Following on the heels of yesterday’s much debated column on the civil war among the Republicans, we clearly had far too many liberals feeling smug and self-satisfied to let it stand. With that in mind, I would like to present the companion piece, published today at Pajamas Media, titled, “The Modern Left Abandons Classic Liberalism.” In this piece I take a look at some of the best, most noble aspects of classic liberalism and the positive impact it has had on American society, as well as how this ideology – when taken to an extreme – can be as bad as any other when it goes totally off the rails.
For those who don’t like to follow links, allow me to include here a brief excerpt to whet your appetite.
I’ve long felt that many of the core tenets of classical liberalism were the better angels which are needed to glare over the shoulder of sound conservatism, preventing the excesses which can result from extremism in either direction. Classic liberalism realizes that there exists a proper function of government to temporarily protect and support the weakest and most vulnerable among us when disaster strikes. It understands that unchecked power can and will be used to the detriment of those who have been historically oppressed without the protection of a big brother. It is willing to open the public purse, where appropriate, to ensure that the needs of the many are met while still providing opportunity for the energetic few. It holds a heartfelt conviction — this one really sticks in the craw of modern conservatives who crow at length about American exceptionalism — that peace is always preferable to war.
Unfortunately, experience has taught us that each philosophy, when taken to the apparently unavoidable, absurd extreme, can turn into a pox upon us all. Each and every time we hand unchecked Washington power to a liberal majority, it winds up being akin to giving the car keys to a drunken teenager. While your noble intentions may have been to ensure that everyone had a good time and an adequate supply of beer, the family car inevitably winds up in the ditch and the best we can hope for is that everyone manages to crawl away without serious injury.
Please take a moment to read the entire column, particularly if you were taking part in yesterday’s debate on conservatism, and continue the discussion here from this reverse angle.