In our interest.....the overlooked talking point

[DawnIsis]

I was just listening to Talk of the Nation on NPR in which John Bolton was answering questions. On several occasions he used the phrase "in our interest" to defend his positions.

We've all heard this phrase from politicians, Bush uses it all the time. We do this "cuz it's in our interest". No one ever questions who decided it was in our interest or who decided how to achieve these interests. The only answers we ever receive are talking points.

I think it is clear that there are many different views on what is in the best interest of our country and it is upsetting that the MSM never questions our leaders on the philosophical basis for their view of what is in our interest.

The "Neo-Conservatives" are a Republican strain of a philosophical viewpoint. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neoconservative

This group of "thinkers" has developed a philosophy of what THEY believe to be "our interests" and how to achieve those interests. Bush is THEIR strategy as President to achieve their goals. I think it is obvious that the neocons realized that their philosophy cannot be implemented in a mere 8 year term of one President they must totally dominate all facets of our society i.e. the media and the judicial branch

So how would this group insure their strategy doesn't die with Bush? Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm could it be they decided it was "in our interest" to fix the elections. It is also "in our interest" that Democrats be labeled traitors and enemies of "our interests"?

It is time for the MSM to stop allowing neocons to hide behind "in our interest" when they are answering questions.

[mahina]

1. Time for us to use this powerful language tool.

Interest based negotiation works. Let's use it!

Is it in our interest to spend more of our tax money on military spending than the rest of the world combined?
Is it in our interest to conquer the world for Exxon?
Is it in our interest to see our veterans come home to poor health care?
Is in in our interest to borrow from our grandchildren to give tax cuts to zillionairs?

Etc.

[primative1]

2. It gets used both ways ...

I have heard Iraq refered to as "not in the national interest" by quite a few dems .... its a PC way of saying the same thing we say.

[DawnIsis]

3. But the neocons are implementing a well thought out plan of total domination

to achieve what they believe is "in our interests" and they will stop at nothing to reach their long term vision of our society. This is what we need to start pointing out when they use the phrase "in our interest" to defend their positions.

[primative1]

4. Hmm ...

Its easy enough for me to assume that if I am listening to someone like Bolton say "our" he is not refering to some group that includes me :)

[Lobster Martini]

5. On my Venn diagram, Bolton's interests and mine don't intersect

On my Venn diagram, Bolton's interests and mine don't intersect. They're not even on the same diagram.

It would be nice if the words "in our interest" were replaced by the words "it's the right thing to do." I don't expect it to happen soon. (Ignore me. I must be getting old and cynical.)

[Lobster Martini]

7. Pardon my poor manners. Hello, DawnIsis. Nice to see a new contributor.

n/t

[DawnIsis]

6. Exactly what he is really saying is it is in the neoconservatives interest

and Bolton is a neocon. It has nothing to do with "our" interest IN FACT, the Democrats are viewed by the neocons as enemies because our philosophy doesn't have the same objective.

Yet anytime the neocons make these blanket statement of what is best for our country the MSM lets it slide.

[leftofthedial]

8. not to mention, that there is no clear definition of to whom "our" refers

"our" might simply mean the crony capitalists who are the beneficiaries of the bush cabal's crimes.

[dave_p]

9. Yes, and...

... don't anyone imagine you're necessarily part of the nation that gets to have the "national interest". Remember that wartime tax break for the rich? Remember "You work three jobs? That's fantastic"? It's not even that they're crooks, it's that the the other 300 million Americans may as well be Martians: they're not even on the radar.