Comments on: Follies Of Optimism, Continued http://larison.org/2007/07/06/follies-of-optimism-continued/ n. the principle of good order "Observe the strange inversion of all order and sense! Dignity debased; how vilely is the function of a consul prostituted!" ~The Craftsman Thu, 08 Jan 2009 11:37:13 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.0.4 by: Daniel Larison http://larison.org/2007/07/06/follies-of-optimism-continued/#comment-7217 Sun, 08 Jul 2007 04:02:36 +0000 http://larison.org/2007/07/06/follies-of-optimism-continued/#comment-7217 Whatever is exactly right. Every time I see a comment from you, I know that it is going to be a waste of my time. I am rarely proven wrong on that point. Whatever is exactly right. Every time I see a comment from you, I know that it is going to be a waste of my time. I am rarely proven wrong on that point.

]]> by: Koz http://larison.org/2007/07/06/follies-of-optimism-continued/#comment-7216 Sun, 08 Jul 2007 03:02:20 +0000 http://larison.org/2007/07/06/follies-of-optimism-continued/#comment-7216 Whatever Daniel. This last response is just you venting your spleen at the cost of coherence. Whatever Daniel. This last response is just you venting your spleen at the cost of coherence.

]]> by: Daniel Larison http://larison.org/2007/07/06/follies-of-optimism-continued/#comment-7213 Sat, 07 Jul 2007 23:06:00 +0000 http://larison.org/2007/07/06/follies-of-optimism-continued/#comment-7213 No, the main point of the article is that problems, especially as described over a decade later by someone who had no real sympathy with the original complaints, will get fixed, as if the earlier pessimism and complaining had nothing to do with raising the problem in the first place. His other point is apparently that people should always be optimistic. That strikes me as utterly foolish. I would rather be "useless," as you put it, than "useful," given what the mainstream Right has managed to accomplish in the last few years by being useful idiots for this administration. That's really a powerful observation--a handful of people whose ideas are routinely pushed to the margins are not very politically "useful." Who knew? Once again you have managed to deliver what you think is some sort of insult that I consider to be a compliment. No, the main point of the article is that problems, especially as described over a decade later by someone who had no real sympathy with the original complaints, will get fixed, as if the earlier pessimism and complaining had nothing to do with raising the problem in the first place. His other point is apparently that people should always be optimistic. That strikes me as utterly foolish.

I would rather be “useless,” as you put it, than “useful,” given what the mainstream Right has managed to accomplish in the last few years by being useful idiots for this administration. That’s really a powerful observation–a handful of people whose ideas are routinely pushed to the margins are not very politically “useful.” Who knew? Once again you have managed to deliver what you think is some sort of insult that I consider to be a compliment.

]]> by: tedschan http://larison.org/2007/07/06/follies-of-optimism-continued/#comment-7195 Sat, 07 Jul 2007 17:01:11 +0000 http://larison.org/2007/07/06/follies-of-optimism-continued/#comment-7195 <i>We _can_ address them.</i> Who is the we here? The Federal Government? The American people? Or the members of local communities? We _can_ address them.

Who is the we here? The Federal Government? The American people? Or the members of local communities?

]]> by: Grumpy Old Man http://larison.org/2007/07/06/follies-of-optimism-continued/#comment-7194 Sat, 07 Jul 2007 16:58:41 +0000 http://larison.org/2007/07/06/follies-of-optimism-continued/#comment-7194 Sometimes it's better to curse the darkness than to light that candle. Say, when you're sitting on a leaky propane tank. Sometimes it’s better to curse the darkness than to light that candle.

Say, when you’re sitting on a leaky propane tank.

]]> by: Koz http://larison.org/2007/07/06/follies-of-optimism-continued/#comment-7192 Sat, 07 Jul 2007 16:53:35 +0000 http://larison.org/2007/07/06/follies-of-optimism-continued/#comment-7192 Truth be told, I didn't read the article before your last response, I was responding to your post. Now that I have, there isn't anything particularly objectionable in it to me. The main point of the article is that even when our problems seemed overwhelming, they really weren't. Not to say that crime or illegitimacy or abortion aren't big issues still, but we don't have to be fatalistic about it. We _can_ address them. _My_ point is that the paleos are politically useless except for playing backseat driver to the mainstream Right. Frankly, I don't think you have much of a response for either one. Truth be told, I didn’t read the article before your last response, I was responding to your post. Now that I have, there isn’t anything particularly objectionable in it to me.

The main point of the article is that even when our problems seemed overwhelming, they really weren’t. Not to say that crime or illegitimacy or abortion aren’t big issues still, but we don’t have to be fatalistic about it. We _can_ address them.

_My_ point is that the paleos are politically useless except for playing backseat driver to the mainstream Right.

Frankly, I don’t think you have much of a response for either one.

]]> by: Daniel Larison http://larison.org/2007/07/06/follies-of-optimism-continued/#comment-7180 Sat, 07 Jul 2007 02:42:28 +0000 http://larison.org/2007/07/06/follies-of-optimism-continued/#comment-7180 Okay, so you're saying that a handful of people actively excluded from any influence on Republican politics lacked influence on Republican politics in 1990s. That's *really* interesting. In other words, you're admitting that Kristol has no real point in the article in question. Okay, so you’re saying that a handful of people actively excluded from any influence on Republican politics lacked influence on Republican politics in 1990s. That’s *really* interesting. In other words, you’re admitting that Kristol has no real point in the article in question.

]]> by: Koz http://larison.org/2007/07/06/follies-of-optimism-continued/#comment-7179 Sat, 07 Jul 2007 02:12:46 +0000 http://larison.org/2007/07/06/follies-of-optimism-continued/#comment-7179 It's worth noting that relative to deficit reduction of the 1990s, Bill Kristol has ten times the credibility of paleoconservatives. Ie, he organized the resistance to the Hillary health care plan which looked for a while to be a shoo-in. And if it had passed, there would have been no deficit reduction. I don't mean to suggest that the paleos were supporting Hillary in that fight of course, they were irrelevant as usual. If it's not a matter of anklebiting the mainstream Right, don't count on help from the paleos. It’s worth noting that relative to deficit reduction of the 1990s, Bill Kristol has ten times the credibility of paleoconservatives. Ie, he organized the resistance to the Hillary health care plan which looked for a while to be a shoo-in. And if it had passed, there would have been no deficit reduction.

I don’t mean to suggest that the paleos were supporting Hillary in that fight of course, they were irrelevant as usual. If it’s not a matter of anklebiting the mainstream Right, don’t count on help from the paleos.

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