Cultivating the Young NeoCon Mind For Fun and Profit

[Nbadan]

They are young and bright and ardently right. They tack Ronald Reagan calendars on their cubicle walls and devote brown bag lunches to the free market theories of Friedrich von Hayek. They come from 51 colleges and 28 states, calling for low taxes, strong defense and dorm rooms with a view.

And let's get one thing straight: they're not here to run the copying machine.

The summer interns of the Heritage Foundation have arrived, forming an elite corps inside the capital's premier conservative research group. The 64 interns are each paid a 10-week stipend of $2,500, and about half are housed in a subsidized dorm at the group's headquarters, complete with a fitness room.

Unusual in its size (and in its walk-in closets), the program, on which Heritage spends $570,000 a year, is both a coveted spot on the young conservative circuit and an example of the care the movement takes to cultivate its young.

<snip>

Like all Heritage applicants, she also answered a 12-item questionnaire designed to ferret out latent liberalism with questions about guns, abortion, welfare and missile defense. (If you agree with the statement that "tax increases are the most appropriate way to balance the budget," this is probably not the internship for you.)

NY Times (http://www.nytimes.com/2005/06/14/politics/14heritage.html?ei=5094&en=d3bc4645e2201d70&hp=&ex=1118808000&partner=homepage&pagewanted=print)

This is exactly the type of 'cultivation' and 'exemption' of political idealism which some Conservatives accuse our locally-controlled, public education system of doing, but it also shows the degree to which Corporate-run entities, like the Heritage Foundation, take to nurture young idealistic minds into a Neo-Conic way of thinking early, so that they can fight against average Joe’s, like you and me, privacy and protection rights.

My question is, if these 'interns' really believe in their ideology and political cause, then why aren't they busy joining their leader’s glorious fight in Iraq?

And more importantly, how are average Americans, typically some-what Liberal, supposed to compete against these types of privately-funded, but corporate-owned ideology camps for the young?

[mookie2001]

My question is, if these 'interns' really believe in their ideology and political cause, then why aren't they busy joining their leader’s glorious fight in Iraq?



theyre LEADERS!!!!

fuck these bastards
i count these fuckers when i want to fall asleep

[SWC Bonfire]

Ok, so the public school system compares to 64 interns? More than 64 kids are enrolled in public schools with liberal teachers.

People believe what they want to believe, Dan.

By your assumption, isn't the typical American somewhat conservative?

[Clandestino]

"Daren Stanaway and Brian Christiansen welcomed Heritage as an escape from the liberal orthodoxies they said they experienced at Harvard and Yale."

[violentkitten]

yet those who work at left of center think tanks and political organizations are simply fulfilling a useful purpose...yeah

fuck left
fuck right

[Nbadan]

By your assumption, isn't the typical American somewhat conservative?

I think in Texas people tend to be more conservative than other parts of the country, but there has always been a sense of personal liberalism in Texas that has been unescapable up till now, this is why we have no DUI roadblocks even though they have been proven to be very successful in curbing DUI in other states, and legal by the High Court. Austin was once the bastion of Texas liberalism, but rising property values have made even Austinites much more snootier and the Police much less tolerant.

[SWC Bonfire]

I think in Texas people tend to be more conservative than other parts of the country, but there has always been a sense of personal liberalism in Texas that has been unescapable up till now, this is why we have no DUI roadblocks even though they have been proven to be very successful in curbing DUI in other states, and legal by the High Court. Austin was once the bastion of Texas liberalism, but rising property values have made even Austinites much more snootier and the Police much less tolerant.

Don't get an Aggie started on Austin! :lol

[mookie2001]

texas around 40 years ago was hardcore Democratic
they texans here saw republicans as pompous yankee nogood politicians
thank god for the royal bush's

[thispego]

Ehhh my family supports bush. Not only did he allow us to get some tax exemptions, but he successfully led us out of the drastic scenario that 9/11 engendered.

[The Ressurrected One]

And more importantly, how are average Americans, typically some-what Liberal, supposed to compete against these types of privately-funded, but corporate-owned ideology camps for the young?
Are you suggesting these type organizations don't exist on the Left? Further, are you suggesting these people don't have the right to associate with whomever they please?

Let's see...

You've got the Brookings Institute and the Economic Policy Institute. Not to mention John Podesta's place, Center for American Progress.

Why are you begrudging the Conservatives a Think Tank?

[Nbadan]

Not only did he allow us to get some tax exemptions, but he successfully led us out of the drastic scenario that 9/11 engendered.

Tax cuts without equal cuts in spending are really just tax deferments, and you can bet we're all gonna be paying twice as much in the future as you would have paid before W's unneccessary tax cuts (and exemptions) were passed. Not to mention that the debt W is running because of his tax cuts and exemptions and the war in Iraq is contributing directly to higher gas prices. Hope you enjoyed that extra $300!

[Nbadan]

Are you suggesting these type organizations don't exist on the Left? Further, are you suggesting these people don't have the right to associate with whomever they please?

Let's see...

You've got the Brookings Institute and the Economic Policy Institute. Not to mention John Podesta's place, Center for American Progress.

Why are you begrudging the Conservatives a Think Tank?

I serously doubt if any left-wing think-tank are paying interns $2,500 in ten week periods for stapling papers and passing out fliers, but if you hear of any let me know.

[Clandestino]

I serously doubt if any left-wing think-tank are paying interns $2,500 in ten week periods for stapling papers and passing out fliers, but if you hear of any let me know.

what's your point?

[The Ressurrected One]

what's your point?
That Democrats are cheapskates.

[GopherSA]

NY Times (http://www.nytimes.com/2005/06/14/politics/14heritage.html?ei=5094&en=d3bc4645e2201d70&hp=&ex=1118808000&partner=homepage&pagewanted=print)

This is exactly the type of 'cultivation' and 'exemption' of political idealism which some Conservatives accuse our locally-controlled, public education system of doing, but it also shows the degree to which Corporate-run entities, like the Heritage Foundation, take to nurture young idealistic minds into a Neo-Conic way of thinking early, so that they can fight against average Joe’s, like you and me, privacy and protection rights.

My question is, if these 'interns' really believe in their ideology and political cause, then why aren't they busy joining their leader’s glorious fight in Iraq?

And more importantly, how are average Americans, typically some-what Liberal, supposed to compete against these types of privately-funded, but corporate-owned ideology camps for the young?

And Moveon.org, the DNC and the labor unions don't sponsor summer internships?

Sheesh...pot calling the kettle black here, huh?

Nbadan?

Tin foil getting loose?

[gophergeorge]

And Moveon.org, the DNC and the labor unions don't sponsor summer internships?

Sheesh...pot calling the kettle black here, huh?

Nbadan?

Tin foil getting loose?


I like this other Gopher!!!

[mookie2001]

the labor unions don't sponsor summer internships?



yeah fuck those liberal ass unions, dam commies!

[GopherSA]

Dam commies?

Oh great, the communists are against river containment efforts as well. Look out Canyon Lake! Here comes the communist horde to break your dam!

Oh, damn communists. I get it.

You know it's ironic that most union members don't even realize that labor unions owe much of their early history to the efforts of Marxists. Yes, unions have a communist history.

They're bad for the individual worker and only serve to protect the inefficient and mediocre.

[mookie2001]

They're bad for the individual worker


Exactly thats why people are in unions because its bad for them

^youre against labor unions?

[GopherSA]

Exactly thats why people are in unions because its bad for them

^youre against labor unions?

Uh, yeah. Is it not obvious?

Labor unions take away the ability of the individual to advance on his or her own merit. They protect the poor performer.

My least favorite exercise in elementary school was the group project. The best students ended up doing 99% of the work. The unmotivated or the unintelligent simply came along for the ride and still received the same grade as those who did the majority of the work.

That's all a union is - the slackers riding on the performance of the talented. I've seen it all too many times as the child of a union member, as a union member and as a manager in a union shop.