My reason for bringing up the philosophical roots of the two sides of the modern political debate is to sharpen our understanding of the principles that shape it. In order to win the debate you have to not only know where you stand but why.
Why do you and your friend, someone just like you, take up opposing sides on political issues? If you were to ask different people why they were conservative or liberal you would likely get many different answers. I guarantee they wouldn't all make sense.
My ultimate goal is to bring conservatives of all stripes closer to my version of conservatism. Any liberal out there open minded enough to convert would be bonus. Those I convince will then join the already growing cadre of like minded, principled conservatives whose ideas I believe will define the political debate in the future. I really believe this will happen with or without us - I just want to say I got in on the ground floor.
Next posting: Categories and definitions. (I'll bet you can't wait.)
P.S. - If you are dying to know where I stand read the blog of my hero, James Taranto.
2 comments:
Well, you know your name really is James too so you're already like him in so many ways. I'm ready to convert to true conservatism Jim. Show me the way!
OK, so I won't be careful. I imagine most people I talk to won't call me on the definition of liberal anyway. And "screaming progressive" doesn't have the impact I'd be looking for. If more people were as insightful as you are, we wouldn't have to worry about the name, or labels we use. I fanticize about people actually listening well enough to each other to ask things like, "So what do you mean by that?", or "How did you come to that conclusion?" with a real interest in what they're gonna say, not in a defensive way. I think conservatives, or at least this one does, thinks that way. We want to know facts, results from certain actions, and how we can learn from them. Do I make any sense? I don't know, but you've got me using my brain, which is good.
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