The problem with "Wouldn't it be..." and "Wasn't it..."

Progressive ideas usually begin with:

"Wouldn't it be great if..." (progressives are generally theorists)

Ok, right there with you so far...


Conservative ideas usually begin with:

"Wasn't it great when..." (conservatives are generally empiricists)

Yup, that works for me too...


The complication is the next step, taken by both progressives and conservatives:

"Since that would be great, it is our moral obligation, to use the force of government to MAKE it that way"

... and that's where we part ways.


The problem, is that I believe I have no moral right to force MY personal beliefs, preferences, or ideas on anyone else (no matter how "great" or "right" they may be).

I also believe that we have a moral obligation to use the force of government as little as possible (even if doing so may be "for the greater good").


Of course, that's where the kicker hits, from both left and right...

"Since you oppose something which is great, and which is a moral obligation, you must either be stupid, or evil"

5 Second Philosophy

A capsule definition of the differences between liberals, conservatives, and libertarians:

Liberals believe that sex is a good proxy for freedom.

Conservatives believe that guns are a good proxy for freedom.

Libertarians believe that sex AND guns are good proxies for freedom.

I KNEW IT!

Adam Baldwin (not a "Baldwin Brother"; the Adam Baldwin of "Firefly", "Serenity", "Angel", "Chuck", "My Bodyguard", and "Full Metal Jacket") has outed himself as a conservative.

I KNEW IT!

There was just no way that Animal Mother, Jane Cobb, and John Casey could have been played that well by a liberal.

It never ceases to amaze me how Joss Whedon keeps writing these spectacular conservative and libertarian characters, and employs conservative and libertarian actors (like Baldwin, Sarah Michelle Gellar -both conservatives-, Eliza Dushku - a left libertarian by her description, David Boreanaz, and Amy Acker - both libertarians); and yet is himself a hardcore lefty liberal. Hell, he even jokes about it constantly, and it's been the subject of "serious literary analysis".

Thank you Ann Coulter

For getting me to join the conservative book club.

You can get John Lotts new book "Freedomnomics" for $3.95 shipping, and only have to buy two more books from the club over the next year.

Somehow I think that won't be a problem.

Here's her article on the book