I decided today that I would submit myself to the not-always-comfortable task of following David Frum's New Majority blog. Why? Because generally his conservatism is principled and intelligent. And because of his recent defense of Cass Sunstein from the explosion of crazy right-wing blog posts.
http://www.newmajority.com/gop-surrenders-to-becks-mob-rule.
Key points: Professor Sunstein is "admired by economic conservatives worldwide, [a] market-oriented economist, ... endorser of Republican Supreme Court nominees, and – by the way – ... constitutional scholar who has endorsed the Heller case expanding Second Amendment gun rights.
" We conservatives are submitting our movement to some of the most unscrupulous people in American life. This submission disgraces conservatism, discredits Republicans, and damages the country. It’s beyond time for conservatives who know better to join us at NewMajority in emancipating ourselves from leadership by the most stupid, the most cynical, and the most truthless."
I tried posting this comment on LCP's blog.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
Cass may be respected in the economic community but he has some radical views on what, not who, should be allowed to sue people. Should trees be allowed to sue? There are other outrageous things he has said, but I don't have them at my fingertips either. Plus, any person can find a few people to admire them in their particular field.
ReplyDeleteBTW- I would have left it up on my blog, if in fact those were the exact words you tried to post.
I appreciate the comment, but I don't think you have things quite right. Professor Sunstein did not propose that animals (much less trees!) have the right to sue. But he does believe that animal cruelty laws need to be enforced, that they not been effectively enforced by government bureaucrats, and that one way to remedy that problem is to allow private parties to sue on behalf of animals who have been subject to illegal cruelty. I don't think that is such a loopy, radical thing to think. Now, I don't think Professor Sunstein is correct in his proposed way of remedying what most people consider to be a very real problem. But I don't mind that the fact that he proposed it. And, as David Frum noted, conservatives are putting themselves in a terrible position if they continue along this anti-intellectual path.
ReplyDeleteMy "concern troll" suggestion to American conservatives: turn off TV news for a few days, and give up blogs as well. Instead, read some of Professor Sunsttein's writings. (And read the actual essays and books, not highly selective cut 'n pasted excerpts). You will only be able to read a sample, since he is so prolific. But come back in a week and tell me if you still think he is a crazy, extreme, dangerous radical.