Tag: Principles

Are Conservative Principles Dead?

To answer my question….I think they are very dead and sadly they did not die a noble death.

For years I have pointed to the GOP 1956 platform as something that was issues that ALL Americans could support….

The Devolution of the GOP, From Eisenhower to Donald Trump

But let us look deeper into the party platform…

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Those were the good old days for the GOP……

If you watched the CPAC 2021 then you heard nothing about principles….onlyn hat the election was stolen and Dems hate the country and Trump is the second coming of a savior…..where were those conservatives principles?

WAIT!

What are those conservatives principles of which I speak?

So sad that Repubs NO longer embrace the principles that made the GOP a great party.

Principles that they, the GOP, seldom followed after they embraced them vigorously.

All the GOP has left is a deep hatred of any Liberal…gone are the days of noble principles.

But let’s look at those now defunct principles one at a time……

Strong Families–without a good education or a good paying job the family cannot be strong and BS about abortion or which bathroom one should use does nothing to make a family strong.

Principled Innovated Leadership–The GOP has had NO innovations since 1956

Limited Government–This is nothing but a tagline these days…the GOP has expanded spending for decades….especially with war.

Honest Compassion–All Compassion left the party in 1980 with the election of Reagan.

Freedom–Subjective at best and is nothing but a campaign slogan or some theatrics from Ted Cruz.

Quality Education–Education has been in decline since the 1990s…so this principle no longer applies.

Rugged Individualism–This principle died with Trump….and the importance of social media.  These days it all about “me”…..no concern for the country or its people….as long as they get what they want then screw everyone else.

Personal Responsibility–No longer important in the days of social media that controls all for the party.

Opportunity For All–as long as one is white….minorities continue you to suffer….so the compassion thing comes into light again.

Conservative principles are dead….and looks like will be gone forever.  All they have left is political games that smack of reality TV.

More thoughts on the death of true conservatism….

https://thehill.com/opinion/campaign/434216-is-american-conservatism-dead

https://www.manhattan-institute.org/html/conservatism-dead-1914.html

https://newrepublic.com/article/61721/conservatism-dead

As a student of political philosophy I have been telling people that conservatism is no longer active or relevant….especially in the 21st century.

Any thoughts?

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What Good Are Principles Anyway?

Our politicians when running for office are just oozing over with principles especially principles that appeal to the voter………and in recent elections illustrate that these people have NO principles or what few they have are for sale.

Let’s look at the recent elections, the ones that brought Obama to the seat of power, in the beginning I liked him for his high principles, I especially liked his stand on the environment and green technology.  Sadly, since he was elected those principles have taken a backseat….I cannot blame him alone….the Congress has a lot to do with the loss of principles….but his rhetoric lead me to believe that he would fight harder than he did…….I felt disappointment and a sense of betrayal.  My disappointment deepened when the issue of the Keystone Pipeline came to the forefront.

The lowest point was when, and that has just recently, the pipeline passed its first obstacle.  With that news and the Prez reaction I knew then that principles be damn….it is a slam dunk.  And then I read this piece that made me think about writing this post…..

President Obama’s environmental record is a “tremendous improvement” from the Bush-Cheney days, but he’s on the verge of destroying it with the Keystone XL oil pipeline, writes Democratic congressman Raul Grijalva in the New York Times. The proposed pipeline is a perfect example of how such projects came to be in the bad old days, when politicians trotted out phrases like “streamlining” and the industry could “game the system” with huge infusions of money, writes the Arizona lawmaker. Take the obvious conflict of interest with the contractor that concluded the pipeline posed no environmental risks—Environmental Resources Management previously worked for pipeline parent TransCanada. The recent report by the State Department’s inspector general on ERM’s selection should not be interpreted as an exoneration but as an “important example of the problem,” argues Grijalva. This is about more than a proposed pipeline, he writes. If ERM’s decision stands, “it will re-establish the Bush-era habit of tipping the scales in favor of corporations that want special treatment.” And it will ruin Obama’s environmental legacy. Click for his full column.

It is all too sad for words….even though I did find a few of them lying around……I hope that I live long enough to see a return to principles in our politicians….but I far I am waiting for nothing…..money is the new principle and all flows from there.

Is a principle nothing but a political prop?

The Last Statesman Standing

When I hear the statesmen discussed I think of something Disraeli,  “The world is weary of statesmen whom democracy has degraded into politicians.”

For a very long time I have been saying that we have many, many politicians and few, if any, statesmen……finally I have found one statesman in Washington, at least in my opinion……we have many people that are labeled as statesmen, but few live up to the title, for most of their endeavors are purely egotistical….we have Clinton or Carter or Bush 1&2, so on and on and on….none of these are statesmen.  A true statesman tells the truth and puts the good of the country above all else….name one of those…..I can wait….

Senator Bernie Sanders (I-VT) has lived up to the label of statesman…..he supported single payer and then fought for the public option and then in the end he too made a backroom deal for his support of the current health reform bill……but unlike most of the back room deals, his was not all about Vermont or whatever his was all about the American people….all of us.  His deal was:

SEN. BERNIE SANDERS, I-VT., who was angered after a new government-run health plan was dropped from the legislation to win over moderates like Nelson and Landrieu, held out on backing the bill until Reid, D-Nev., agreed to a $10 billion increase in support for community health centers.

His deal was for health centers in ALL 50 states, not just his home state……to me….that makes him a statesman…he is looking out for ALL Americans, not just some group that pays him to…..

Sen. Sanders is, when interviewed, blunt and honest….in a recent interview when asked about the bill….he stated that it was not a perfect bill but it was the best they could get because of the games and stalls that the Senate was playing….the games came from both sides….he also said that the insurance and drug companies were going to make out like bandits…..and that the US Congress was OWED by special interests…….he is very forthcoming with facts and the truth…..

His honesty is refreshing……there is nothing in Congress but lies, misinformation, games and tricks….and to hear Sen. Sanders be so honest…..well it was heart warming to know that there is at least ONE person in the Congress that is honest in his assessment of the issues……

So he, Sen. Sanders, fits my criteria of a statesman…..he works to better the lives of ALL Americans…….

“What the statesman is most anxious to produce is a certain moral character in his fellow citizens, namely a disposition to virtue and the performance of virtuous actions. ”  Aristotle

The Times, They Are A Changing?

Promises of a change, a new way of politics in Washington and the straight talk express are both coming off their tracks.  The more there is a call for change, the more things will stay the same.  Reality is that these a two guys who want to be the president and will use all techniques they have at there disposal to achieve the one thing they desire.

Recently the American people gave the Democrats a chance to do the change we all were looking for, but instead the American people got the same lame bunch of politicians, using the same lame technique of bitch, offer and cave.

The Congress has an approval rating of 23%, but we can explain it as a transition period until the next president is sworn in.  To that I yell BS, it is the same technique regardless of the circumstance.  They talk a good clean talk while on the stump for votes, but once sworn in, it does not take long to revert back to the same lame actions.

There is an old saying about war, “the first casualty is truth” and now thanks to Joan Vennochi of boston.com we have another truism,  ” As they are swiftly finding out, principle is the first casualty in the war to be president”.

What Is A Progressive?

I have called myself a Progressive, but what does that mean?  Is Obama?  How about that other Clinton?  You want answers, then here is what a Progressive stands for:

Our progressive values of freedom, opportunity, and security mean that:

  1. Progressives stand for better wages and benefits for working Americans. Our economy should provide opportunities for all hard-working individuals and families to enjoy life. Therefore, we support legislation to increase the minimum wage.
  2. Progressives stand for affordable, high-quality, health care for all. The security of comprehensive health insurance should be a right, not a privilege. Therefore, we support legislation to lower the cost of prescription drugs through greater access to manufacturer rebates, bulk purchasing, and re-importation.
  3. Progressives stand for building an education system that is the best in the world. Every child should have an equal opportunity to learn. Therefore, we support legislation to invest in our children’s education through smaller class sizes, more after-school initiatives, and better pre-school programs.
  4. Progressives stand for a cleaner, safer environment. We must conserve our natural resources both to secure our own health and well-being, and to fulfill our responsibility to future generations. Therefore, we support legislation to lower the level of pollutants in our air and water.
  5. Progressives stand for the elimination of discrimination. Discrimination against any American diminishes freedom for us all. Therefore, we support legislation to eliminate the practice of racial profiling.
  6. Progressives stand for real security for the most vulnerable Americans. We must protect the security of our nation’s children, elderly, disabled and disadvantaged. Therefore, we support legislation to make healthcare, child care, elder care, and housing programs more accessible, efficient and effective.
  7. Progressives stand for the protection of privacy. For Americans to be truly free, government must stay out of our private lives. Therefore, we favor legislation to keep abortion safe and legal, and ensure access to all reproductive health services.
  8. Progressives stand for a criminal justice system that focuses on security instead of retribution. Tough sentences alone don’t make us safer. We need to deter crime with more police, programs for at-risk youth, education, and rehabilitation. Therefore, we support legislation to stop the cycle of addiction by requiring rigorous treatment instead of incarceration for non-violent drug crimes.
  9. Progressives stand for fiscal responsibility. Instead of providing equal opportunity, government spending and tax policies often deliver special benefits to wealthy special interests. Therefore, we support legislation to eliminate wasteful subsidies and tax breaks that are both unfair and not worth the cost.
  10. Progressives stand for an inclusive, open government. Every American must have an equal opportunity to participate in our democracy. But average Americans are increasingly shut out by the influence of big money on politics. Therefore, we support legislation for public financing of elections.

Now do any of the Big 3 candidates sound or act like they are standing on any of these principles?  Do not hurt yourself!  None of them are true Progressives.  It is just a title to them, not a way of governing.

If one considers themselves a progressive then they will have to look elsewhere for someone who will truly represent their core values.