Americans of all political stripes are turning inward. Public support for American global leadership, U.S.-backed military alliances, foreign aid, and free trade are low. Majorities now oppose the wars in Afghanistan and Libya.
But politicians — especially those with national aspirations — ought to think twice before embracing isolationism.
The post-WWII consensus behind American supremacy has endured through periods far more difficult than today’s political climate. Popular opinion in favor of American retrenchment was high after Democrat and Republican presidents alike failed to win decisive victories in the Korean and Vietnam Wars. After the Cold War, political figures from Ted Kennedy to Jeanne Kirkpatrick — Reagan’s hawkish ambassador to the U.N. — advocated severe cuts in the defense budget to spend more at home. Yet overall support for American engagement in the world has remained steady through Democrat and Republican administrations and Congresses. From Thomas Dewey to John McCain, Republicans have consistently nominated internationalist hawks. On the Democrat side, presidential winners — even after the near break-up of the “Cold War consensus” — never veered too far to the left.
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Christian Hartsock
Christian Hartsock, 24, is a filmmaker, journalist and columnist. He earned his B.A. in Film and Video Production from Brooks Institute in Santa Barbara and currently produces, directs, and writes films including the music video for Guns ‘N Roses’ “Sorry,” as well as the conservative rap music video Victicrat and the short film Sycophant
which he wrote and directed, as well as the award-winning feature film The Lives of Better Men which he produced.
Hartsock directed the undercover investigation video Teachers Unions Gone Wild which exposed sleaze and corruption in the New Jersey Education Association, earning the accolades of Governor Chris Christie, and produced B-roll for James O’Keefe’s and Hannah Giles’ investigation videos that brought down ACORN. He also exposed racism against Clarence Thomas at a left-wing Common Cause rally, doctors issuing fraudulent sick notes to union teachers in Wisconsin, the International Socialist Agenda behind Wisconsin union organizers, ignorance and anti-Americanism at the U.N. Climate Summit in Cancun, and continues to work on investigative journalism videos. His videos have been the catalyst of legal and congressional investigations into the subjects exposed.
He traveled to Iraq with Move America Forward to document the final chapters of the Iraq war and was profiled in CNN’s documentary Right on the Edge a documentary about young conservative activists hosted by Abbie Boudreau, as well as a French TV documentary on Canal+ about the same topic, hosted by Sabrina van Tassel. Hartsock currently writes for several news and commentary websites, including Big Government and Big Journalism. His commentary has been discussed on Fox News’ Red Eye w/ Greg Gutfeld, his videos exhibited on Hannity's America and The Glenn Beck Program. He has appeared as a guest on several TV and radio talk shows over the years, including The Larry Elder Show. He was born in Oakland, California in 1986 and currently resides in Los Angeles.
Christian@DionysusProductions.net
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