Tag Archives: conservatism

Re: “Some Open Questions for Conservatives”

Paula at It’s Only Words has a post looking for some feedback. From the post: My question was, and is, how many conservative positions must one hold on the issues in order to be considered a conservative? The person who started the controversy contends that you must hold the conservative position on every issue, “with …

November 18, 2009 – 5:54 am | By ashok | Posted in politics | Tagged | Comments (3)

Rant: The Banality of Conservatism

I certainly don’t want to go “look how smart I am,” because if the latter is said people might actually start looking and I might get in trouble. But this passage from Joseph Epstein’s obituary of Irving Kristol leaped out at me: At the same time, he liked to play with ideas. I remember a …

September 28, 2009 – 5:09 pm | By ashok | Posted in personal, politics | Tagged | Comments (9)

John Derbyshire’s “How Radio Wrecks the Right” is a waste of time

1. Short take: ugh, don’t read his article, it’s a waste of time and indirectly supports his poorly presented idiotic views. I’m writing because better conservative media exists: that’s what this blog is. 2. John Derbyshire’s “How Radio Wrecks the Right” has some significant flaws. I didn’t really want to write on it – I …

February 25, 2009 – 12:26 pm | By ashok | Posted in politics | Tagged | Comments (9)

What Can We Reasonably Expect from Partisanship?

Lincoln in 1857, “On the Republican Party:” Upon those men who are, in sentiment, opposed to the spread, and nationalization of slavery, rests the task of preventing it. The Republican organization is the embodiment of that sentiment; though, as yet, it by no means embraces all the individuals holding that sentiment. The party is newly …

November 12, 2008 – 2:57 pm | By ashok | Posted in education, lincoln, politics | Tagged , | Comments (5)

Post-Election: A Practical Agenda, and Consideration of a Passage from Plato’s “Cleitophon”

I. I wasn’t going to say anything about the election until I saw this nonsense being spouted, and realized that I have to practice what I preach. I can’t allow my fellow conservatives to indulge in the paranoid “everything is a conspiracy against us” narrative complete with a “if McCain had run further to the …

November 5, 2008 – 5:12 am | By ashok | Posted in philosophy, plato, politics | Tagged , , | Comments (0)

For Republicans: On Creating a Self-Sustaining, Educated Party

The latest plan [Congress is offering] is even worse than the spring round of $100 billion or so in tax rebate checks. At least rebates allowed taxpayers to spend their own money. Under this stimulus the government will tax or borrow $150 billion to $300 billion in order to spend the money on social and …

October 23, 2008 – 10:33 am | By ashok | Posted in politics | Tagged , | Comments (1)

I’m Overdue for a Right-Wing Rant, So Here Goes: Electoral Advice Fails When It Falls Into “Bush Eats Babies” Syndrome, However Subtly

Today’s victim of that syndrome – Jay Cost of Real Clear Politics: Here’s a thought experiment to mull. Take 100 undecided voters and expose them to an hour of clips of George W. Bush talking. How many of them will lean Obama at the end of the hour? More than half, I’m guessing, which is …

October 2, 2008 – 4:48 am | By ashok | Posted in politics | Tagged , , | Comments (3)

For My Republican Readers: Why Do We Need a Party? And How Are We Going To Win Elections In the Future?

All of us are familiar with the story that the Founders were opposed to political parties, and those of you who have gone through the previous posts on faction and equality can see deep arguments for why parties are a problem. The two I’m thinking of right now are: Parties may increase the chance that …

July 1, 2008 – 1:46 am | By ashok | Posted in education, politics | Tagged , , | Comments (12)

How Not To Discuss Blogs You Don’t Like

Exhibit A: Via LGF – the Village Voice rips into conservative bloggers Comment: I’m not opposed to poking fun at conservative bloggers, or even declaring “this blog is dangerous and should be opposed.” The Village Voice absolutely has the right to rip into Rightists however it wants. But there’s a good way to make a …

April 16, 2008 – 2:40 pm | By ashok | Posted in blogging, media | Tagged , | Comments (0)

For My Republican Friends: Let’s Play a Game, And See If Dividing the Democratic Party Permanently Is Possible

1. We need to assume a few things to play this game: Clinton’s voters are, more-or-less, traditional Democratic voters. Obviously, this is highly debatable, especially given Obama’s success in the caucuses (who goes out for these things anyway?) We assert also that the voters Senator Obama is getting will never vote Democrat beyond this campaign …

April 13, 2008 – 1:15 am | By ashok | Posted in politics | Tagged , | Comments (0)