RE: Neo-cons...

What is your definition of "neo-con"???

They were originally Nixon-era socialists who adopted a more aggressive social conservatism. Bill Kristol is a good example. They didn't "become" conservatives, they changed the meaning of conservative. They found a useful sock-puppet in Bush and overthrew Reagan conservatism under the "compassionate conservatism" banner. They fooled a lot of people. Heck, it took Peggy Noonan until last month to figure it out. They took control of the GOP leadership. Of late, I have come to believe they actually took control when the Gingrich "revolution" flamed out. That's about the time DeLay came to power, which is why I offered the idea that he is a prototypical neo-con.

They were never actually "liberals," or even "progressives." They were (and still are) all about central economic planning and social largesse, which is why I call them neo-Marxists. They also believe that their style of utopian social democracy is so perfect that it needs to be exported around the world, even under duress if necessary. That's why I call them neo-Jacobins.