Posted on 08/03/2004 12:09:31 PM PDT by dead
Opening Statement
Dear FRiends:
I once suffered two great frustrations in being a freelance political writer. First, the loneliness: you put an article out there, and you might as well have thrown it down a black hole for all the response you get. Second, the ghettoization: when you do get response, it would be from folks you agree with. Not fun for folks like me who reliish--no, crave and need--political argument.
Then came the Internet, the blogs--and: problem solved.
I have especially enjoyed having my articles in the Village Voice posted on Free Republic by "dead," and arguing about them here. The only frustration is that I never have enough time--and sometimes no time--to respond as the threads are going on. That is why I arranged for an entire afternoon--this afternoon--to argue on Free Republic. Check out my articles and have at me.
A little background: I am a proud leftist who specializes in writing about conservatives. I have always admired conservatives for their political idealism, acumen, stalwartness, and devotion. I have also admired some of their ideas--especially the commitment to distrusting grand social schemes, and the deep sense of the inherent flaws in human nature. (To my mind the best minds in the liberal tradition have encompassed these ideals, while still maintaining that robust social reform is still possible and desirable. My favorite example is the Protestant theologian Reinhold Niebuhr, author of the Serenity Prayer and a great liberal Democrat.)
Lately, however, I've become mad at the right, and have written about it with an anger not been present in my previous writings. It began with the ascension of George Bush, when I detected many conservatives beginning to care more about power than principles. The right began to seem less interesting to me--more whiny, more shallow--and, what's more, in what I saw as an uncritical devotion to President Bush, often in retreat from its best insights about human nature.
I made my strongest such claim in a Village Voice article two weeks ago in which I, after much thought, chose to say conservatism was "verging on becoming an un-American creed" for the widespread way conservatives are ignoring the lessons of James Madison's great insights in Federalist 51 that in America we are supposed to place our ultimate trust in laws, not men.
Finally, in what I see as the errors of the Iraq campaign, I recognize the worst aspects of arrogant left-wing utopianism: the idea that you can remake a whole society and region through sheer force of will. I think Iraq is a tragic disaster (though for the time being the country is probably better off than it was when Saddam was around--but only, I fear, for the time being).
I am also, by the way, a pretty strong critic of my own side, as can be seen in my latest Village Voice piece.
So: I'm yours for the day--until 7:10 pm CST, when I'm off to compete in my weekly trivia contest at the University of Chicago Pub. Until then: Are you ready to rumble?
Respectfully,
Rick Perlstein
Village Voice writer Rick Perlstein to defend his liberals positions against all Freepers
Here are all of Rick Perlstein's articles posted over the last year or so:
09/16/03 - Come Out Fighting (George Bush is dangerous and it’s patriotic to destroy him)
12/02/03 - Attention, Wal-Mart Voters: Lost Jobs and Military Funerals Haunt Bush in the Heartland
01/13/04 - Last Copter Out of Baghdad: Bush Flees Iraq Mess On The Campaign Express
05/03/04 - The Divine Calm of George W. Bush: Iraq's a mess, half the country hates you - just keep praying!
05/18/04 - The Jesus Landing Pad: Bush White House checked with rapture Christians before latest Israel move
07/21/04 - Church of Bush: What liberal infidels will never understand about president
checking in : )
For those interested (and probably a few who aren't).
I bet he can't do it without name calling.
As best I can remember I have not ready any of your works so I am not in a position to engage you. But I thank you for giving the opportunity to those who have. Thanks!
Thank you for the alert!
Pinging Ella.
Dear Rick,
What exactly are we excusing repressing and rationalizing about GWB?
Sincerely,
A proud Right-winger : )
Mr Pealstein please respond to this :
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1183700/posts
by David Horowitz (one of the more articulate voices of the right) should you choose to reflect on him and his work it might gradually lead you out of the liberal quagmire you have gotten yourself into...good luck climbing out.
Who is Rick Perlstein?
BUMPMARK for later
From what I've read from his posts and responses he has not "name called" in anyway whatsoever. Sadly, that cannot be said for some FReepers.
...and what is this "Village Voice"??
Let's tickle him to death!
No time to post now, but, I'll try to join in when I get home.
Overall vet spending is up faster under Bush in ~3 years than Clinton in 8. If that is a "cut," I'm Bill Gates.
1.) Obviously, the author has not listened to a great amount of conservative talk radio hosts who rail against Bush's immigration and spending policies (just to name a few).
2.) Isn't it intellectualy dishonest to paint a group of people with a broad brush? I thought the left was more open minded than that.
I take it Perlstein's looking for material for another article?
*shrugs*
The son of Mr. & Mrs. Perlstein?
An Ecotopia would worry me too, but I think in the case of Iraq, your concern is unfounded.
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