What’s that meme about the first person to refer to Hitler or the Nazis ending the discussion? The same should apply to the first person to demand “LINK!” or “PROOF!” or any of a hundred other arguments, including those you highlight here, whose sole and true purpose is to destablize the discussion.

Also I think you fundamentally misunderstand what Kirk meant. You totally forget to take into account the principle of custom continuity and convention. This principle along with prudence, variety and prescription must be weighed to decide between permanence and change.

You can’t just pick and choose which of Kirk’s principles you want to follow. It’s more in or out.

I’m not surprised by the treatment you received at Redstate.

I stopped reading it shortly before the 2008 election.

Long time posters getting ‘blammed’ for daring to post honest ideas & opinions. Anything that remotely crossed the moderator’s views were being ridiculed or banned.

I realize Moe, etal can do what ever - they do own the site. But if they continue like they have since the elections they cannot do anything but go further down hill.

After trudging all the way through your entry, and the comments and retorts, I came to the conclusion that you’re your own worst enemy. You’re not a particularly good writer. Wordy, but not good. Just who are those “Angry Ideologues”? And was that piece a critical review of Levin’s book, or a criticism of those who agree that Obama is accurately described as a “statist”?

That statement alone would have sufficed as a proper criticism. All the rest was overkill.

Sadly, RedState reminds me of the Chinese Cultural Revolution where those who think are a danger to the orthodoxy.

Well said, Rich.

As an aside, I noticed that most of RedState’s articles descended into nonsensical hysteria and mindless rhetoric just before the 2006 midterm election blowout, and have remained stuck there ever since. (It would seem that electoral success is crucial to the sanity of RedState staffers.) They just can’t seem to handle having their party lose.

Don’t waste your time there. Their whole approach is predicated on the other side losing, not their side winning.

The RS commenters took you to task and all you can do is Whine…pathetic

You are firmly to the left of moderates…gimme us a break

I visited the Daily Kos at one time and tried to contribute, ended up pretty much getting voted off the island because I did not toe the party line. Similar to what happened to you. The extreme sites of either side are utterly worthless and not worth the time spent to type their URL.

Then there are the sites that attempt to be even handed, such as The Moderate Voice, which I visit every now and then. They have left and right viewpoints, but there is no demagoguery and they really do try to be even-handed and see all sides of the issue.

Then there are sides such as yours and patterico, and maybe Crooks and Liars, who, while listing a little more partisan than is comfortable, at least avoid the hysterical screaming overreaction that is endemic to the more “fringe” blogs on both sides. I do not agree with everything you say. In fact, I really don’t agree with at least half of what you say. But congratulations on rejecting one of the most vile blogs on your side, and I do hope that your journey continues to bear fruit.