One great advantage of being really old (84) is remembering accurately the good old days. All along the Republicans opposed every good thing the Democrats tried to do. I am biased maybe because I grew up in Maricopa County AZ. 'Nuff said?
1) “The foundational social idea of liberalism—the commitment to impersonal, rules-based, non-coercive ways of organizing societies and resolving conflicts—remains indispensable and astonishingly successful.” This is true, except that we are losing this functioning idea of liberalism as we continuously push the organizing principles of society away from social institutions (faith, family, community) and local democratic governance to the central planning of the federal government. Ironically, the more the central government expands to cover for losses of faith, family, community, and local governance in our society, the more citizens rely on the federal government for solutions and abdicate our civic duties.
2) The “social” idea of liberalism is based on a common culture of faith, family, and community. The “functioning” idea of liberalism is the commitment to impersonal, rules based, non-coercive ways of organizing societies and resolving conflicts.” Society has gone too far towards individualism and technology while diminishing the social idea of liberalism. This makes society weak and reliant on the federal government, the opposite of how this country was founded.
This article reviews two authors, neither of whom are liberal, then concludes we should be cheering?
First, Wooldridge. According to this article, he advocates things like fighting "corporate tyranny," not restricting government to protecting rights (the actual classic liberal political position). He doesn't sound like a capitalist or a liberal.
Then, Zakaras. According to this article, he advocates things like "healthcare and paid family leave as fundamental rights." The author describes this as " ambitious environmental, economic, and political agendas." Spoiler: these are not "ambitious" political agendas, these are *authoritarian* political agendas. Zakaras also doesn't sound like a capitalist or a liberal.
The overwhelming majority of people calling themselves liberal today are in fact advocates of government involvement in every aspect of our lives. This makes them authoritarians who seem profoundly confused about the basics.
Critical self-appraisal is needed more urgently than ever, otherwise todays "liberals" are offering nothing that's really different to MAGA, except with a lot more conceptual confusion.
When the Berlin Wall fell and East Germany was reunited with West Germany, was this:
a) a huge, exhilarating triumph of liberalism over illiberalism and of capitalism over anticapitalism,
or
b) merely one authoritarian, illiberal, anticapitalist country being annexed by another authoritarian, illiberal, anticapitalist country?
By and large, it is considered to have been one of the few greatest turning points in world history in the last century, due to a) having been the case. The way you're defining your terms, by contrast, makes it sound like almost everyone in the world – regardless of their political positioning – is in the wrong about this, because it was actually b) and not a).
I think we're tired of the; dRumph Regime'. With all the lies that come out of the; 'White House' and; 'Congress'. People are sick of it. Many repughlikins are sick of.
with these wars all dRumph cares about. is how much money can he and his; 'Uber Rich' friends make off of it and the new tariffs that are going to be coming in this week?
Great essay. Just restacked
One great advantage of being really old (84) is remembering accurately the good old days. All along the Republicans opposed every good thing the Democrats tried to do. I am biased maybe because I grew up in Maricopa County AZ. 'Nuff said?
Great article. Some complaints
1) “The foundational social idea of liberalism—the commitment to impersonal, rules-based, non-coercive ways of organizing societies and resolving conflicts—remains indispensable and astonishingly successful.” This is true, except that we are losing this functioning idea of liberalism as we continuously push the organizing principles of society away from social institutions (faith, family, community) and local democratic governance to the central planning of the federal government. Ironically, the more the central government expands to cover for losses of faith, family, community, and local governance in our society, the more citizens rely on the federal government for solutions and abdicate our civic duties.
2) The “social” idea of liberalism is based on a common culture of faith, family, and community. The “functioning” idea of liberalism is the commitment to impersonal, rules based, non-coercive ways of organizing societies and resolving conflicts.” Society has gone too far towards individualism and technology while diminishing the social idea of liberalism. This makes society weak and reliant on the federal government, the opposite of how this country was founded.
This article reviews two authors, neither of whom are liberal, then concludes we should be cheering?
First, Wooldridge. According to this article, he advocates things like fighting "corporate tyranny," not restricting government to protecting rights (the actual classic liberal political position). He doesn't sound like a capitalist or a liberal.
Then, Zakaras. According to this article, he advocates things like "healthcare and paid family leave as fundamental rights." The author describes this as " ambitious environmental, economic, and political agendas." Spoiler: these are not "ambitious" political agendas, these are *authoritarian* political agendas. Zakaras also doesn't sound like a capitalist or a liberal.
The overwhelming majority of people calling themselves liberal today are in fact advocates of government involvement in every aspect of our lives. This makes them authoritarians who seem profoundly confused about the basics.
Critical self-appraisal is needed more urgently than ever, otherwise todays "liberals" are offering nothing that's really different to MAGA, except with a lot more conceptual confusion.
When the Berlin Wall fell and East Germany was reunited with West Germany, was this:
a) a huge, exhilarating triumph of liberalism over illiberalism and of capitalism over anticapitalism,
or
b) merely one authoritarian, illiberal, anticapitalist country being annexed by another authoritarian, illiberal, anticapitalist country?
By and large, it is considered to have been one of the few greatest turning points in world history in the last century, due to a) having been the case. The way you're defining your terms, by contrast, makes it sound like almost everyone in the world – regardless of their political positioning – is in the wrong about this, because it was actually b) and not a).
I think we're tired of the; dRumph Regime'. With all the lies that come out of the; 'White House' and; 'Congress'. People are sick of it. Many repughlikins are sick of.
with these wars all dRumph cares about. is how much money can he and his; 'Uber Rich' friends make off of it and the new tariffs that are going to be coming in this week?