Considering the Kristol Ball: Strauss and Foreign Policy

Grappling with the political philosophy of Leo Strauss and his influence on American foreign policy requires familiarity with the usual suspects of the neoconservative cabal, many of whom are charlatans comprising his band of followers. Don't get me wrong, I'm no Straussian by any stretch of the imagination, though, I agree with many of his assessments regarding citizenry and the responsibility of authoritative powers. It's been proved time and again that Strauss's philosophy has more than just influenced displaced ex-Trotskyists such as Irving Kristol, but that it has found a comfy home in American foreign policy. The same ignoramus's that are shouting "Democracy!" from the mountaintops are supporting politicians and political figures who were clearly anti-democratic!

Sly motherfuckers.

Have a look into the Kristol Ball (The New Republic)

I hate that fish-lipped Bill Kristol. I hate his smug, shriveling old fart of a father as well (R.I.P.). I hate Richard Perle, and that coward, Paul Wolfowitz. Oh, also Rummy and that war profiteering chap who shot his friend in the face. But, it's not their personalities that make it so easy to hate them, it's the underhanded policies, the cowardice, their seething pussies dribbling from control over American politics.

Okay, maybe their personalities suck as well.

These frauds, originally failed academics, migrated to Washington to congregate with like-minded charlatans and spineless drones like Chris Dodd and Harry Reid. If Americans examined their national history, political philosophy, and foreign policy, instead of desiring to beat that Asian commie every year at Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest and clamoring for Clinton's impeachment for an act that wasn't signing the atrocious NAFTA, we could have caught the neocons lifting tactics straight from the pages of Strauss and Plato. To make it simple, I'll explore two simple tactics used by the Straussians to appease the lazy motherfuckers who claim "you can't beat them," while throwing rocks through Starbucks windows. Because that helps.

The real American enemy

1. Plato's Noble Lie. Irving Kristol proclaimed the necessity of a marriage between religion and politics. Whether or not the elite actually believe in a sky God or not isn't of importance; only that they ensure Americans parrot their fantasies to perpetuate their desired narrative. Plato though, like, a long time before Strauss, pretty much summed this up in his allegory of the metals. The Straussians needed lies to prevent upheaval. How do Americans feel about this insulting behavior? Sorry, they can't hear you over the tv. According to Irving Kristol, a fantasy, (see: untruth), "prevents nihilism" (some gall to conjure Nietzschean terms here, though, Strauss later expounded on nihilism as well). It was argued that Strauss didn't even have faith, and Irving Kristol straight up claimed that it didn't matter if the elites had faith or not, just that they went to church to keep America believing. How nice.

Uncle Leo being Uncle Leo

2. Get Emo. Strauss claimed that commoners must be universally uplifted through an abstraction to galvanize them and herd them toward a preferable end. What works to best unify the masses in this case is jingoism. In addition to religion, jingoism feeds delusions of hopes and dreams, and the belief that American politics had their best interests at heart. This bringing together of the herd that is the American people, is something that the Straussians don't hide at all. They used it during the Cold War, creating paranoia with the communists, and used it during the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan. How such clear evidence that the Straussians use deceit to control politics slips the American conscience, is beyond me. It's no coincidence that the American flag making industry (whatever that is) probably had record profits after 9/11. I couldn't turn on the radio without hearing "God Bless America" like a battle cry toward the terrorists. The neoconservatives found 9/11 a golden opportunity to reunite the nation, playing on emotion and fear, to pave the way for war profiteering (same thing they did in the bail-out recently).

Bottom Line: If Americans weren't ignorant of political philosophy, they would see that much of the asshatery made by politicians, with the aid of political punditry, were influenced by a culture of lies. The man they scramble to drop to their knees for condoned lying! For fuck's sake, why do we still trust them? Oh wait, the tv is on. Gotta go!

And just for fun, watch Billy Kristol during this Daily Show interview