tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6926413038778731189.post5514386890852632416..comments2023-10-16T07:13:12.123-05:00Comments on A plain blog about politics: Primary PostmortemJonathan Bernsteinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15931039630306253241noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6926413038778731189.post-258755729181807592010-05-19T13:37:51.937-05:002010-05-19T13:37:51.937-05:00Christopher,
Liberals aren't fans of Paul. Fir...Christopher,<br />Liberals aren't fans of Paul. First, the whole "post-partisan" thing sound basically like taking the idea of being open to different arguments and applying it to parties, but in truth, the underlying force behind that is similar to what I see from Reps and Indies too: why are "you people" (meant to understand those that haven't come to accept "the truth" as the speaker sees it) so closed off to my clearly right ideas? Oh, it must be partisanship. Thus, liberals, I think, are pushing this post-partisanship crap because they think that Republicans would vote for their ideas, if only they weren't Republicans. I see the same thing coming from libertarians. If only people would see the truth of libertarianism and reject partisanship, we'd win.<br /><br />It's a CLASSIC fallacy in American politics--the assumption that other people would share your ideas if they were open to them. This just isn't true. Want examples? Conservatives pushing this "culture of life" argument; they truly believe that they can convince the other 75% of Americans (the 25% opposed to them and the 50% on the fence) that abortion is wrong. Liberals pushing the "tax cuts for the rich" meme; liberals think that if people could only see that GOP tax cuts mostly don't and won't benefit them that they'd oppose them, when the truth is that people tend to severely overestimate both their own tax burden and the likelihood that they will make it into a higher tax bracket. And libertarians push strongly on the notion that there are more of them in the US: fiscal conservatives, social (either liberals or non-positioned, depending on the flavor of libertarian) and if only people would abandon their partisan blinders they'd win; the simple truth is that we've got a 2-party system and nothing is really going to change that and the two parties are where they are because that's where the largest concentrations of like-minded folks are. <br /><br />Anyway, some liberals ARE thrilled about Paul because they think he's more likely to lose in November. However, liberals aren't thrilled about Paul or any other libertarian simply because they disagree on so many issues. You claim that liberals talk about basing their ideas in facts so should come over to the libertarian side. The fact is that liberals, conservatives, and libertarians see certain arguments as credible and certain arguments as incredible. Facts are, always, secondary. Facts are used to support arguments; rarely is the reverse true.Matt Jarvisnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6926413038778731189.post-74949914818739471272010-05-19T12:33:40.285-05:002010-05-19T12:33:40.285-05:00I don’t see why liberals aren’t thrilled about thi...I don’t see why liberals aren’t thrilled about this. For Obama supporters honestly hoping for a post-partisan politics, a focused and de-radicalized tea party, working together with conservatives to solve problems, and political disagreement based in difference of values instead of Orwellian arguments about facts, Rand Paul is exactly what this country needs. For those who value heterodoxy, whether Republicans, Democrats, or Independents, Rand Paul should be a welcome addition to the U.S. Senate.<br /><br />http://www.theinductive.com/blog/2010/5/19/a-victory-for-heterodoxy-in-kentucky.htmlChristopher Carrhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13170009218441760298noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6926413038778731189.post-70091913364167666302010-05-19T10:24:12.226-05:002010-05-19T10:24:12.226-05:00You ask, we deliver! Check next item.You ask, we deliver! Check next item.Jonathan Bernsteinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15931039630306253241noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6926413038778731189.post-55805783557116409162010-05-19T10:11:46.560-05:002010-05-19T10:11:46.560-05:00Any thoughts about Specter's voting habits for...Any thoughts about Specter's voting habits for the rest of the year? I wonder if even Arlen Specter knows what the "real" Arlen Specter will vote for?Biz5thnoreply@blogger.com