The Freedom Caucus - what made them who they are?

Post Reply New Topic

If you don't know who the Freedom Caucus are, Google them.

It is my impression that the members are primarily white males in their 40s and 50s (although I haven't bothered to verify that rigorously). They all share an overpowering hatred if not actual fear of some Democrats in particular Barack Obama and the Clintons. I don't need to elaborate.

I don't intend to demean anyone who shares these views. I am perfectly aware that many participants in this forum share this viewpoint and it's not my purpose to troll them.

I am however curious as to what sort of life experience would have led them to such strong political feelings of that sort? Not just strong opinions, but strong emotions regarding those opinions. In contrast, I can remember when (US) Baby Boomers were young and how many of them developed strongly held left-wing views. My theory is that happened because many faced the very real threat of being conscripted to fight and possibly die, or suffer a life-altering wound, in a war they didn't agree with. I also think the Soviet Union was covertly responsible to some extent for encouraging this thinking, but the Vietnam War was undeniably the root cause.

But it is not obvious to me what the Vietnam War equivalent would have been for the sort of person who joins the Freedom Caucus. I asked some people at dinner a couple of nights ago who told me they thought it was explained by the phenomenon exploited by the 80s TV program Family Ties in which the son's conservatism is primarily a reaction to his parent's liberalism. But I don't think that entirely explains it. So I will put forth a different theory. My theory is that, as adolescents/young people, the FC members experienced the late 70s, the Jimmy Carter administration, the Iran hostage crisis, and the election of Ronald Reagan that abruptly ended all that. I think these experiences would have made enough of an impression to inspire some of them to fervent Conservatism.

I recently saw a CNN documentary on the 70s and it shocked me to be reminded how absolutely awful a president Carter was. Plus the US was undeniably in a genuine state of decline then (nothing at all like today). I can sympathize with anybody who might have been affected in that way.

There are definite generational differences in political attitude that are apparent over relatively short historical intervals. I suggest looking at this presentation:

http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2014/07/08/upshot/how-the-year-you-were-born-influences-your-politics.html?_r=0

It's quite clever actually. So I was born in 1952, try dragging the slider to 1952 then drag forward to 1962. The difference is profound. I can remember dating a young woman who was born in 1959 (she was mostly responsible for initiating this relationship) and having a conversation in which she criticized me for raising the topic of the Vietnam War which she claimed she could not remember (heck I can vaguely recall the Hungarian Uprising of 1956 but that's beside the point). It does show how much difference a few years of difference in birth year can make, though.

The problem with some people, to the right and to the left is that they can get fanatical. I am a conservative, and I can no more stand talking to them than I can to can stand talking to a left wing true believer.
Extremists never seem to have facts, but they always have opinions.

Somewhat related I think some who were very young conservatives in 1972 had a very rough time for the rest of the decade. Thier man Nixon the law and order president betrayed them by breaking the law. The loss in Vietnam was blamed by many on the "backstabbing" protesters. The next few years were democrat landslides and liberal policies and social values dominating and patriotism ignored and widely discredited(when the national anthem was played at sporting events half the people ignored it). If you were a conservative activist you were an outsider on your own campus as one can be. In the wake of a Watergate there were a bunch of other gates and the president as evil conspirator in popular culture such as the movie "Executive Action".

Clinton symbolized everything that made thier formative years a nightmare. He was an anti war protester hippie as a youth. Growing up when they did predisposed many to to figure Clintons election and reelection and holding off conviction by the senate must have been a result of nefarious conspiracies. Continuing into the current era we see the popularity of the idea that Obama is a hidden communist or muslim operative.

As for my self who was a teen during Watergate and the fall of Siagon I found that I have often a more pessimistic and cynical view of life and politics then other generations especially my parents who tend to feel that things will always work out in the end.