"Conservatives pride themselves on resisting change, which is as it should be. But intelligent deference to tradition and stability can evolve into intellectual sloth and moral fanaticism, as when conservatives simply decline to look up from dogma because the effort to raise their heads and reconsider is too great."
"It is a shame that William F. Buckley Jr. passed away in 2008. The conservative movement could use him — or someone like him — right now.
In the 1960s, Buckley, largely through his position at the helm of National Review, displayed political courage and sanity by taking on the John Birch Society, an influential anti-Communist group whose members saw conspiracies everywhere they looked.
Fast forward half a century. The modern-day Birchers are the Tea Party. By loudly espousing extreme rhetoric, yet holding untenable beliefs, they have run virtually unchallenged by the Republican leadership, aided by irresponsible radio talk-show hosts and right-wing pundits. While the Tea Party grew, respected moderate voices in the party were further pushed toward extinction. Republicans need a Buckley to bring us back."
David Welch Former research director for the Republican National Committee.
Republicans are so weak and spineless (perhaps you helped?) virtually indistinguishable from the party in power that if it weren't for the Tea Party you'd have no party or representation in Congress at all.
"I am obliged to confess I should sooner live in a society governed by the first two thousand names in the Boston telephone directory than in a society governed by the two thousand faculty members of Harvard University."
Preferring truth to custom, the better to the good, adapt to adopt, reform to revolution, solutions to goals, knowledge to awareness, faith to spirituality. The rules.
4 comments:
"Conservatives pride themselves on resisting change, which is as it should be. But intelligent deference to tradition and stability can evolve into intellectual sloth and moral fanaticism, as when conservatives simply decline to look up from dogma because the effort to raise their heads and reconsider is too great."
William F. Buckley Jr.
June 29, 2004
"It is a shame that William F. Buckley Jr. passed away in 2008. The conservative movement could use him — or someone like him — right now.
In the 1960s, Buckley, largely through his position at the helm of National Review, displayed political courage and sanity by taking on the John Birch Society, an influential anti-Communist group whose members saw conspiracies everywhere they looked.
Fast forward half a century. The modern-day Birchers are the Tea Party. By loudly espousing extreme rhetoric, yet holding untenable beliefs, they have run virtually unchallenged by the Republican leadership, aided by irresponsible radio talk-show hosts and right-wing pundits. While the Tea Party grew, respected moderate voices in the party were further pushed toward extinction. Republicans need a Buckley to bring us back."
David Welch
Former research director for the Republican National Committee.
Republicans are so weak and spineless (perhaps you helped?) virtually indistinguishable from the party in power that if it weren't for the Tea Party you'd have no party or representation in Congress at all.
"I am obliged to confess I should sooner live in a society governed by the first two thousand names in the Boston telephone directory than in a society governed by the two thousand faculty members of Harvard University."
Post a Comment