Christopher Buckley's Obama Embrace—Hope Over Reason
Reader Comments
Go McCain/Palin
I would like to see freshman Senator Obama's first-class temperment in the torrential storm of the main-steam media that Honorable Senator John McCain has endured. I think that smiley B. Obama might be a little grumpy if his mettle were constantly assaulted like the Esteemed John McCain's has been. John McCain is a man of intergity, grit, and honor. To have such a man as commander and chief of this country is a mercy we don't deserve. Hang tough, President McCain!!!
Mr. Buckley's entire quote
The thesis of Mr. Dealey's entry (that Buckley's support is predicated on a wishful Obama "U-turn") is deconstructed by reading Mr. Buckley's ENTIRE QUOTE (see below). Mr. Buckley's support appears to this reader to be based on Sen. Obama's "first class temperament" and "first class intellect", as well as the potential to be "a good, even great leader." A blog entry based on a paragraph taken out of context may satisfy "the choir", but not us thinking independents. Step up your game Mr. Dealey.
"But having a first-class temperament and a first-class intellect, President Obama will (I pray, secularly) surely understand that traditional left-politics aren’t going to get us out of this pit we’ve dug for ourselves. If he raises taxes and throws up tariff walls and opens the coffers of the DNC to bribe-money from the special interest groups against whom he has (somewhat disingenuously) railed during the campaign trail, then he will almost certainly reap a whirlwind that will make Katrina look like a balmy summer zephyr
So, I wish him all the best. We are all in this together. Necessity is the mother of bipartisanship. And so, for the first time in my life, I’ll be pulling the Democratic lever in November. As the saying goes, God save the United States of America.
Obama has in him—I think, despite his sometimes airy-fairy “We are the people we have been waiting for” silly rhetoric—the potential to be a good, perhaps even great leader. He is, it seems clear enough, what the historical moment seems to be calling for."
Palin is Perfect
Palin is exactly what the US deserves as (acting) president: an ignorant, corrupt nutbar. In just a few short weeks, she's managed to give us ample evidence on all three counts. Yes, indeed: she is very representative. Alas. Representative of why I (and many others) have given up on the US as a world player in the 21st Century.
", just parenting five children is enough experience ... "
And what a wonderful job she's done at that.
Parenting does not a qualified leader make. I know plenty of people who have managed to raise children, many of whom did a better job than Palin (no unwed teen pregnancies) whom I still wouldn't want running this country. Being a parent qualifies you for nothing except, perhaps, to work in a daycare. There are some parents I know that I wouldn't even want doing that. Being a parent is, as far as qualifications goes, meaningless. Anyone can become a parent. I want someone damn smart and over-qualified to be president. Not just any "Joe six-pack" "Jane coke-head" from Alasker.
Mitt Romney was the qualified one
Romney wanted to get out of the tribal warfare that is going on in Iraq as asoon as possible. McCain cannot reason anymore when it comes to war. And he certainly has no reasoning capacity about economics, wanting the government to buy mortgages at par value.
Palin is a good Mom. That I realy admire. I have worked for politicans as an economist. As a class of people I think when people are acting as a politician they invariably become trash. Palin's greatest accomplishment in life is being a good Mom. I see that when I see my Mom. My father's greatest accomplishment is being a father. I am a professor now because I know politicians are trashy people, in that role. So do not admire any of them in the politician role. Forget that high civics nonsense.
Reasonable Hope and, Hopefully, Reason
Those who contend that Willam F. Buckley would be appalled at the actions of his son Christopher apparently hadn’t been following the opinions of the father in his last days very closely. As his last breath drew near William became increasingly disenchanted with what had become of the contemporary consevative movement, to the point that ideologically committed wife Patricia wondered aloud if he was beginning to suffer pangs of senility.
William’s disaffectations weren’t entirely recent. This was his commentary about neoconservatives in 2004: "I think those I know, which is most of them, are bright, informed and idealistic, but that they simply overrate the reach of U.S. power and influence." He came to favor drug legalization, and in an article published December 3, 2007 he advocated banning tobacco use in America. About George W. Bush he said, "If you had a European prime minister who experienced what we’ve experienced it would be expected that he would retire or resign."
In a February 2006 Buckley wrote in the National Review Online, "One cannot doubt that the American objective in Iraq has failed." The American Conservative observed that Buckley "saw it [Iraq] as a disaster and thought that the conservative movement he had created had in effect committed intellectual suicide by failing to maintain critical distance from the Bush administration...At the end of his life, Buckley believed the movement he made had destroyed itself by supporting the war in Iraq."
Why would anyone vote Republican this year
After 8 years of implementing the right wing agenda, America's prestige, power, and economy are at their lowest ebb since before WWII and our infrastructure, education, health system are all in bad shape also. The conservative Republican paradigm has been shown to be wrong and a failure. We can't bully or police the rest of the world ourselves; we can't do away with regulations without returning to the pre-depression economy of boom or bust; tax cuts to the rich don't grow the economy unless there is a vast increase in military spending and large deficits.
The rest of the world is learning that they can not rely on the US as an ally or world leader, nor can they rely on our economy and the dollar as the only international currency as they used to. And the rest of the world is adjusting to this with the net result that our influence and importance to the world is will be reduced significantly.
All of this is due to 8 years of Republican rule. Republicans should not and can not be rewarded for weakening our nation and squandering its resources (military, economic, and political). 90% of the US thinks we are on the wrong track. We have to though the Republicans out - Obama and the Democrats can't do any worse and, given the historic trends (in economics at least) will do much better. Give the Republicans the boot so they can learn from their failure - if Obama does poorly, boot him out in 4 years. but I, like Buckley, think he will do fine; he is smart, reflective, and has good advisers. But if we keep following the Republican road, things can only get worse; we won't get out this current crisis by doing more of the same that got us into it.
Why would anyone vote Republican this year
After 8 years of implementing the right wing agenda America's prestige, power, economy are at their lowest ebb since before WWII and our infrastructure, education, health system are all in bad shape also. The conservative Republican paradigm has been shown to be wrong and a failure. We can't bully or police the rest of the world ourselves; we can't do away with regulations without returning to the pre-depression economy of boom or bust; tax cuts to the rich don't grow the economy unless there is a vast increase in military spending and large deficits.
The rest of the world is learning that they can not rely on the US as an ally or world leader, nor can they rely on our economy and the dollar as the only international currency as they used to. And the rest of the world is adjusting to this with the net result that our influence and importance to the world is will be reduced significantly.
All of this is due to 8 years of Republican rule. Republicans should not and can not be rewarded for weakening our nation and squandering its resources (military, economic, and political). 90% of the US thinks we are on the wrong track. We have to though the Republicans out - Obama and the Democrats can't do any worse and, given the historic trends (in economics at least) will do much better. Give the Republicans the boot so they can learn from their failure - if Obama does poorly, boot him out in 4 years. but I, like Buckley, think he will do fine; he is smart, reflective, and has good advisers. But if we keep following the Republican road, things can only get worse; we won't get out this current crisis by doing more of the same that got us into it.
Buckley Defection
It's difficult to believe that because Chris considers McCain "inauthentic" he can rationalize voting for Obama. And to quote his father "I won't insult your intelligence by suggesting that you believe what you just said." The fundamental differences between liberals and conservatives is much deeper than economic policies. I have clients who have achieved greatness and at the same time their sons are hooked on heroin. The son does not automatically inherit the father's greatness as is clearly the case with Chris.
The democrats will very likely get a supermajority in both the Senate and the House. There is an impending certainty that our country will see some very irreparable damage to our liberty, meritocracy and national identity.
-Shane
“Back in the thirties we were told we must collectivize the nation because the people were so poor. Now we are told we must collectivize the nation because the people are so rich.”
-William F. Buckley
Too late to vote for Hope?
Bob Hope, that is?
