Tuesday, September 8, 2009

An Intelligent, Thoughtful, Honest Conservative

A very interesting blogpost written by conservative Conor Friedersdorf at The American Scene.

"Unlike some in the media, I don’t regard the grassroots on the right as uniquely insane. I’ve done enough reporting at that level to know that most Americans on the right and left are reasonable people acting in good faith. The right’s fringe problem at this moment in time is one that elites have created as much as any crazy fringe righty. Outfits like Fox News, people like Glenn Beck, talk radio hosts like Rush Limbaugh — these outfits deliberately play on the worst impulses of the conservative base, stoking their paranoia and misleading them about reality, all for the sake of bigger audiences and greater revenues. That ought to outrage anyone who actually respects the grassroots, and has their best interests at heart."

And a thoughtful comment:

Elites Are the Problem -- But That Doesn't Mean What You Think Politics The American Scene: "All good in theory. But I think you’ll find that the harsh reality is that if it comes down to a choice between insane elites like Beck and smart conservatives who are unwilling to compromise their sincerity, the grassroots will pick Beck. You can laud the grassroots all you want. But if you go after Limbaugh or Beck too hard, I think you’re in for a surprise. They will not laud you in return.What you miss is that the worldviews of people like Limbaugh and Beck are entirely self-aggrandizing and self-sealing, and their listeners are far more loyal to them as people than they are to any particular set of policy principles. Try to argue with them on facts or even ideology, and you’ll lose every time."

5 comments:

  1. From a post @The Daily Beast by Mr. Friedersdorf, after reading the insane comments coming from the left I wrote:
    Who is Conor Friedersdorf? He is one of the HANDFUL of conservative thinkers who present their ideas with forethought, honesty, and intelligence, AND without automatically bashing those with opposing views.

    I am 100% liberal and conservatives that know me would know that I don't compromise my values and don't apologize to anyone about my political leanings.

    LAST WEEK, Mr. Friedersdorf wrote a scathing article about right-wing nutcases who blindly follow the non-leaders of the party, Limbaugh, Beck, and Steele. READ IT @The American Scene. For those of you who have just a bit more intellectual capacity, read some of his posts on Andrew Sullivan's blog @The Atlantic. You guys here, @huffpost, and generally all over sound like the crazies from the right. As I rhetorically ask myself when hearing one of the nutters on tv spouting their drivel, (and to borrow a quote from Barney Frank) "From what planet do you come?"

    Get an education (as the president says) and get a life.

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  2. any 1 who watches tv "journalism" for thr political comentry are being deluded.
    tv' shock jocks and news media all slew a myth
    full of smoke sceens and mirrors. thy only purpose is to advance monetary gains for thr advertizers and stock holders and whims of their controllers fancey. u cant even get the truth out of the weather people.
    and u call yourself a liberal? what exactatackly dose tht mean? no guns? u want big government?u tink big brther should take care of every ones health care? people need less gov more free entrpize more choice.corp run ins dosnt work why would gov run? thy only drive cost up. if ppl want ins thy should buy it or have it a tax right off , but gov shldnt be evry1s nanny. in the words of a great commi " The American people will never knowingly adopt socialism. But, under the name of 'liberalism,' they will adopt every fragment of the socialist program, until one day America will be a socialist nation, without knowing how it happened." - Norman Thomas, former U.S. Socialist Presidential Candidate
    and i also keep hearing this term "Democracy" were a democracy, we'r spreading democracy. plz u even know what democracy means? its mob rule, its like two wolves and a sheep getting togethr and voting whats for dinner. this country is not a democracy, we live in a Republic get it right or get out. stop feeding this NWO ideals and stop speading it artound the world.
    if u would even take the time to READ the constitution u would kno it never mentions the "D" word and its only referenc to it is that we r not 1 of those...
    " and to the REPUBLIC for which it stands one nation under "GOD"

    and is it librls hwo want to take god out of public place, remove its referncs in classrooms and gov buildings? our fore fathrs set fourth sepration of chruch and state BUT also thy knew tht high reliougs beliefs gave people caracter and morality . that belif in God and the laws of the land he set forth are the thin thread that holds this Repulic togethr.
    so remeber we r a Republic and we r all rebulicans (weathr u like it or not) we need to unite and stop bickering we can come to agremnts , ppl need to stop saying "the sky is red the sky is red" when if ppl would just come out of their cave and see for themselves that the sky is Really blue. :)

    ps
    in the words of our fore fathers
    "PATRIOTS RULE"

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  3. @richza-Thanks for visiting my blog. I read every word of your comment and wondered, were "u" referring to my comment about Mr. Friedersdorf, or just rambling about socialism and the constitution?

    I assume that by pointing out that tv and media jocks are run by corporate money and ratings that you agree with Mr. Friedersdorf and myself that Rush Limbaugh, Glen Beck, Bill O'Reilly, and the like are just full of shit?

    If you were suggesting that I read the constitution, I have. The general belief, that included in it is a separation of church and state clause, is a myth. It is not found in there. The supreme court findings reference talks in papers written by our founding fathers, Madison and Jefferson, I think, and as such, their intent of the separation. However, one thing you did get right is the fact that we are not a direct democracy, but a republic.

    To finish, it does seem as if you were one of the commenters that I find every day on the blogs that don't really address the subject at hand, spew talking points that they have learned from the right, and generally just ramble. As I read your comment above I am struck by the grammatical incorrectness of it insomuch as English may not be your native language. If so, double thanks for trying, but e e cummings u r not.

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  4. Sorry, one more thing. We do completely agree that the Patriots Rule! Are you from the Boston area?

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  5. He said with his head bowed and his tail between his legs: You Got Me Good! I did get one thing right though, you are from Boston. The post and my subsequent comment were from a post on The Daily Beast I think. You've got the language down pat. I should've known, I should've known. Did you read the piece I was referencing? I was surprised.

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