[parsifal]

Good article. Conservatism is just being realistic. Common sense.

parsy, who has a healthy dose of pessimism

[unkus]

Conservatism is just being realistic. Common sense.

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Basically, truth must be defended.

[LS]

Nonsense. First, conservatism is inherently Christian, and Christianity is inherently optimistic. Sin is real, but redemption is more powerful.

Second, if "conservatives" won't do anything, I guess those 1.5 million people were just visiting the National Art Gallery.

Third, it is only when there is a clear and explicit challenge that conservatives get motivated. This is absolutely a distinction from liberalism, which constantly seeks to advance government. At some point, conservatives will get motivated enough that they won't be satisfied with a Reagan who will "control" government, but will in fact turn the boat over. I don't know if we're there yet or not, but the times, as Dylan said, surely are a'changin' and it won't be long.

[Jimmy Valentine]

Derbyshire is just doing a reprise of Time and Newsweek articles published during the Carter Administration.

The premise then was that the Soviets would eventually win out and all we could do was possibly delay the inevitable.

Jimmy the peanuts "Malaise" speech and his lecture on our "inordinate fear of Communism" fed into that.

Then of course came,...."Dutch",,,"Gipper"..."The Big Boss Man"....Ronald Wilson Reagan.

And all of that crapola went away.