Neocons in the Democratic Party

It is difficult for me to view a Democrat as a Neocon. But it is a good point that some of hawkish members of the Democratic Party of the past were of a Conservative bent. The term "Southern Democrat" meant a Conservative Democrat through the 1970's. The most famous Hawkish Democrat is an actual former political hero of mine - Senator Henry "Scoop" Jackson of Washington State. Jackson could have been Reagan's brother on the battle against the "Evil Empire" that was Reagan's term for the former Soviet (Communist) Union. They both called for huge militarization to bury the Communism and the fight the Cold War. Those Democrats are long gone. It will be fascinating if a Neocon Democratic Party might develop, it will be the only thing that will save that political party's future.

Author Jacob Heilbrunn depicts current Democrats such as Connecticut Sen. Joseph I. Lieberman and such likely presidential candidates as former Virginia Gov. Mark Warner and Iowa Gov. Tom Vilsack, who is chairman of the Democratic Leadership Council as the emerging Neocon Democrats. Heilbrunn also alludes that the emergence of this Neocon faction within the Democratic Party could lead to a huge intra-party struggle for the hearts and minds of Democrats. The ultra-leftists of today’s Democrats will not just step aside for Democratic Neocons anymore than they have for Republican Neocons.

You can read Heilbrunn’s analysis HERE.