“I had an interesting discussion last night with my 17 year old cousin about the problem with conservatism today and was surprised that he pretty much nailed the reasons conservatism is in such bad odor with the public and specifically, with his generation. He sees nothing positive coming from conservatives like Hannity, Coulter, and Rush (just picking three examples). What he sees – and I am forced to agree with him – is an overarching arrogance that brooks no discussion and has little room for disagreement.”

That paragraph is laughable. I can’t believe you fell for or believe that crap. Switch conservative to liberal and Hannity, Coulter and Rush to the usual-suspects and — Wow-zaa! It’s exactly what’s wrong with liberalism!

Dig deeper and find out why the discussion wasn’t about the problem with liberalism; why so many liberal commentators are downright vicious, why there is no room for debate — you’re either FOR liberalism, or you’re an ignorant, hatefull, hayseed, why if you manage to get a word in edgewise you will be pilloried by the press (and by the President) …

There’s probably no room for that discussion. Another topic for discussion: Why are conservatives always defending themselves? Why is that? We can’t ALL be negative, arrogant people unwilling to discuss the issues. So what are we defending ourselves AGAINST, exactly?

The discussion wasn’t about liberalism, it was about conservatism. But in orderto understand that, you would have had to read what I wrote. Substituting what I wrote for what you want me to write is so stupid as to be beyond belief.

I have written enough about liberalism to fill a couple of books - don’t need no slack jawed numbskull with mouth agape and drool coming out of the sides to tell me about the faults of the left. I can’t tell you how incredibly amatuerish and shallow you sound - unbelievable.

Next time, I promise to make all the words two syllables or less - just for you.

ed.

Now go off to some youth oriented sites that have cheap ad spots (look at project wonderful for instance) and buy up some ad space.

If Obama doesn’t bankrupt us, this is the sort of thing that I’ll be doing once my wife’s startup finishes turning the corner. The idea of doing something outside of school to teach is not bad. In the end though it’s action that will count.

I am afraid that I have become quite pessimistic about the future of our country. We are descending into a dreamland, pushed by a majority that wants the good times to keep on rolling, paid for by the government, of course.
This seemingly rapid descent into socialism and general poverty has no solution that can be effected in time to prevent total disaster.

True conservatism could offer good answers, but that medicine tastes awful to the good-timers, and even if that happened somehow in 2010 and again in 2014, it will be far, far too late to avoid catastrophe, I am coming to believe. What happens this year will seal the deal for socialism, especially if universal healthcare comes into being soon. That is precisely why all the hurry from the liberals–get’er done!

Obama lied, the economy died!

“There’s nothing wrong about being right.”

We do have a time-tested real world answers to economic issues. Market economics DO work and they work well.

What we have seen over the past 20 years is how much Keynesian economics it takes in order to bring down the Market economics balloon.

Our current crisis starts with too much government spending and the sub-prime lending. It’s not difficult to figure out, really.

There needs to another American Revolution. Soap box, ballot box, cartridge box.

The soap box is endangered by the “Fairness Doctrine” - whatever way it’s implemented.

The ballot box has been compromised by radical left groups like ACORN.

And the cartridge box is under attack - banning military pattern weapons, ammo taxes.

Writing is on the wall if one cares to look at it.

“We have seen the enemy, and it is us.”

Seriously I give up. Tom Delay caught on tape hoping for a depression, Michelle Bachmann and her oh so hip “you be da man Michael”, Bolton masturbating over the thought of Chicago being nuked, hissing and booing Tucker Carlson, all topped off with Rush and his Defender of the Constitution Award. Were the Tin Foil hats free with the registration? And you wonder why the message doesn’t resonate.

Nixon had his name and reputation tarnished for “screwing up”.
Ford pardoned him.
I, for one, would have preferred to see Nixon on trial and in jail if convicted.

Do you think there is any relationship between Ford’s pardon of Nixon, and the unpunished and wide ranging criminality we see from our political class today?

I am reminded of the Cong practice of holding whole villages hostage to the performance of dragooned members.

In my view, the average soldiers in the wars you cite were not fired up to courageous actions by the ideals of Communism, Imperialism, or Democratic Socialism, however romantic that thought might be to some, but rather to the idea of defense of their families and homeland against the enemy regardless of political overlays.

Their specific performance on the battlefield may well be attributed to the group influences of their comrades to the right and left of them, or to some form of coersion or even drugs. Fight or be shot, for instance is a rather strong stimulus to courage.

Fortitude IS courage: the argument you pose is merely that there is some degree of fortitude shown on the left on occasion, and so there is. Big deal.

It is the balance over time that is telling, not the exceptional moment, hour, day, week, or month for anyone, whether they be conservative or liberal.

Men in combat can do adrenalin-driven, extrodinary, uncharacteristic, highly unlikely, and courageous things under the stress of battle.

Remove that immediate combat stress and there is normally a major downshift back in the direction they are set up for in the long term.

It’s all about accountability.

Every American should jump for joy when a prominent business person is held accountable for his illegal, screw up behavior. This is especially true if the business person destroys his employees 401k accounts in the process of illegally defrauding his investors, as Ken Lay did. Thankfully, he was arrested and convicted. Accountability and Justice served.

Accountability for Bernie Madoff is a bit less clear. Bernie has admitted that his investment scheme was “one big lie”. He has confessed to the FBI about defrauding his investors of 50 BILLION dollars, saying, “It’s all gone.” The aftermath of the screw up has a tragic human face; two of Bernie’s more unstable clients have killed themselves after learning about losing everything.

Besides having his name and reputation publicly tarnished the punishment for Bernie’s screw up, so far, has been house arrest. Armed guards have recently been placed at his modest home because he had been seen breaking the terms of his imprisonment.

Accountability for Bernie? Possibly. He is expected to begin trial in mid March. If Bernie is convicted of the crime he has confessed to Accountability and Justice will be served.

As for Congressmen, they need accountability too. The first thing we can do is remove them from office. When their behavior is illegal, they should be arrested and tried.

A few unsavory congressional characters:
Mark Foley
Dane Crane
Gerry Studds
Dan Rostenkowski

If these and all other congressional criminals went unpunished would that mean letting Madoff off the hook was o.k.? W

We need :
Accountability for Democrats.
Accountability for Republicans.
Accountability for “white collar” crime.
Accountability for “common” criminals.

Something is wrong when our political leaders are routinely let off the hook for their criminality. Let’s raise the accountability bar for EVERYONE.