Michael Lucchese on Understanding Reagan's Conservatism and Buchanan's Populism
A conversation with Michael Lucchese about the '90s political fallout and how it came to shape conservative thinking 30 years later.
In this episode of Civitas Conversations, Richard M. Reinsch II interviews Michael Lucchese about his recent Civitas Outlook article "Not-So-Beautiful Losers: How Conservatism Won the Cold War – and Lost the Peace." In it, Lucchese argues that figures like Samuel T. Francis and Pat Buchanan abandoned Reagan's principled conservatism in the 1990s, embracing what he calls "right-wing Marxism," which focuses on class warfare and grievances rather than the principles of the American Founding. He contends this shift toward populist extremism planted the seeds for today's polarized politics and calls for a return to Reagan's approach that appealed to Americans' better angels rather than their fears and resentments.
Michael Lucchese is the founder of Pipe Creek Consulting, an associate editor of Law & Liberty, and a contributing editor to Providence.
Politics
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Liberal Democracy Reexamined: Leo Strauss on Alexis de Tocqueville
This article explores Leo Strauss’s thoughts on Alexis de Tocqueville in his 1954 “Natural Right” course transcript.
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Long Distance Migration as a Two-Step Sorting Process: The Resettlement of Californians in Texas
Here we press the question of whether the well-documented stream of migrants relocating from California to Texas has been sufficient to alter the political complexion of the destination state.
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Who's That Knocking? A Study of the Strategic Choices Facing Large-Scale Grassroots Canvassing Efforts
Although there is a consensus that personalized forms of campaign outreach are more likely to be effective at either mobilizing or even persuading voters, there remains uncertainty about how campaigns should implement get-out-the-vote (GOTV) programs, especially at a truly expansive scale.
DC and LA Failures Play Into Trump’s Hands
Although clearly violating America’s long-standing federalist principles, Trump’s incursions are being justified by the incompetence of most blue-city leaders.
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Not-So-Beautiful Losers: How Conservatism Won the Cold War – and Lost the Peace
Buchanan's populism, unlike Reagan's appeals, wasn't anchored in the spiritual realities at the heart of the American Founding. Much of the same is evident in Buchanan's latter-day disciples.
Why Israel May Sue the New York Times
Jed Rubenfeld was wrong to argue that Israel could not bring a civil action against the New York Times in a New York court.
