Fairness requires that when liberals say or do something praiseworthy we give them credit.
Have never been a big fan of E J Dionne who writes for the Washington Post and often appears alongside David Brooks on National Public Radio. But he deserves credit for his current piece “Three Points for Conservatives”.
You can read it and the three points he offers.
A few brief rejoinders to an otherwise good article from a liberal columnist.
The debate over the health care bill, which mercifully came to a close on Sunday night, was not American conservatism’s finest hour.
The debate may not have come to a close so much as it may have just begun. Republicans are campaigning on a platform of “repeal and reform”. President Obama is traveling the nation selling the new legislation. I receive unsolicited emails trying to sell me on it. Does not seem like “our long and bitter health care debate winds to a close”.
It’s not just that the mob that gathered outside the Capitol to shout epithets at Democratic lawmakers before they voted on health care was disrespectful of the very norms that conservatism preaches.
If indeed a “conservative” shouted epithets it goes without saying that is abhorrent. The problem is that we have no solid evidence this actually happened. Did the mob shout epithets? Or one or two unhinged individuals? Or even someone on the left attempting to discredit the opposition? (I know for a fact this can and does happen. Happened to a group I was involved in at Cornell University.) But so far we have no evidence other than say so. Videos of protests outside Congress not once evidence these alleged epithets.
In the health care debate, conservatives were at their best when they shelved the demagoguery and asked practical, focused questions.
This is true. They were at their best. Congress Ryan being the single best example. But it made no difference did it? Adjuring conservatives to stick to facts and logic is all well and fine. But it got them absolutely nothing. Nor does Dionne address whether liberals and Democrats were “at their best”. Fair enough given the topic of the article.
I have heard this “why we need conservatives” line before. Usually in the sense of “so long as they have no influence or power” which is patronizing and condescending. Fortunately Dionne is aware of this.
Conservatives, of course, are rightly suspicious that when those on the left recommend a “proper” role for the right, they usually want a tame creed that doesn’t really challenge any of the progressive fundamentals.
Thank you sir.
H/T Titus One Nine
