America Needs Freedom Conservatives

More than a decade ago, in the aftermath of the Great Recession and its dramatic electoral consequences, former Clinton campaign fundraiser Nancy Jacobson and former GOP congressman Tom Davis started a group called No Labels. Over the years, other prominent Republicans and Democrats attached themselves to it, such as current co-chairs Joe Lieberman and Larry Hogan. Because I’ve been spending an increasing share of my own professional time fostering constructive engagement across political differences, much of the rhetoric of No Labels is appealing to me. Our current moment “demands American leaders and citizens alike declare their freedom from the anger and divisiveness that are ruining our politics and most importantly, our country,” the organization states. Agreed.

Nevertheless, I reject the very concept of “no labels.” Without affixing names to political ideas, and to the movements that champion them, meaningful conversation about politics becomes impossible. This observation applies to ideological divides between the Left (broadly construed) and the Right (ditto). It also applies to debates within these sprawling political coalitions, like the one currently raging between those who call themselves National Conservatives and those who do not.

About the Author

John Hood

John Hood is president of the John William Pope Foundation, a North Carolina-based grantmaker, and co-founder of Freedom Conservatism.

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More than a decade ago, in the aftermath of the Great Recession and its dramatic electoral consequences, former Clinton campaign fundraiser Nancy Jacobson and former GOP congressman Tom Davis started a group called No Labels. Over the years, other prominent Republicans and Democrats attached themselves to it, such as current co-chairs Joe Lieberman and Larry Hogan. Because I’ve been spending an increasing share of my own professional time fostering constructive engagement across political differences, much of the rhetoric of No Labels is appealing to me. Our current moment “demands American leaders and citizens alike declare their freedom from the anger and divisiveness that are ruining our politics and most importantly, our country,” the organization states. Agreed.

Nevertheless, I reject the very concept of “no labels.” Without affixing names to political ideas, and to the movements that champion them, meaningful conversation about politics becomes impossible. This observation applies to ideological divides between the Left (broadly construed) and the Right (ditto). It also applies to debates within these sprawling political coalitions, like the one currently raging between those who call themselves National Conservatives and those who do not.