# Neocons

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/neocons/226025>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [January 25, 2004, 6:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/neocons/226025 "2004-01-25T18:50:17Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Nobody](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/94ad74/32.png) [@Nobody](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nobody)\
**Post date:** [January 25, 2004, 6:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/neocons/226025/1 "2004-01-25T18:50:17Z")

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I keep hearing the term used a lot on this board, mainly in Great Debates. What exactly does that mean? I mean, I know the literal translation _Neo_ = New and _Con_ is short for conservative, but what are new conservatives and how do they differ from conservatives? Or is neocon just the new term to describe all conservatives?

I haven’t felt this confused about a political term since the 90’s when the term _Soccer mom_ was used, and it took me years to figure out what people were talking about. Actually, to be honest, I still don’t fully understand the meaning of that one either.

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**Author:** ![sibyl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b9e5f3/32.png) [@sibyl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sibyl)\
**Post date:** [January 25, 2004, 7:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/neocons/226025/2 "2004-01-25T19:41:41Z")

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[link=http://www.csmonitor.com/specials/neocon/neocon101.html]Neo-Con 101[/link]

Beyond their foreign policy, it is my understanding that they advocate strong social reform on the basis of Christian values (for example, “protecting the sanctity of marriage”) and they seem to be more economically liberal (spending government money more freely for their causes) than typical conservatives are.

Many neo-cons have high positions in the current administration.

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**Author:** ![sibyl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b9e5f3/32.png) [@sibyl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sibyl)\
**Post date:** [January 25, 2004, 7:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/neocons/226025/3 "2004-01-25T19:43:04Z")

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[err, link](http://www.csmonitor.com/specials/neocon/neocon101.html) :smack:

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**Author:** ![SPOOFE](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c5a1d2/32.png) [@SPOOFE](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SPOOFE)\
**Post date:** [January 25, 2004, 8:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/neocons/226025/4 "2004-01-25T20:05:48Z")

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Really? Weird. I got called a Neocon once… I asked the guy what he thought that meant, and he just said, “Republicans!”

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**Author:** ![Nobody](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/94ad74/32.png) [@Nobody](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nobody)\
**Post date:** [January 25, 2004, 8:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/neocons/226025/5 "2004-01-25T20:47:37Z")

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I think I understand better now. Thanks.