--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: We now know that a neo-conservative is an…" description: "\"We now know that a neo-conservative is an arsonist who sets the house on fire and six years later boasts that no one can put it out.\" — Bill Moyers" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/499/bill-moyers-2625_arsonist_we-now-know-that-a-neo-conservative-is-a_1543389.jpg" --- # We now know that a neo-conservative is an arsonist who… ![“We now know that a neo-conservative is an arsonist who sets the house on fire and six years later boasts that no one can put it out.” quote by Bill Moyers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/499/bill-moyers-2625_arsonist_we-now-know-that-a-neo-conservative-is-a_1543389.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/499/bill-moyers-2625_arsonist_we-now-know-that-a-neo-conservative-is-a_1543389.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/499/bill-moyers-2625_arsonist_we-now-know-that-a-neo-conservative-is-a_1543389.jpg) > “We now know that a neo-conservative is an arsonist who sets the house on fire and six years later boasts that no one can put it out.” [Bill Moyers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-moyers/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Neo‑conservatives are likened to arsonists who create crises and then claim they can’t be solved. **In simple terms:** They create problems and claim they’re unsolvable. Key Takeaway Question political motives critically. Themes politics neo‑conservatism media Mood analytical skeptical Type statement observation When to use this quote - policy analysis - media literacy - public discourse Key Concepts propaganda crisis creation Questions to Reflect On - How do you assess political rhetoric? - What evidence supports such claims? A Different Perspective Not all conservatives fit this label; risk of overgeneralization. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Arsonist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/arsonist/) [Arsonist Sets](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/arsonist-sets-5753400/) [Arsonists](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/arsonists/) [Boast](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/boast/) [Conservative](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/conservative/) [Conservative Arsonist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/conservative-arsonist-5753399/) [Fire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fire/) [House](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/house/) [Knows](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/knows/) [Neo Conservative](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/neo-conservative-1826030/) [Political](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/political/) [Six](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/six/) [Years](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/years/) ## Related quotes > [Revenge is the raging fire that consumes the arsonist.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-lucado/revenge-is-the-raging-fire-that-consumes-the-arsonist/) [Max Lucado](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-lucado/) > [God is a refiner, not an arsonist.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neva-coyle/god-is-a-refiner-not-an-arsonist/) [Neva Coyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neva-coyle/) > [A good organizer is a social arsonist who goes around setting people on fire.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-ross/a-good-organizer-is-a-social-arsonist-who-goes-around-setting-people/) [Fred Ross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-ross/) > [The serial arsonist is the most difficult to apprehend because the evidence is burned up.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-wambaugh/the-serial-arsonist-is-the-most-difficult-to-apprehend-because-the/) [Joseph Wambaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-wambaugh/) > [“I didn't realize there was a ranking." I said. "Sadie frowned. "What do you mean?" "A ranking," I said. "You know, what's crazier than…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-thomas-ford/i-didn-t-realize-there-was-a-ranking-i-said-sadie-frowned-what-do-you/) [Michael Thomas Ford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-thomas-ford/) > [The innovative leader has to be an arsonist and a firefighter.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-sloane/the-innovative-leader-has-to-be-an-arsonist-and-a-firefighter/) [Paul Sloane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-sloane/) > [What's taken God 200 years to create was wiped out in a couple of days by what was apparently an arsonist, And it just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-janklow/what-s-taken-god-200-years-to-create-was-wiped-out-in-a-couple-of/) [Bill Janklow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-janklow/) > [There is a division within the neo-conservative movement, which is, by the way, one of the tests of its authenticity as a tendency. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-hitchens/there-is-a-division-within-the-neo-conservative-movement-which-is-by/) [Christopher Hitchens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-hitchens/) > [ Kissinger-type foreign policy is clearly, in my view, the proper tilt for us in the future, and he \[Donald Trump\] gets it. And some… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-sessions/kissinger-type-foreign-policy-is-clearly-in-my-view-the-proper-tilt/) [Jeff Sessions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-sessions/) > [“I have been taunted on various platforms recently for becoming a neo-conservative, and have been the object of some fascinating web-site and blog stuff,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-hitchens/i-have-been-taunted-on-various-platforms-recently-for-becoming-a-neo/) [Christopher Hitchens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-hitchens/) > [It is said that a neo-conservative is a liberal who has been mugged by reality.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stockwell-day/it-is-said-that-a-neo-conservative-is-a-liberal-who-has-been-mugged/) [Stockwell Day](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stockwell-day/) > [I did not know in the beginning how important the trip would be but we knew that Iran was in the crosshairs of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-farrakhan/i-did-not-know-in-the-beginning-how-important-the-trip-would-be-but/) [Louis Farrakhan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-farrakhan/) > [“LIFE IS TOO SHORT TO BE UNHAPPY...SO LAUGH INSANELY, KISS SOFTLY, AND MAKE LOVE PASSIONATELY…”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/muffin/life-is-too-short-to-be-unhappy-so-laugh-insanely-kiss-softly-and/) [Muffin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/muffin/) > [“I LIKE FIRE... I LIKE THE WHOLE CONCEPT OF IT... I JUST COULDN'T STOP MYSELF FROM PLAYING WITH... - DOES it mean that I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deyth-banger/i-like-fire-i-like-the-whole-concept-of-it-i-just-couldn-t-stop/) [Deyth Banger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deyth-banger/) > [“The conscientious arsonist doesn't just set the building on fire; first he fills the fire extinguishers with petrol.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-holt/the-conscientious-arsonist-doesn-t-just-set-the-building-on-fire/) [Tom Holt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-holt/) ## More by Bill Moyers > [If the watchdog doesn't bark, how do you know there's a burglar in the basement? And the press is supposed to be a watchdog.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-moyers/if-the-watchdog-doesn-t-bark-how-do-you-know-there-s-a-burglar-in-the/) [Bill Moyers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-moyers/) > [David Rockefeller is the most conspicuous representative today of the ruling class, a multinational fraternity of men who shape the global economy and manage…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-moyers/david-rockefeller-is-the-most-conspicuous-representative-today-of-the/) [Bill Moyers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-moyers/) > [They're counting on your patriotism to distract you from their plunder. They're counting on you to be standing at attention with your hand over…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-moyers/they-re-counting-on-your-patriotism-to-distract-you-from-their/) [Bill Moyers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-moyers/) > [Charity provides crumbs from the table; justice offers a place at the table.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-moyers/charity-provides-crumbs-from-the-table-justice-offers-a-place-at-the/) [Bill Moyers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-moyers/) > [Conservatism is less a set of ideas than it is a pathological distemper, a militant anger over the fact that the universe is not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-moyers/conservatism-is-less-a-set-of-ideas-than-it-is-a-pathological/) [Bill Moyers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-moyers/) > [When the public loses faith in democracy's ability to solve the problems it has created for itself, the game's almost over. And I think…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-moyers/when-the-public-loses-faith-in-democracy-s-ability-to-solve-the/) [Bill Moyers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-moyers/) > [It's very difficult to measure the impact on policy of any investigative journalism. You hope it matters to let a little more truth loose…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-moyers/it-s-very-difficult-to-measure-the-impact-on-policy-of-any/) [Bill Moyers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-moyers/) > [Democracy works when people claim it as their own](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-moyers/democracy-works-when-people-claim-it-as-their-own/) [Bill Moyers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-moyers/) > [Sure enough, as merger has followed merger, journalism has been driven further down the hierarchy of values in the huge conglomerates that dominate what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-moyers/sure-enough-as-merger-has-followed-merger-journalism-has-been-driven/) [Bill Moyers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-moyers/) > [Unless you're willing to fight and refight the same battles until you go blue in the face, drive the people you work with nuts…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-moyers/unless-you-re-willing-to-fight-and-refight-the-same-battles-until-you/) [Bill Moyers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-moyers/) > [This is the first time in my 32 years in public broadcasting that PBS has ordered up programs for ideological instead of journalistic reasons.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-moyers/this-is-the-first-time-in-my-32-years-in-public-broadcasting-that-pbs/) [Bill Moyers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-moyers/) > [If being tolerant of differing opinions, if believing that America has to make it as a pluralistic nation, if being civil, if that makes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-moyers/if-being-tolerant-of-differing-opinions-if-believing-that-america-has/) [Bill Moyers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-moyers/) > [“Civilization is but a thin veneer stretched across the passions of the human heart. And civilization doesn't just happen; we have to make it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-moyers/civilization-is-but-a-thin-veneer-stretched-across-the-passions-of/) [Bill Moyers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-moyers/) > [I really believe that coincidence is God's way of remaining anonymous.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-moyers/i-really-believe-that-coincidence-is-god-s-way-of-remaining-anonymous/) [Bill Moyers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-moyers/) > [A profound transformation is happening here. The framers of our nation never envisioned these huge media giants; never imagined what could happen if big…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-moyers/a-profound-transformation-is-happening-here-the-framers-of-our-nation/) [Bill Moyers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-moyers/) [Explore all 157 Bill Moyers quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-moyers/) ## More Arsonist quotes > [“The conscientious arsonist doesn't just set the building on fire; first he fills the fire extinguishers with petrol.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-holt/the-conscientious-arsonist-doesn-t-just-set-the-building-on-fire/) [Tom Holt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-holt/) > [“I LIKE FIRE... I LIKE THE WHOLE CONCEPT OF IT... I JUST COULDN'T STOP MYSELF FROM PLAYING WITH... - DOES it mean that I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deyth-banger/i-like-fire-i-like-the-whole-concept-of-it-i-just-couldn-t-stop/) [Deyth Banger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deyth-banger/) > [What's taken God 200 years to create was wiped out in a couple of days by what was apparently an arsonist, And it just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-janklow/what-s-taken-god-200-years-to-create-was-wiped-out-in-a-couple-of/) [Bill Janklow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-janklow/) > [“LIFE IS TOO SHORT TO BE UNHAPPY...SO LAUGH INSANELY, KISS SOFTLY, AND MAKE LOVE PASSIONATELY…”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/muffin/life-is-too-short-to-be-unhappy-so-laugh-insanely-kiss-softly-and/) [Muffin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/muffin/) > [The innovative leader has to be an arsonist and a firefighter.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-sloane/the-innovative-leader-has-to-be-an-arsonist-and-a-firefighter/) [Paul Sloane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-sloane/) > [We have long known that former president Donald Trump is the kind of racial arsonist who brings a gas can to an inferno.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-capehart/we-have-long-known-that-former-president-donald-trump-is-the-kind-of/) [Jonathan Capehart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-capehart/) > [“The arsonist and the firefighter occupy the same ground; time is the only difference.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/faisal-khosa/the-arsonist-and-the-firefighter-occupy-the-same-ground-time-is-the/) [Faisal Khosa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/faisal-khosa/) > [“I didn't realize there was a ranking." I said. "Sadie frowned. "What do you mean?" "A ranking," I said. "You know, what's crazier than…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-thomas-ford/i-didn-t-realize-there-was-a-ranking-i-said-sadie-frowned-what-do-you/) [Michael Thomas Ford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-thomas-ford/) > [According to the oil and gas industry and their proponents, I am a communist, terrorist, Nazi, Russian-sympathizing, anti-American, arsonist, extremist.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josh-fox/according-to-the-oil-and-gas-industry-and-their-proponents-i-am-a/) [Josh Fox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josh-fox/) > [The serial arsonist is the most difficult to apprehend because the evidence is burned up.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-wambaugh/the-serial-arsonist-is-the-most-difficult-to-apprehend-because-the/) [Joseph Wambaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-wambaugh/) > [The professional arsonist builds vacant lots for money.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmy-breslin/the-professional-arsonist-builds-vacant-lots-for-money/) [Jimmy Breslin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmy-breslin/) > [I always had a pretty serious fascination with fire. Luckily I'm not an arsonist!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janet-varney/i-always-had-a-pretty-serious-fascination-with-fire-luckily-i-m-not/) [Janet Varney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janet-varney/) > [A good organizer is a social arsonist who goes around setting people on fire.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-ross/a-good-organizer-is-a-social-arsonist-who-goes-around-setting-people/) [Fred Ross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-ross/) > [“Not enough youths fighting windmills. And the old are fearful, jaded or dead. Do not ask me what to do. I am just as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/psyche-roxas-mendoza/not-enough-youths-fighting-windmills-and-the-old-are-fearful-jaded-or/) [psyche roxas-mendoza](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/psyche-roxas-mendoza/) > [God is a refiner, not an arsonist.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neva-coyle/god-is-a-refiner-not-an-arsonist/) [Neva Coyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neva-coyle/) [Browse all 23 Arsonist quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/arsonist/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "We now know that a neo-conservative is an arsonist who sets the house on fire and six years later boasts that no one can put it out.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Bill Moyers" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-moyers/we-now-know-that-a-neo-conservative-is-an-arsonist-who-sets-the-house/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Arsonist" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-moyers/we-now-know-that-a-neo-conservative-is-an-arsonist-who-sets-the-house/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/499/bill-moyers-2625_arsonist_we-now-know-that-a-neo-conservative-is-a_1543389.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/499/bill-moyers-2625_arsonist_we-now-know-that-a-neo-conservative-is-a_1543389.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/499/bill-moyers-2625_arsonist_we-now-know-that-a-neo-conservative-is-a_1543389.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“We now know that a neo-conservative is an arsonist who sets the house on fire and six years later boasts…” — Bill Moyers", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Bill Moyers", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-moyers/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "We now know that a neo-conservative...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-moyers/we-now-know-that-a-neo-conservative-is-an-arsonist-who-sets-the-house/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-moyers/we-now-know-that-a-neo-conservative-is-an-arsonist-who-sets-the-house/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```