Ready to rumble? Village Voice Author, Rick Perlstein, Here to Debate the Freeper Horde

08/03/2004 | Rick Perlstein

[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

[HitmanLV]

...and what is this "Village Voice"??

That one I know. It used to be a poorly laid out weekly nyc newspaper, which sold for years and years at nyc news stands. It's best selling feature, if memory serves, were the coverage of clubs and entertainment in nyc (who is performing and where), and classified for adult massage and related purient stuff.

The NY Free Press quickly made the $1 a copy Voice obsolete, providing better layout, better writing, club news, and sexy classified for free.

The Voice had to follow in kind, and Ithink now they have difficulty even giving the Voice away.

Ah, but for it to be 1973 again!!!!

[Uncle Miltie]

"The governor ran for president on a platform of balanced budgets, then ran the federal budget straight into the red."

There was this little matter of 9/11, but I wouldn't expect a 9/10 liberal to understand.

[Mister Baredog]

. It began with the ascension of George Bush,

Here's your first problem. Bush did not ascend. He was ELECTED in a very close election.

Not only that he had half the transition time of other Presidents. He had the Jeffords betrayal, slowing the already slow confirmation process. The FBI director was on the job for 1 week when 9/11 occured.

Your left-wing buddies have spent the better part of Bush's entire term undermining him at every opportunity. Foreign policy and security be damned, they want POWER and are more than willing to sell out the country to get it.

M. Moore sat with J. Carter at the Dem convention. Moore is an enemy of our country. If you don't believe that please note it was just played on national TV in that bastion of leftist love, Cuba. China will show it. Hezbollah will distribute it in the Middle East.

This movie isn't just about Bush, it's about America and the damage won't go away anytime soon.

The recent convention was a "bait and switch" farce. Everyone there were on their best behavior but we've seen over the last 6 months the true feelings of the left in this country. I thank GOD everyday that liberalism is and will remain a minorityview in the U.S.

FReegards
Baredog

[gopwinsin04]

Rick, you were great on that 'Beauty and the Beast' TV show with Linda Hamilton!

[Dead Dog]

Well, he really hasn't stated anything on this thread that we can debate. It would be better if he would make a statement that we could attack and he defend.

How about his assertion that we have abandoned principle for power, and rule of law for rule of man? I'd like to see him both provide an example, and at the same time defend Bill Clinton's suborning purgery.

[pitinkie]

OMG LOL

[Southack]

You wrote "Of course, two years after Bush made his pledge, only 2 percent of the AIDS money has been distributed (in any event, it will mainly go to drug companies). And appearing earnest in the presence of African Americans has been a documented Bush strategy for wooing moderate voters since the beginning."

Could I please see those documents that verify your claims above?

5 Legislative Days Left Until The AWB Expires

[Francis McClobber]

Dear Mr. Perlstein,

The article is very interesting, but does not really answer the question on how the Bush administration is cutting the budget. What this looks like to me is the Bush administration and congress failing to adequately fund the VA to perform services that they are tasked to perform. Perhaps we could chide the President and Congress to enhance VA funding, rather than attempt to call this a cut in funding.

I am a veteran and would probably be considered an upper income veteran. I would gladly give my spot up in a VA hospital for a fellow veteran who can not afford other care. I do not see this as a problem.

What do you think?

Sincerely
Hal

[veronica]

Leftists and Liberals live in a fantasy world. They see themselves as saviors, as The Great Hope of the poor miserable masses. They delude themselves into thinking they can negotiate with evil. They pride themselves on being holier-than-thou, and think they are far more intelligent than the average GOPer. In truth, they are muddle-headed and unrealistic. As a Jew, I am especially appalled by Jewish leftists. These people are a danger to Israel, and to the Jewish faith in general, to say nothing of being dangerous to America.

[Phantom Lord]

VA Cuts Some Veterans' Access to Health Care
Huge Backlog, Long Waits Prompt Decision

Mr. Perlstein, the article you posted does not contain a single budetary number. Are these cuts actual cuts, or just reductions in the proposed increase?

[Perlstein]

Perhaps you can answer this question. Based on John Kerry's anti-war activities in the 70's, and his no vote to remove Saddam Hussein from Kuwait, and his pronouncement to bring the troops home quickly from Iraq, which was was Kerry's more intellectually honest vote: to authorize war OR his no vote on authorization to fund it? And why?

----

"Use It" asks an easy question. First, where did Kerry say he wants to bring home troops quickly from Iraq, in a way that was different from any normal person who OF COURSE wants to bring the troops home quickly from Iraq?

And as for Kerry's vote on funding authorization: If you know--and senators always know; that's what 'vote counting" means--that a bill is about to pass overwhelmingly, voting against it can be the only way you can protest some of its provisions. In Kerry's case it was the refusal of Bush in the $87 billion bill to ask for any sacrifice from Americans who were getting tax cuts.

What was more intellectually dishonest: that vote, or the Bush admnistration's understanding that they're asking for less money than they'll really need for Iraq?

Rick

[cake_crumb]

"It's actually the Democrats who want us to put our trust in men, not laws"

How about activist judges, who are overturning the will of the people and legislating by judicial fiat?

I have to listen to Tommy Franks now. Will retun later to see how the uh...debate has come along.

[HHFi]

Welcome to FR. It's good to see someone on the left who's actually willing to discuss ideas. Too many people seem to think (like Don Henley) that "debate" consists of them talking into a microphone and all the rest of us paying them to be forced to listen to it and keep our mouths shut.

I think you are misreading the mood of conservatives, or at least mine, when you say they support President Bush uncritically. In fact, I have a number of qualms about Bush: the overreaching FCC, the unconstitutional CFR bill, the bloated education bill, the runaway spending, etc. If the Democrats had put forth a candidate whom I found to be credible on defense, I might have considered him.

But the overriding factor to me is the fact that we were attacked on our own soil -- 3,000 innocent people murdered on live TV before our eyes -- by a terrorist organization that has declared war on us and threatened far worse. Yet the Democratic Party still seems to think that the worst thing to happen to America in the past four years is that Al Gore's boatload of lawyers were unable to rewrite the election laws after the election in Florida. The shrill, never-ending tantrum they've been throwing since early 2001 has convinced me that they are not a serious party; that their own lack of power has reduced them to a pack of squalling two-year-olds, and that in fact it is they for whom regaining power has taken precedence over every other consideration, including the very survival of the nation and its people.

The Convention just pounded home the themes of immaturity and defense weakness. There were prominent roles for unserious, foaming-mouth rabble-rousers like Michael Moore and Al Sharpton. Kerry took two opposing defense positions in one speech (he'll hunt down the terrorists, but he'll also hurry out of Iraq and wait around to be attacked again before responding). And the coup de grace: the biggest ovation went to a smart-mouthed 12-year-old attacking Dick Cheney for the private use of a word that their own presidential nominee had used in a Rolling Stone interview.

Thanks, but with all my concerns about Bush (and I do think there are a lot of things that need to be reversed), at this point in history, I just can't trust these people with the lives of my family. I think that's why the poll numbers read as they do: it's not just that swing voters were turned off by Kerry, but that Bush supporters who were wavering got a look at the alternative and said, "Nope, I'd rather just grumble through four more years of Bush."

[KellyAdmirer]

So, do you think that Teresa was thinking of what you wrote when she said that "un-American" stuff was going on (but then immediately denied saying it)? For that matter, do you think she has any idea who James Madison is, let alone Federalist 51?

Also, like some of your fellow Village Voice writers (I can give examples), do you too think that Kerry looks and brays like a horse? Regards.

[Signalman]

Rick

I just read your VV article. It is obvious that you are somewhat disenchanted with the Democratic party. Therefore, I urge you to vote for Ralph Nader. Thank you.

[Uncle Miltie]

"I ask why Kerry goes to mass every week if he's trying to get rid of God."

He's just baiting the Church to deny him bread and wine. It would play well to his baby-killing base.

[Anitius Severinus Boethius]

I have a few questions just in general. Need to get to know where you are coming from.

Do you believe that anyone can be a success from their own work in America? If not, is it only people from certain races, genders, or beliefs that need help?

Do you believe that in order for someone to gain a dollar someone had to lose a dollar?

Do you believe that faith in a higher power denigrates a persons ability to think logically?

Do you believe in instinct?

Do you believe in absolutes as they pertain to :science? :faith? :politics? :philosphy?

Do you believe in the inate goodness of man?

Do you believe in the law of nature (the strong survive at the expense of the weak)?

Thank you.

[combat_boots]

Mr. Perstein,

I read the above post with interest, especially your idea that conservatism is "verging on becoming an un-American creed," in that you suggest conservatives are not obeying laws. Would you care, then, to defend Sandy Berger's actions to FReepers? Bill and Hillary Clinton and the 2000 felonies under Clinton's watch, along with the selling of die-casting tools, along with 1 mm pages of nuclear secrets, to the PRC?

To suggest that people who disagree with your political view are un-American simply paves the way for you to cheer on the gulag approach to silencing opposition. As for breaking the law, I suggest you read up on how democrats have confessed to stealing elections on the manual recount idea, or look into the Senate Ethics Committees rules on how it is that a Senator can be absent for so much of the time from his job and still get paid, when people who work for a living would be fired.
Sir, twice in the last week, I have both read and heard "un-American" used, both times by Democrats/liberals, and once on video, but later denied, by T Heinz-Kerry. This is projection in my book. The desire to preserve the values of an American Heritage that has been plundered over the last 45 years is a conservative goal, and a liberal's anathema. Go look at old Life covers and trace the change yourself. Furthermore, the vision of a hands-off government is still a hallmark of a conservative. Witness the newest suggestion by Hastert to use a flat-tax, and perhaps do away with the IRS.

As a liberal ideologue, you can no more convince me than I can you. I recognize this. But, I will be interested in your answers, but not before you go read the communist goals that were read into the Congressional Record in the 60s, if you haven't already. Un-American? You called it sir. You.

[dead]

Are we allowed more than one question? I've never done this before and don't know how long these thereads can get.

I don’t think its ever been done before. There are no rules, beyond the standard forum rules.

I don’t know how much Perlstein will be able to answer in four hours. Only his high school typing teacher knows for sure.

[eleni121]

So when is Kerry going to apologize for calling veterans baby killers?