Stop calling JFK conservative: The right’s favorite new lie is filled with historical flaws

[DonViejo]

The right's embrace of JFK is filled with historical flaws on taxes and abortion -- and ignores his real record

BY PAUL ROSENBERG

Conservatives have two favorite ways to deal with liberals. The first, Plan A, is to slander and demonize them. It was part of Rick Santorum’s shtick, for example, to blast John F. Kennedy for supposedly kicking religion out of public life — or at least getting the ball rolling. As he told ABC’s George Stephanopoulos early in 2012, “Kennedy for the first time articulated the vision saying, no, ‘faith is not allowed in the public square. I will keep it separate.’ Go on and read the speech ‘I will have nothing to do with faith. I won’t consult with people of faith.’“Of course Santorum was lying about what Kennedy said in his famous Houston speech on separation of church and state, where he allayed Protestant fears that he would rule as an agent of the Vatican, rather than simply as an American citizen.

But it wasn’t just Kennedy’s own words that refuted Santorum’s claim. More important, as I explained in a column for Al Jazeera English, Kennedy refuted Santorum’s slander with his actions as well:

Kennedy never shunned religious leaders. To the contrary, on June 17, 1963, just two days before he introduced the Civil Rights Act (passed after his death), Kennedy met with a delegation of 250 religious leaders to discuss the issue. The meeting was held in the East Room of White House and Kennedy arranged for a follow-up process as well. What he did not do was take religious instructions, as opposed to exchanging ideas and opinions.

So much for conservatives’ “Plan A” — slandering JFK. Now conservatives are trying “Plan B” – pretending that Kennedy was actually a conservative all along, just in time for the 50th anniversary of his assassination. They’ve tried this repeatedly with Dr. Martin Luther King, but they never get any traction outside of the Fox News crowd — though not for lack of trying. Now they’re going after Kennedy as well, lead by Ira Stoll and his new book, “JFK, Conservative.”

full article
http://www.salon.com/2013/11/03/stop_calling_jfk_conservative_the_rights_favorite_new_lie_is_filled_with_historical_flaws/

[shenmue]

1. Oh good Lord

Have they no shame? Is there anyone whose past they won't try to claim?

Dead people aren't here to defend themselves against lies.

Kennedy was a liberal and a good one and proud of it.

[MADem]

2. He believed in social programs, the safety net, and "a rising tide lifts all boats."

He was also a strong advocate for both public service and a healthy, prepared and professional military.

He was never a conservative. That's just silliness.

We can cherry-pick Reagan's comments all day (particularly vis a vis social security and medicare) and fashion him as a liberal, if we'd like. That might make a few heads explode.

[bemildred]

3. It's kind of telling that they want to own JFK, not Raygun now.

They did that back in the 70s and 80s too, all liberal as hell in public, because they knew then, like they know now, that the public does not support what they want to do.

[RussBLib]

4. conservative? yeah, rrright

I guess that's why the military-industrial complex murdered him.

[Iceberg Louie]

5. And more so why their spinmasters worked overtime

to paint their patsy as a hardcore Marxist, somehow carrying out the wet dream of the conservative extremists in a city packed with John Birchers...

I guess that's a whole separate thread, but you are correct...