Really great article. Well thought out and well articulated. With the flattening of hierarchies comes more room for individualism, advancement, independence, and accomplishment; but at the same time we risk losing the wisdom of elders who stand atop the movement as Buckley did so masterfully, and assure it hews to the straight path. The other problem is that when Buckley called out Buchanan, we conservatives were mostly on the same page. Buchanan with his weird sort of populist/nationalist/isolationist tendencies, along with his anti-semitism, wasn't a mainstream conservative so when the criticism hit he didn't have many friends or much in the way of tall grass in which to take cover. Sadly, the faceted nature of conservatism today means small-government-free-marketers often find ourselves badly bitten when we lie with big-government-pro-regulation "conservatives" who share the same Republican bed. I'd suggest the solution is to join with reasonable and responsible Democrats and independents to create a new political entity, but the divide is too broad and the number of those on the other side who'd qualify seemingly extinct. Hopefully, Trump, Carlson and the leaders of the new Republican coalition will recognize the loons among us and marginalize their damage in time.
Great piece Danielle. I think our American culture has become too dependent on the "state" and the worrisome aspects of social media. It all comes down to individuals taking responsibility for themselves first and then joining others voluntarily to help make our world better. That is the description of a healthy society.
A free society, as the founders hoped they gave us, is how we preserve and respect the dignity of Mankind. So, on this constitution day, it's back to first principles-- freedom, individual liberty and limited government. How far we have strayed.
The original gatekeeper was George Washington. His character was respected by everyone at the time.
We should shun those who step too far from those American virtues worthy of a free people.
A good friend of mine and author of a great new book asked me this question today, which you remind me of as I read this superb post: "what would be needed, particularly in the confidante circle of either candidate, should they be elected, that would modulate the misuse of power in their administration? Certainly, divided government would be a factor, but as even that is not a certainty, what dynamics internal to their administration might be salient?"
It would be nice to have a President secure and knowledgeable enough, with the right friends and circles, to make his or her wisest "best friend" serve as a Counselor without a portfolio in the White House. Sadly, with the crazy Loomers and Omars of the political fever swamps, I fear we would get less of a Vernon Jordan (Clinton Administration), Bryce Harlow, or Bob Strauss and more of a Rasputin no matter who wins.
What makes this kind of thing very dangerous is that the teaching of history has become so thoroughly corrupted by ideology that even basic facts are no longer passed down from generation to generation. Instead there are “narratives” like the 1619 Project, natcon b.s. concerning Russia and Ukraine, and ludicrous Trump/Hitler comparisons.
What’s to be done? I don’t know except to note that the facts still exist, and that those of us with audiences large and small have a responsibility to deploy them against the ideological narratives of these low, dishonest days.
Yes but… you aren’t going to find a change agent who meets the criteria you may be setting out. Because if that was going to happen it would have happened. So take what you can get. Speaking of Barry Goldwater, he was a decent man who was a constructive doer and contributor to his community here in Arizona in many ways and nationally as well. He was crucified as a right wing nutjob, which was not true at all. Trump is not what many people think he is. Look at his policies, not just what he says. Often he’s doing things to start a conversation or to negotiate a position. The fringe characters attach themselves to him don’t tend to last very long. There’s more to him than meets the eye. And no, I’m not prone to hero worship. He has some undesirable traits.
Mrs. Pletka - your principles are admirable you are missing the big picture. Our choices this November are not perfect, but they are binary. It’s going to be Trump or Kamala. Choose wisely.
The problem with excommunication is that if one side practices it and the other doesn't the Overton window shifts towards the side that doesn't. See, e.g., what had been happening with social issues for the past half century.
Thus practicing excommunication is starting to feel like a sucker's game.
There will never be another WFB Jr. The spirit and circumstances of the age that produced him are lost to us forever. We still have good men, but not like that. Our post-Christian world won't allow for the cultivation of such complementary virtues and intellect (hence all the ham-fisted ersatz secular facsimiles). Conservatives may wish all they want for worthy, rising successors. Name three.
Really great article. Well thought out and well articulated. With the flattening of hierarchies comes more room for individualism, advancement, independence, and accomplishment; but at the same time we risk losing the wisdom of elders who stand atop the movement as Buckley did so masterfully, and assure it hews to the straight path. The other problem is that when Buckley called out Buchanan, we conservatives were mostly on the same page. Buchanan with his weird sort of populist/nationalist/isolationist tendencies, along with his anti-semitism, wasn't a mainstream conservative so when the criticism hit he didn't have many friends or much in the way of tall grass in which to take cover. Sadly, the faceted nature of conservatism today means small-government-free-marketers often find ourselves badly bitten when we lie with big-government-pro-regulation "conservatives" who share the same Republican bed. I'd suggest the solution is to join with reasonable and responsible Democrats and independents to create a new political entity, but the divide is too broad and the number of those on the other side who'd qualify seemingly extinct. Hopefully, Trump, Carlson and the leaders of the new Republican coalition will recognize the loons among us and marginalize their damage in time.
Great piece Danielle. I think our American culture has become too dependent on the "state" and the worrisome aspects of social media. It all comes down to individuals taking responsibility for themselves first and then joining others voluntarily to help make our world better. That is the description of a healthy society.
A free society, as the founders hoped they gave us, is how we preserve and respect the dignity of Mankind. So, on this constitution day, it's back to first principles-- freedom, individual liberty and limited government. How far we have strayed.
The original gatekeeper was George Washington. His character was respected by everyone at the time.
We should shun those who step too far from those American virtues worthy of a free people.
Love this.
A good friend of mine and author of a great new book asked me this question today, which you remind me of as I read this superb post: "what would be needed, particularly in the confidante circle of either candidate, should they be elected, that would modulate the misuse of power in their administration? Certainly, divided government would be a factor, but as even that is not a certainty, what dynamics internal to their administration might be salient?"
It would be nice to have a President secure and knowledgeable enough, with the right friends and circles, to make his or her wisest "best friend" serve as a Counselor without a portfolio in the White House. Sadly, with the crazy Loomers and Omars of the political fever swamps, I fear we would get less of a Vernon Jordan (Clinton Administration), Bryce Harlow, or Bob Strauss and more of a Rasputin no matter who wins.
So so true.
You touch it with a needle. As it happens, just recently I also wrote about this—which is a problem that boxes the ideological compass.
https://unwokeindianaag.substack.com/p/the-alt-historians
What makes this kind of thing very dangerous is that the teaching of history has become so thoroughly corrupted by ideology that even basic facts are no longer passed down from generation to generation. Instead there are “narratives” like the 1619 Project, natcon b.s. concerning Russia and Ukraine, and ludicrous Trump/Hitler comparisons.
What’s to be done? I don’t know except to note that the facts still exist, and that those of us with audiences large and small have a responsibility to deploy them against the ideological narratives of these low, dishonest days.
Yes but… you aren’t going to find a change agent who meets the criteria you may be setting out. Because if that was going to happen it would have happened. So take what you can get. Speaking of Barry Goldwater, he was a decent man who was a constructive doer and contributor to his community here in Arizona in many ways and nationally as well. He was crucified as a right wing nutjob, which was not true at all. Trump is not what many people think he is. Look at his policies, not just what he says. Often he’s doing things to start a conversation or to negotiate a position. The fringe characters attach themselves to him don’t tend to last very long. There’s more to him than meets the eye. And no, I’m not prone to hero worship. He has some undesirable traits.
Mrs. Pletka - your principles are admirable you are missing the big picture. Our choices this November are not perfect, but they are binary. It’s going to be Trump or Kamala. Choose wisely.
The problem with excommunication is that if one side practices it and the other doesn't the Overton window shifts towards the side that doesn't. See, e.g., what had been happening with social issues for the past half century.
Thus practicing excommunication is starting to feel like a sucker's game.
There will never be another WFB Jr. The spirit and circumstances of the age that produced him are lost to us forever. We still have good men, but not like that. Our post-Christian world won't allow for the cultivation of such complementary virtues and intellect (hence all the ham-fisted ersatz secular facsimiles). Conservatives may wish all they want for worthy, rising successors. Name three.