Taking A Position

The conservative position: Some one could be doing something bad and the evil goes unpunished - we must pass a law.

The liberal position: Some one could be unfairly taking advantage of another in an economic transaction. The evil goes unpunished - we must raise a tax.

Which is why I am neither a liberal nor a conservative. I don't believe government can provide prosperity or moral uplift. And worse: by trying to do either it actually does the opposite.

===

The above was sparked by an interchange with one of my favorite correspondents. We have a lot of points of agreement. Otherwise we go at each other with no quarter. Which is why I love our correspondence.

Cross Posted at Power and Control

posted by Simon on 04.16.10 at 10:59 PM





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Comments

So I guess you are "...neither a liberal nor a conservative..." because you have a gross misunderstanding and/or are totally unobservant of the characteristic tendencies of these groups? Or maybe you just mis-characterize in order to pimp your supposed more excellent way. A fleeting moment's reflection about the recent and current legislative activities of known liberals and conservatives should disabuse anyone of the definitional caricatures you use here.

Levans   ·  April 17, 2010 08:13 AM

Too bad such erudite observations are wasted on comments.

M. Simon   ·  April 17, 2010 08:32 AM

Repeat after me "Government is force." If what you wish to do does not need PHYSICAL force, don't call to the government.

Using government for economic uplift or moral uplift of economic redistribution or... education, social engineering, charity, business regulation etc. is akin to performing brain surgery with a wooden spoon. It will "work" to a point but do more harm than good.

For the rest? We got individuals.

When I was a kid and there was a large group of us (usually cousins) at a party, the adults' rule was: the one who runs to us asking us to intervine on his behalf gets punished along with the rest even if he's right -- unless the issue involves peril to life or limb. As a result we the kids, which could vary in age from fourteen to three, solved our own disputes except in the direst of cases. The parents enjoyed their party. And oh, yeah, the injustice was no worse than it would have been if they'd come in on behalf of every whiney "injured" part.

I think government should be sort of like that.

Sarah   ·  April 17, 2010 12:09 PM

Those who think government force is the best means to their ends are confusing efficacy with efficiency. I don't care to be governed by people with such lame vocabulary skills.

Brett   ·  April 18, 2010 08:03 AM

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