Candidates Jointly Pledge to Keep the Devil Way Down in the Hole

"Or maybe McCain just thinks that Omar was a total badass. We can all agree on that, right?"

Oh, Indeed.

Seriously, though, it does surprise me that anyone from the right wing would appreciate the politics of the show. Maybe there's more hope for humanity than I had previously been led to believe. . .

Or, James, you could look at inner-city Baltimore and see a landscape of one-party, Democratic/liberal rule, where Republicans/conservatives are never elected, and the Democratic primary is the only thing that matters (Carcetti's big win over Mayor Royce was in the Democratic primary -- his victory in the general was never in doubt because no Republican could get elected in Baltimore).
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Extending the analogy further (and, admittedly, in a way some might disagree with), truly conservative/libertarian ideas actually FLOURISH and SUCCEED on the Wire. Take, for example, Bunny Colvin's decriminalization of the "victimless" crime of drug abuse in New Hamsterdam -- it eliminated much of the violence, allowed aid organizations/faith-based groups to attempt rehabilitation and/or safe needle-sharing, and generally made Baltimore safer -- a very libertarian/conservative approach.

Or the role of faith-based organizations -- all the thugs know that Barksdale went too far when he ordered a hit on Omar when Omar was going to church with his grandma, and Bubbles found salvation from drug abuse, in part, due to a faith-based narcotics anonymous-type program.

Or the idea that traditional, two-parent households are ideal/preferable for raising kids -- Namond suffered when his dad was locked up in jail, but flourished when he moved in with Bunny Colvin and his wife, for example. Not to mention the fact that Namond ended up in a private school (versus Baltimore's decrepit public schools, where computers remained locked up in the basement, unused), a statement in potential favor of vouchers over our current publicly funded system.

Not to mention the fact that the show's entire conceit -- the collection of evidence in criminal investigations through warrants and wire-taps -- concerns the Fourth Amendment prohibition on searches and seizures, and the idea (fiercely debated even amongst conservatives, but also between conservatives and liberals) whether evidence obtained without a warrant should be excluded from trial (some say that its perverse to exclude probitive evidence simply because it was obtained without a warrant or thru a proper search -- these "conservatives" would be in favor or Herc and Carver's use of "Fuzzy Dunlop" to cover up what was otherwise a warrantless wire tap).

In short, James, there is PLENTY to recommend to conservatives about The Wire....David Simon might not agree, but he actually makes a powerful statement FOR many conservative/libertarian values.

@shara says -- see? My defense of enjoying "The Wire" as a conservative....an "Obamacan" conservative, but a conservative nonetheless.

Frankly, this alone might be an interesting idea for a column....A Conservative Praises "The Wire"....might have to start working on that one.....

@chaddogg - very interesting perspective. Although many on the left, myself included, would highly support decriminalization of victimless crimes (its hard for me to imagine that a lot of non-Libertarian Republicans would support ending the drug war), respect the role of spirituality in healing individuals and communities (while protecting the lines between church and state), and mourn the disintegration of the stable, two-parent family structure (while understanding that "family" can mean many different things). Glad there's common ground there. But then again, the liberal-conservative spectrum isn't incredibly comprehensive anyway (I'm definitely on the libertarian side as far as social issues go, but support government limits on the excesses of the market).

@chaddogg and shara says: I'm going to have to agree with shara says. Libertarianism and the Republican party are pretty distant from one another, so while I can see some kinds of "conservative" arguments in The Wire, I don't think a great deal of the Republican base would agree with the assertions you've made. In fact, I would think a lot more resistance to, say, marijuana legalization comes from "the right" than the left.

1st off: james, wordpress? lame.
@chad i think what you argue there is more what a libertarian would like about the Wire rather than a conservative. Something like Hamsterdam seems like an idea that conservatives would reject out of hand, they're only concerned about keeping government out of the economy you know, they're all for getting the govt involved in what you do with your body. And really, as for the value of the two parent home, there is undoubtedly some, but you have to think Namon benefited most from not living with a mother who pushed him out on the street to sell drugs. In fact the Wire has several examples of successful single parents: Kima's ex (and Kima herself in season 5), Bede Russle, McNulty's ex, Randy's foster mom.
But in the end i think McCain likes the Wire cuz EVERYBODY likes the Wire. Its only one of the greatest tv shows ever, its thought provoking, funny, moving, its freakin great. If McCain didn't like it, i'd recomend checking his pulse.

@shara says -- I should note those are just ideas off the top of my slightly right of center head...
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From a more "federalist" idea of conservatism, I think the best example is Baltimore's reliance on federal handouts and the entanglements involved as an example of why "states-rights" conservatism is a good idea. For example, the teachers teaching with Pryz are all "teaching to the test" to comply with No Child Left Behind -- a federal entaglement with local school systems that is demonstrated to be a failure by the show. The answer is not more money for local schools from the federal government, but rather more local choice on how to address the problems their schools are facing without federal entanglement -- hence why Bunny Colvin wanted to take the small class out of the system to teach them basic survival/proper behavior before they could even really hope to begin to learn school subjects.
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Throw into that mix Baltimore police's detrimental reliance/hope for FBI assistance -- instead of addressing their crime problems internally and looking for ready solutions, much time and effort is wasted trying to build their drug case into a federal crime. Nevermind that federal crimes generally have weak constitutional underpinning (interstate commerce -- really?) in violation of conservative principles.
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And finally New Hamsterdam -- an example of a local "experiment" that a federalist system should embrace, but federal government forbids. For example, many states used to have 18+ drinking ages, until Congress passed a law denying federal highway funds to states unless they increased the limit to 21. States should be free to set their own laws/drinking ages/approaches to fighting violence by decriminalizing drugs, but the federal government's incessant grab for power makes that impossible. A "conservative" (and don't get me started on the idea that "Republicans" are "conservative" -- they are not, at least not lately) would applaud a local solution to a local problem like New Hamsterdam, even while admitting such a solution would be inapplicable/wrong for other communities.

@carlos and deepfrieddm: Again, that is a confusion of "conservative" with "Republican" -- two mostly distinct entities. Conservatism at its core is about: 1) restriction of the power of the federal government, and indeed government overall, to do only those things that are not provided by the open market (pollution control, military/police, etc.); 2) embracing states' rights to experiment free from federal interference; 3) open markets and limited (although not absent) regulation of markets; 4) Constitutional supremacy over all other laws.
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Unfortunately, modern "Republicans" have gotten "conservative" defined as "moral crusaders" or the "religious right" -- a very ironic and altogether inappropriate definition. While "conservatives" and the "religious right" can happen to agree on a topic -- i.e. the correctness of Roe v. Wade -- they frequently DISAGREE on the rationale (conservatives believe that the Constitution says nothing about abortion as a right, and believe states should be free to pick their own abortion policies in our federal system INCLUDING a state's right to be pro-choice; the religious right believe Roe v. Wade is wrong because abortion is murder). But they are distinctly different animals.
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If John McCain is a "conservative" (as I secretly suspect he is; I think he hates and regrets pandering to the religious right in this election), he could appreciate The Wire's conservative teachings. As a "Republican" (or "religious right Republican"), he'd have a MUCH harder time doing so.

One other note -- David Simon frequently described The Wire as Greek, rather than Shakespearian, tragedy. In other words, forces larger than the actors/characters themselves (whether it be the Gods/God, the fates, or in the case of The Wire, the entire economic/political/social system) were conspiring to bring about their downfall.
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If you accept Simon's idea, and you accept conservatism as the idea of limited government, than the idea of The Wire as a conservative show plays even more strongly: a system powerful enough to destroy our lives needs powerful checks on its power. That being said, I think Simon would advocate more use of government to address the wrongs he sees (and displays in the Wire) in society -- but the opposite point (all-powerful institutions bringing ruin upon individuals) is also persuasive.

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@chaddogg: Yeah, I recognize the difference between Republicans and conservatives/federalists or libertarians, I just think that, for better or worse, the word conservative itself has changed and even if you used to own it, you have to clarify what you mean when you say it now.

As for the Greek tragedy aspect, I don't think The Wire is anti-government (or, really, anti-creation of new systems). The government gets a lot wrong, but it partially thwarts a lot of other systems as well. It's just another god, as it were. What's one more god when you have a thriving pantheon?

@deepfrieddm: Like other politically-charged words, I'm taking back "conservative" from the religious right. Someone who is very religious can be "conservative" (i.e. in favor of a limited government, states' rights, constitutional supremacy, etc.), but you're not "conservative" merely BECAUSE you're a member of the religious right.
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As for Greek tragedy and The Wire, I think the problem is that whenever you add another "god" to the Pantheon (i.e. add a paternalistic, meddling government to the "gods" of capitalism, culture, religion, and addiction), you have one more source that can cause trouble, or, worse, meddle with another "god" to increase the pain or entrench problems (i.e. Stringer the drug lord funnelling money to Clay Davis made corrupt politicians AND violent drug lords more entrenched and more powerful over the people of Baltimore).

@deepfrieddm: "Yeah, I recognize the difference between Republicans and conservatives/federalists or libertarians, I just think that, for better or worse, the word conservative itself has changed and even if you used to own it, you have to clarify what you mean when you say it now."

I'd echo that - despite what "conservative" may have meant in the past, about limited government etc, it has come to encompass social conservatives who want the govenrment to take a heavy hand in legislating behavior and morality. Maybe that's a divide (which would find many parallels in on the left) that is hurting the party and alienating supporters who are coming from these different visions of "conservatism".

@Chaddogg, I'm definitely a fan of anti-co-optation efforts, so more power to you. I'm taking back patriotism and pro-Americanism for the left, since the right seems intent on cornering that particular market.

As one of those really, really evil conservatives - one of the guys who was glad when Cheney was added to the Bush ticket, I can say that The Wire was a great show that did a much better job of showing the weaknesses of the typical solutions that come from the Left.
Can you imagine a more corrupt or poorer functioning system than Baltimore's police department? McNulty sidelined because he wanted to solve crimes, not just clear cases. Freeman (probably the best cop in the whole series) shipped off to the property department as punishment for disobeying a bad order from the higher ups. Rawls and Burrell constantly acting as corrupt road blocks to any real crime fighting going on. The majority of the police force being barely competent and barely engaged, waiting patiently to collect their pensions for 20 years of service.
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And you guys wonder why we don't want a national health care system? The last thing I want is a Chief of Medical Burrell or Rawls deciding which services I'm entitled to!
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Regarding Hampsterdam, apparently many of you saw that part of the series as a success. I saw that, while it did reduce violence on the streets, it did so at the cost of creating a cesspool of vile behavior that claimed many lives - Bub's "green" friend included. And the voice of the minister who disapproved of Bunny's decisions was not only included, but allowed to exist in a rational fashion (unlike the conservative punch-line characters we typically get on TV) I don't think anybody remembering the scenes of the children left to sit on the Hampsterdam steps while their parent was off doing whatever could fully disagree with the Minister's point. And indeed, Bunny was troubled by all of that.
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I could go on about the rest of the bureaucracies depicted in The Wire, but they all followed the same story: Red tape, regulation, and BS statistics all produced bad results, administrators who leeched resources from the system and made everything less effective, and the few skilled and committed players within those systems faced nearly impossible uphill battles to get their jobs done on a daily basis.
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Besides all of that, the show was wonderfully written, and full of compelling characters.
And Omar was indeed a bad-ass. I'm still bummed out by the way he went out. That wasn't right!
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All political vitriol aside, you guys shouldn't be surprised that even Neanderthall Re-Thug-licans like myself enjoyed a high quality series like The Wire so tremendously.
Your surprise reveals much about your own prejudices.