"As a freethinker and an old-style atheist, he had a need to discourse from time to time on lofty matters." (from The Village of Stepanchikovo by Fyodor Dostoyevsky)
From "compassionate conservatism" under Bush to Teddy Roosevelt-style populism under McCain, the Republicans move us steadily toward statism. Bush stole our money and expanded welfare spending in the name of "compassion." McCain trashes the drug and oil companies (and is an anti-global warming environmentalist) to mimic Teddy Roosevelt's "maverick" anti-business, environmentalist Republicanism.
To both of them, I say "no."
Myrhaf, thank you for your frequent astute observations of both candidates. I look forward to your new observations as we grind through the next few months toward the election.
Someone (I think it was the Russian dissident Vladimir Bukovsky) once referred to World War II, from the perspective of Russians, as the "great war to determine the color of our concentration camps, Red or Brown [i.e., Communist or Nazi]."
Our election is the great contest to determine the color of our politics: bloody gray or bloody gray. It is a dismal choice.
(Incidentally, if someone put a gun to me and told me I had to vote, I would vote for Obama. I am more afraid of the Religious Right than anything. Moreover, when Obama's statist policies fail, "capitalism" won't get blamed. Instead, socialism/welfare statism will get blamed.
On that point, I am actually thankful that Bush constantly refers to his program as "compassionate conservatism" more than "free markets." That way, his ridiculous policies are more likely to get tagged as the former and not the latter.)
"I am more afraid of the Religious Right than anything."
You might as well say you fear Ned Flanders more than Pol Pot.
Myrhaf did have a *rational* reason for vote for Obama earlier below-- Obama is a pussy with no principles that wants to be liked more than anything else. McCain in contrast endured over five years of torture in a socialist POW camp; the feelings of other people are less of an influence on his behavior. This means that we can twist Obama's arm to support conservative policies, but McCain will stubbornly go his own way even to promote socialist slop. Longterm voting for O might be better-- it is an interesting argument.
Still, on the foreign policy front, McCain will be loyal to the Republic and maintain its security. Obama in contrast wants to be liked by every theocrat and dictator under the sun.
From "compassionate conservatism" under Bush to Teddy Roosevelt-style populism under McCain, the Republicans move us steadily toward statism. Bush stole our money and expanded welfare spending in the name of "compassion." McCain trashes the drug and oil companies (and is an anti-global warming environmentalist) to mimic Teddy Roosevelt's "maverick" anti-business, environmentalist Republicanism.
ReplyDeleteTo both of them, I say "no."
Myrhaf, thank you for your frequent astute observations of both candidates. I look forward to your new observations as we grind through the next few months toward the election.
Someone (I think it was the Russian dissident Vladimir Bukovsky) once referred to World War II, from the perspective of Russians, as the "great war to determine the color of our concentration camps, Red or Brown [i.e., Communist or Nazi]."
Our election is the great contest to determine the color of our politics: bloody gray or bloody gray. It is a dismal choice.
(Incidentally, if someone put a gun to me and told me I had to vote, I would vote for Obama. I am more afraid of the Religious Right than anything. Moreover, when Obama's statist policies fail, "capitalism" won't get blamed. Instead, socialism/welfare statism will get blamed.
On that point, I am actually thankful that Bush constantly refers to his program as "compassionate conservatism" more than "free markets." That way, his ridiculous policies are more likely to get tagged as the former and not the latter.)
GB, thanks. Once I'm done with the play I'm in, I look forward to having some time to read your essay in the Objective Standard.
ReplyDeleteI welcome your comments.
ReplyDelete"I am more afraid of the Religious Right than anything."
ReplyDeleteYou might as well say you fear Ned Flanders more than Pol Pot.
Myrhaf did have a *rational* reason for vote for Obama earlier below-- Obama is a pussy with no principles that wants to be liked more than anything else. McCain in contrast endured over five years of torture in a socialist POW camp; the feelings of other people are less of an influence on his behavior. This means that we can twist Obama's arm to support conservative policies, but McCain will stubbornly go his own way even to promote socialist slop. Longterm voting for O might be better-- it is an interesting argument.
Still, on the foreign policy front, McCain will be loyal to the Republic and maintain its security. Obama in contrast wants to be liked by every theocrat and dictator under the sun.