberals are ............... Corporations are.......­........Un­ions are.............. need more specifics. Many Conservatives supported Chicago getting the games. Not all Corporations are greedy. Not all Unions are corrupt. Not all Liberals hate Capitalism, etc. etc. etc. It is easy to pigeon hole labels but it is not always accurate.

[calicopaisley]

Going to agree with you 100% here. I'm as liberal as you get (no, really) but I'm relieved we lost the bid. Although there are appealing benefits to hosting the games, there are tangible negative consequences to them as well. One need only go as far as another HuffPost essay for a great summary of this: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/dave-zirin/obamas-olympic-error_b_302025.html

[Tim Ellis - Huffpost Blogger]

You know, that's a fair point. On the other hand, I believe it is the responsibility of the conservatives in question to raise their own voice. Part of the problem we're facing now is that the moderate, reasonable conservatives are simply not speaking up, which allows the irrational treasonites to dominate both their wing and all too much political discourse.

There simply aren't many conservative organizations standing up and saying "hey, that's just crazy, and that's not conservatism at all," and until they do, the problems of conversation and identification will remain.

I get this same difficulty on the other side; people talk about liberals being opposed to pro-lifers all the time, which ignores the liberal pro-lifers, which is only fair, because we haven't done much to stand out from the utterly crazy pro-life movement.