Literally. And they've infected many universities and instituted or infiltrated many right-leaning think tanks.
SOME of the neocons were in previous administrations which automatically gives them an aura of respectability (Rumsfeld, Wolfowitz, Perle, Cheney, Feith I think, and others).
Here are some links you should know about, if not bookmark and actually read (thanks to Stephanie for her astounding work re PNAC):
PNAC
PNAC Publications page:
http://www.newamericancentury.org/publicationsreports.h... PNAC - The Links Archive
http://www.democraticunderground.com/cgi-bin/duforum/du... NEW: PNAC Links Archive (Redux)
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.ph... New to DU? Here's your =======> Intro to PNAC (Stephanie)
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.ph... A repost thread: New to DU? Here's your =======> Intro to PNAC
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.ph... Kerry, the New Democrats, and American Military Hegemony
http://www.democraticunderground.cm/discuss/duboard.php... PNAC 101 - Stealth Coup of the WH and Rise of the Neocons
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.ph... Rice And Her Deputy (Stephen) Hadley Advance- Wizards Come From Behind The Curtain (Nov. 16, 2004)
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.ph... NEO-CONS
One more time: LEO STRAUSS AND THE NEO-CONS
http://www.democraticunderground.com/cgi-bin/duforum/du... WAKE UP! - Strauss / Neocons and Terror PLUS dire warnings
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.ph... Leo Strauss and the Noble Lie: The Neo-Cons at War
http://www.logosjournal.com/mason.htm Straussian.net -- Leo Strauss and the History of Political Thought
(with Discussion Forums! Book Reviews and a News Blog)
http://www2.bc.edu/~wilsonop/strauss.html Leo Strauss' Philosophy of Deception
By Jim Lobe, AlterNet. Posted May 19, 2003.
http://www.alternet.org/story/15935 linked to from this thread: Has Straussian ideology permeated the GOP?
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.ph... Eurolegal Services - Neoconservatives
http://www.eurolegal.org/useur/usneocon.htm