Comments on: Conservatism is Alive and Well http://the-american-catholic.com/2009/07/09/conservatism-is-alive-and-well/ Politics and Culture from a Catholic perspective. Thu, 09 Feb 2012 12:06:27 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Donald R. McClarey http://the-american-catholic.com/2009/07/09/conservatism-is-alive-and-well/#comment-3302 Donald R. McClarey Fri, 10 Jul 2009 11:20:27 +0000 http://the-american-catholic.com/?p=10589#comment-3302 This is what I mean by signs that the worst is yet to come. http://www.ntcnews.com/2009/07/wall-street-pm-070909-dow-stays-under.html This is what I mean by signs that the worst is yet to come.

http://www.ntcnews.com/2009/07/wall-street-pm-070909-dow-stays-under.html

]]> By: Donald R. McClarey http://the-american-catholic.com/2009/07/09/conservatism-is-alive-and-well/#comment-3301 Donald R. McClarey Fri, 10 Jul 2009 11:14:18 +0000 http://the-american-catholic.com/?p=10589#comment-3301 Not if they blame the Obama policies Elaine for producing an Obama recession or, God Forbid!, an Obama depression. What the government is doing now is completely opposite from what it should be doing to encourage economic growth. Unfortunately a great many people are going to get a very nasty lesson in what happens when we have, at best, a double dip recession. Not if they blame the Obama policies Elaine for producing an Obama recession or, God Forbid!, an Obama depression. What the government is doing now is completely opposite from what it should be doing to encourage economic growth. Unfortunately a great many people are going to get a very nasty lesson in what happens when we have, at best, a double dip recession.

]]> By: Elaine Krewer http://the-american-catholic.com/2009/07/09/conservatism-is-alive-and-well/#comment-3300 Elaine Krewer Fri, 10 Jul 2009 11:08:54 +0000 http://the-american-catholic.com/?p=10589#comment-3300 If, as Don predicts, "the worst is yet to come" economically, that could cut both ways when it comes to conservatism/liberalism. While right now it seems to be producing a groundswell of tax revolts and demands to rein in government spending, cut social programs, etc., it could also have the opposite effect as more people find themselves in need of government-funded or supported services. If, as Don predicts, “the worst is yet to come” economically, that could cut both ways when it comes to conservatism/liberalism.

While right now it seems to be producing a groundswell of tax revolts and demands to rein in government spending, cut social programs, etc., it could also have the opposite effect as more people find themselves in need of government-funded or supported services.

]]> By: Blackadder http://the-american-catholic.com/2009/07/09/conservatism-is-alive-and-well/#comment-3299 Blackadder Thu, 09 Jul 2009 21:45:18 +0000 http://the-american-catholic.com/?p=10589#comment-3299 <i>At various points in time this last half century, you could have made that same point substituting abortion, embryonic stem cell research, cloning, same-sex marriage, and a whole host of other issues for cannibalism.</i> True. If public opinion were to become more pro-cannibal, so would the politicians (as Mencken wrote of Harry Truman "[i]f there had been any formidable body of cannibals in the country, he would have promised to provide them with free missionaries fattened at the taxpayers' expense.") But in that case the political parties would be following public opinion, not the other way around. At various points in time this last half century, you could have made that same point substituting abortion, embryonic stem cell research, cloning, same-sex marriage, and a whole host of other issues for cannibalism.

True. If public opinion were to become more pro-cannibal, so would the politicians (as Mencken wrote of Harry Truman “[i]f there had been any formidable body of cannibals in the country, he would have promised to provide them with free missionaries fattened at the taxpayers’ expense.”) But in that case the political parties would be following public opinion, not the other way around.

]]> By: Steve http://the-american-catholic.com/2009/07/09/conservatism-is-alive-and-well/#comment-3298 Steve Thu, 09 Jul 2009 20:54:47 +0000 http://the-american-catholic.com/?p=10589#comment-3298 B.A., I think that point is pretty absurd. But if we will enter the realm of the absurd, than I'd counter by saying I suspect if there were a pro-cannibalism organization with a great deal of money and clout or a strong cannibalism union, that we'd be hearing a lot about how cannibalism is only one issue among many or that "I voted for him in spite of his pro-cannibalistic viewpoints." At various points in time this last half century, you could have made that same point substituting abortion, embryonic stem cell research, cloning, same-sex marriage, and a whole host of other issues for cannibalism. B.A.,

I think that point is pretty absurd.

But if we will enter the realm of the absurd, than I’d counter by saying I suspect if there were a pro-cannibalism organization with a great deal of money and clout or a strong cannibalism union, that we’d be hearing a lot about how cannibalism is only one issue among many or that “I voted for him in spite of his pro-cannibalistic viewpoints.”

At various points in time this last half century, you could have made that same point substituting abortion, embryonic stem cell research, cloning, same-sex marriage, and a whole host of other issues for cannibalism.

]]> By: Blackadder http://the-american-catholic.com/2009/07/09/conservatism-is-alive-and-well/#comment-3297 Blackadder Thu, 09 Jul 2009 19:59:37 +0000 http://the-american-catholic.com/?p=10589#comment-3297 <i>I dispute the notion that policy of both parties gravitates toward center. As it has been previously mentioned in this thread, the center jumps all over. When we only have two mainstream parties, the center will be halfway between each party, almost by definition.</i> The center will be halfway between the two parties only insofar as those parties gravitate towards the center. To take an extreme example, if one of the parties were to come out in favor of cannibalism, this wouldn't move the center towards a more pro-cannibal position, but would only serve to marginalize that party. I dispute the notion that policy of both parties gravitates toward center. As it has been previously mentioned in this thread, the center jumps all over. When we only have two mainstream parties, the center will be halfway between each party, almost by definition.

The center will be halfway between the two parties only insofar as those parties gravitate towards the center. To take an extreme example, if one of the parties were to come out in favor of cannibalism, this wouldn’t move the center towards a more pro-cannibal position, but would only serve to marginalize that party.

]]>