None of the Above: Part I
March 5th, 2008 by PETE ABEL, Assistant Editor
“As I grow older, I regret to say that a detestable habit of thinking seems to be getting a hold of me.” - H. Rider Haggard
“A great many people think they are thinking when they are really rearranging their prejudices.” - William James
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So which is it? Am I an aging addict of the detestable habit of thinking, or am I merely rearranging my prejudices? Honestly, I’m not sure, but I do know this much: The libertarian impulses of my youth and the stoic conservatism of my early adult years are gradually giving way to the doubts of middle-age – doubts that are centered on two questions:
(1) Do I really believe smaller government and lower taxes are the cures to what ails us?
(2) When people are hurting and in need, is it appropriate for their government to turn away, claiming, “That’s not our issue; it should be resolved by individuals and the free market”?
Libertarian conservatives don’t doubt the answers to these questions. They respond “yes,” to both, without hesitation, without equivocation.
Twenty years ago, I would have been similarly clear-headed. I’m no longer so sure and, apparently, neither is 13-year Republican Congressman Steve Chabot of Ohio. According to a Feb. 19 article at Politico:
… Chabot has earned a 97.5 percent lifetime rating from The American Conservative Union and has largely stuck to the Republican ranks, except to oppose some pork-laden spending bills.
But when foreclosures in his hometown of Cincinnati skyrocketed, Chabot found himself aligned with Democrats — and against his party’s leaders, his conservative colleagues and the White House.
Chabot’s bipartisan dalliance illustrates how tough economic times could erode the Republican conference that House Minority Leader John A. Boehner (R-Ohio) is counting on to blunt Democratic victories running up to the November elections.
So, let me get this straight: When rock-solid conservatives learn that their constituents are suffering, they suddenly decide government should do something about it?
That’s not a surprise, really. Many of us have had a change of heart about government action when we encounter unexpected and otherwise insurmountable challenges. Consider the value that my friend, Dennis Sanders, found in Minnesota’s Medicaid program when he needed its assistance back in 1996. Or my experience, when I realized that had it not been for government action, our only child, who suffers from a severe case of Tourette Syndrome, might never have had access to the medications that help him lead a reasonably normal, productive life.
These cases and others suggest that “pure” libertarian conservatives are comprised of those who have not yet hit the brick wall of non-solutions; have not yet needed (nor had an opportunity to appreciate) just how valuable government “interference” can sometimes be.
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“Of all the preposterous assumptions of humanity over humanity, nothing exceeds most of the criticisms made on the habits of the poor by the well-housed, well-warmed, and well-fed.” - Herman Melville
“Whatever you may be sure of, be sure of this, that you are dreadfully like other people.” - James Russell Lowell
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On the other hand, despite the groups and individuals who have been helped by government action, I’m not ready to label myself a progressive. For every example of government doing good, there are multiple examples of government wasting precious resources and implementing counterproductive programs – failures that have been thoroughly documented by the likes of Barry Goldwater in 1960, Philip Howard in 1994, and Paul Ormerod in 2005.
And so … which is it: Get government involved or keep it out of the way? Adopt a predominantly conservative or progressive approach?
More than ever, I’m convinced the “right” answer is “none of the above,” hence the title and subject of this series of posts, which I’m developing as both catharsis and catalyst, to resolve a muddled past and inform future decisions, including the most foreseeably pressing of those decisions: My votes in November. In the process, I hope you, too, find something of value herein.
This entry was posted on Wednesday, March 5th, 2008 at 8:00 am and is filed under Progressives, Conservatives, 2008 Elections, Politics. Both comments and pings are currently closed.
