tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25740524.post9009979514291416734..comments2024-03-11T13:16:19.098-04:00Comments on Ad Orientem: The Republican NaderitesUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger9125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25740524.post-51207069406752956742008-02-20T19:28:00.000-05:002008-02-20T19:28:00.000-05:00The economy is crumbling? We have historically lo...The economy is crumbling? We have historically low unemployment. A scant twelve years ago in high school I was reading a text that said that lower than 5% unemployment was an unattainable goal because of structural unemployment.<BR/><BR/>Whoops.<BR/><BR/>We also had production growth this quarter.<BR/><BR/>Whoops.<BR/><BR/>We're getting a wee bit spoiled.GK Chestertonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11412564496846777444noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25740524.post-22554818663434684782008-02-10T17:55:00.000-05:002008-02-10T17:55:00.000-05:00I think there's a good chance the McCain will win....I think there's a good chance the McCain will win. Amongst the people I know (I live in a blue state and don't run in "conservative" circles) genuinely like him. And these aren't people who like Bush. No one I know likes Bush. Or at least no one would dare admit in the middle of this blue state that they like Bush. <BR/><BR/>But people like McCain. And they like him even more now that Limbaugh, et al has taken him on because no one likes Limbaugh or Coulter or any of the rest of them. <BR/><BR/>As for the far right hating McCain it seems to me that they represent a small minority of the party. The hard-core GOP state I come from went for McCain in its primary. And the Evangelicals keep voting for Huckabee. That tells me that the rank and file isn't listening to Limbaugh or Dobson. <BR/><BR/>At the same time, I can't think of anyone off the top of my head who likes Hillary. I know people who like Obama but I think Hillary's going to get the nomination so that won't matter. <BR/><BR/>So for next november there will be a contest between someone the average moderate American likes the GOP candidate and doesn't really like the Dem candidate which gives McCain a huge advantage. Plus I think we can all anticipate the usual GOP swiftboat dirty tricks and there's plenty to get on Hillary. At the same time, McCain probably won't have any coattails so the Democrats will keep the House and Senate. <BR/><BR/>As much as I hate Bush, I think it might be a good thing to have McCain in the White House if the Democrats keep Congress. A divided government is probably a good thing.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25740524.post-77589341831788880542008-02-09T07:15:00.000-05:002008-02-09T07:15:00.000-05:00What really annoys me about the American 'Conserva...What really annoys me about the American 'Conservatives' is that they are not real conservatives! Real conservatives hate interventionism as it upsets the stable status quo. Intervention is only truly conservative if the status quo is not stable and it will damage your interests if it continues like this. True conservatives believe in monarchy where it is the tradition (ie: all Europe and Asia) and support Republics in traditionally republican areas (like the America's). Any total republican is not a true conservative. Any ideological support for liberal democracy is also un-conservative. True conservatives only support it where it is going to work. Anyone who ideologically insists on low taxes and a very free market is deeply DEEPLY unconservative. True conservatives have no problem with taxes (provided they are not overly redisributative) and are opposed to classical liberal attitudes to the poor (seeing them as uncaring and un-Christian). One can see this if one compares the 18th century aid to the poor in Britain with the 19th century aid (or rather lack of it). In the first case the conservative view is followed and the latter is the classical liberal view. Classical liberalism is the enemy of conservatism. It is in fact more opposed to conservatism in may ways than socialism.Unknownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12813595031543071453noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25740524.post-9450741299862054812008-02-08T21:13:00.000-05:002008-02-08T21:13:00.000-05:00Senator McCain gets an 83% rating from the Conserv...Senator McCain gets an 83% rating from the Conservative Union on his voting record.<BR/><BR/>ICXC<BR/>JohnJohn (Ad Orientem)https://www.blogger.com/profile/14329907942477160166noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25740524.post-74007314391059470272008-02-08T15:36:00.000-05:002008-02-08T15:36:00.000-05:00I am not planning to sit this one out. The reason ...I am not planning to sit this one out. The reason I posted was that I did not see a difference between what you did in 2006 and what you are complaining about now. It seems the same to me.<BR/><BR/>I do think that most of the people who will sit out in November, will think through the consequences and come to the same conclusion that you did. They will be willing to live with the consequences as well.<BR/><BR/>I too have had to hold my nose many times in the voting booth. Much of what is being said now about sitting out is simply frustration and disappointment at having to hold our noses again, instead of having someone who champions our beliefs. We don't need 100%, as was stated by Steve, but 80% or 90% would be nice. It would be great to be able to vote FOR someone instead of choosing the lesser of evils.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25740524.post-76087885955440501492008-02-08T12:54:00.000-05:002008-02-08T12:54:00.000-05:00A quick follow up to my previous post. Politicall...A quick follow up to my previous post. Politically I would almost certainly be considered a "liberal" by those planning on sitting the election in protest over McCain's nomination. After all I don't see Democrats as traitors but rather as fellow Americans, albeit misguided most of the time. <BR/><BR/>However my politics really don't fit neatly into either party since I am conservative in the classical sense of the term. I am something of a monarchist with some selective libertarian tendencies (see "cognitive dissonance" in the dictionary) stuck in a country which is, or purports to be, a constitutional republic. So when it comes right down to it every time I pull the lever I am voting for someone with whom I do not agree on many issues. Alas...<BR/><BR/>If only Hamilton had been a better shot...<BR/><BR/>ICXC <BR/>JohnJohn (Ad Orientem)https://www.blogger.com/profile/14329907942477160166noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25740524.post-58678359678116614342008-02-08T12:45:00.000-05:002008-02-08T12:45:00.000-05:00Anonymous,You make a fair point. However I will n...Anonymous,<BR/>You make a fair point. However I will note that my decision to sit out the last election had a couple of significant differences. <BR/><BR/>First, I was protesting corruption on the part of an entire party. Those sitting out this election are doing so purely out of personal spite and because he did not tow their line 100% of the time on their agenda. Secondly, the presidency was not at stake the last time round. I specifically noted that with George Bush in office a Democratic Congress would be prevented from doing too much damage. One of the very few nice things I will say about Bush is that he did suddenly remember he has a VETO pen after the Democrats took over last year.<BR/><BR/>There have been many times I have swallowed hard and pulled the lever for men I did not agree with and did not even particularly like because the danger of doing otherwise was too great. It's called the lesser of evils. You are perfectly free to vote for whom you wish or not to vote at all. However people need to be aware that voting (or declining to vote) has consequences. <BR/><BR/>I was fully aware of the consequences of my decision last year and I accepted them. Indeed nothing unacceptable has occurred since the Republicans were routed from Congress. And Congress has at long last woken up and ceased to act like George Bush's doormat. The election results last time also resulted in the long overdue dismissal of Donald Rumsfeld. God alone knows how many American lives that saved.<BR/><BR/>Thus the reason for my post. Have you or those who are planning on withholding their vote this year considered the consequences of that act? I doubt it. If you see the consequences of Hillary Clinton or Barrack Obama becoming President as acceptable than by all means explain your views on why this is the case. I look forward to reading your response.<BR/><BR/>ICXC<BR/>JohnJohn (Ad Orientem)https://www.blogger.com/profile/14329907942477160166noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25740524.post-37082359832634360592008-02-08T09:48:00.000-05:002008-02-08T09:48:00.000-05:00Very interesting. As I recall, you sat out the 200...Very interesting. As I recall, you sat out the 2006 election and then scoffed at the suggestion that no vote was the same as a vote for the Democrats. <BR/><BR/>You also extol McCain for putting principal over party loyalty, but then criticize others as extremists when they do the same.<BR/><BR/>Funny how our opinions change when the shoe is on the other foot. Be aware, your liberal slip is showing.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25740524.post-38243595485549085182008-02-08T08:12:00.000-05:002008-02-08T08:12:00.000-05:00What's being missed is that the 100%ers become 2%e...What's being missed is that the 100%ers become 2%ers in the face of George W. Bush.<BR/><BR/>They have carried his water for seven years as he expanded the federal government beyond Great Society limits; spent us into crushing debt; adopted an interventionist foreign policy ("liberalism with big teeth"), and imposed an RX drug program for Medicare recipients.<BR/><BR/>They can bash McCain on amnesty, but GWB also supported amnesty. They can criticize McCain-Feingold without ever being asked "WHO signed it into law??"<BR/><BR/>The 100%ers aren't "conservatives", they're GOP lackies...Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com