Political Cortex: Brain Food for the Body Politic

On July 8, 2004, U.S. Rep. Tom Feeney (R-FL) unveiled the Republican Study Committee "Conservative Check Cards" at a press conference.

The cards are wallet-sized and list six conservative principles held by RSC members. The press release about the cards said that they "are a great tool in communicating the conservative message to constituents, colleagues, lobbyists, and other interested parties."

[Because, it seems, conservatives like to have a little card they can carry around that tells them what to think. It's just a security blanket, really. It's comforting. It's not that conservatives can't think for themselves--no one's suggesting that--it's just that it feels good to be able to check that you're not accidentally thinking something you shouldn't be thinking.]

Grover Norquist, the president of the Americans for Tax Reform, who attended the press conference where the Conservative Check Cards were unveiled, said "George Orwell once told us that the restatement of the obvious is the first duty of intelligent men. These cards will help conservatives remember why it was that they came to Washington."

[Washington is a really crazy town. You wouldn't believe how easy it is to forget what you're doing and the next thing you know you're voting for levee repairs and protecting endangered species and all sorts of wacky things. N.b., this diarist also finds it quite amusing that Grover Norquist quoted George Orwell, the man who coined the word "GOODTHINK, CRIMETHINK and DUCKSPEAK". More on that later.]

The Conservative Check Cards are printed with the following 6 principles on them:
[this diarist has added helpful notes in square brackets for conservatives who may be confused]

1. Less Government

Does the bill tend to reduce government regulations, size of government, eliminate entitlements, or unnecessary programs?

     [Cut worker "safety" regulations, "child" labor laws, etc.]

2. Lower Taxes

Does the bill promote individual responsibility in spending, or reduce taxes or fees?

     [Cut assistance for the poor. Free corporations from the burden of taxes.]

3. Personal Responsibility

Does the bill encourage responsible behavior by individuals and families and encourage them to provide for their own health, safety, education, moral fortitude, or general welfare?

     [Individuals should clean up their own air and water and they should homeschool their kids.]

4. Individual Freedom

Does the bill increase opportunities for individuals or families to decide, without hindrance or coercion from government, how to conduct their own lives and make personal choices?

     [This does NOT apply to abortion. In matters of abortion, the government should make the decisions. Also, individuals are not allowed to have gay sex, which does not result in pregnancy.]

5. Stronger Families

Does the bill enhance the traditional American family and its power to rear children without excessive interference from the government?

     [Once we force unwanted pregnancies to be carried to term, our job is done. Unless, of course, the children later enter a persistent vegetative state.]

6. Domestic Tranquility, National Defense

Does the bill enhance American security without unduly burdening civil liberty?

     [Note that there is only one civil liberty: gun ownership.]

Which brings me back to Orwell and Doubleplusgood Duckspeakers.

The purpose of Newspeak in 1984 was to diminish the very possibility of independent thought.

The intention was to make speech as nearly as possible independent of consciousness. . . . A Party member called upon to make a speech should be able to spray forth the correct opinions as automatically as a machine gun spraying forth bullets.

Newspeak vocabulary grew smaller instead of larger every year. Each reduction was a gain, since the smaller the area of choice, the smaller the temptation to take thought. Ultimately it was hoped to make articulate speech issue from the larynx without involving the higher brain centers at all. This aim was frankly admitted in the Newspeak word "duckspeak," meaning "to quack like a duck." When one of the orators of the Party was said to be a "doubleplusgood duckspeaker," he was being paid a warm and valued compliment.
(thanks to Smintheus for the second paragraph)

The important part being the correct opinions, which is what the RSC's Conservative Check Cards reminded me of. The object seems to be to diminish independent thought and enforce adherence to a set of prescribed opinions.

Note that I don't think this parallel between 1984 and the RSC should be pushed too far. The RSC are not fictional, after all, and the real world is much more complex. (Though the comparison is fun for Sunday afternoon blogging!)