[Tolik]

Arnold Kling:

...6. Do you believe that the world would be better off if more countries were like America, or not?

Most of my liberal friends have no plans to move elsewhere. Their revealed preference suggests that they agree that America is a great country. However, at the Bradley Symposium, Michael Barone cited a Rasmussen poll showing that close to 40 percent of Democrats in 2004 disagreed with the statement that the world would be better off if more countries were like America.

---

My conclusion from all of this is that most Americans try to adhere to conservative values. They prefer to exercise autonomy and to take responsibility for their children, their health, and their retirement. This may explain why California soundly defeated a proposition for universal pre-school.

What is distinctive about liberals is their belief that they are the only people who can exercise freedom with responsibility. They believe that a paternalistic government can make better decisions for those who not in the elite.

Compared with my liberal friends, I have a bit more confidence in the average American. I know that many people make mistakes, but I think that people are somewhat more capable of fending for themselves than is commonly believed. I certainly believe that we are better served by a government that treats people as if they were competent than by a government that treats people as if they were helpless.

Compared with my liberal friends, I think that there are better alternatives than government for helping people who cannot take care of themselves. Private charities, private schools, and other voluntary associations can better address the pathology of poverty.

Unfortunately, the Republican Party under President Bush has not been doing very well on this quiz. On education, health care, and other domestic issues, the Republicans have become a party of paternalism. The people of California had the wisdom to vote down "it takes a village" as a philosophy of pre-school. Too bad that none of the major political parties shares that wisdom.

Nailed It!

This ping list is not author-specific for articles I'd like to share. Some for the perfect moral clarity, some for provocative thoughts; or simply interesting articles I'd hate to miss myself. (I don't have to agree with the author all 100% to feel the need to share an article.) I will try not to abuse the ping list and not to annoy you too much, but on some days there is more of the good stuff that is worthy of attention. You can see the list of articles I pinged to lately  on  my page.
You are welcome in or out, just freepmail me (and note which PING list you are talking about). Besides this one, I keep 2 separate PING lists for my favorite authors Victor Davis Hanson and Orson Scott Card.  

[Lando Lincoln]

Great article, my FRiend. Thanks.

[Valin]

Do you believe that the world would be better off if more countries were like America, or not?


Actually I don't expect (or care for that matter) if other countries are like America or not. All I ask is they don't kill us.
In regards to Iraq, it appears to me that way to many people here seem to think that Iraq is going to look like Iowa, and if it doesn't we've failed. Well it won't, it will look like Iraq.

[Valin]

They believe that a paternalistic government can make better decisions for those who not in the elite.


Can we say smoking bans....speech codes...."mass transit?

[ReleaseTheHounds]

You're right... he nails it!

Point 6 is telling... It reminds me of the great Ronald Reagan always touting "America, that Shining City on a Hill". I wonder if Reagan thought the world would be better off if more countries were like America... Actually, there's nothing to wonder about, is there?

[Rummyfan]

However, at the Bradley Symposium, Michael Barone cited a Rasmussen poll showing that close to 40 percent of Democrats in 2004 disagreed with the statement that the world would be better off if more countries were like America.

Stunning. I suppose they miss the old Soviet Union....

[old republic]

The definition of conservative is far more complex than this article makes it out to be. This article ignores the myriad of cross cutting cleavages which may fall under the definition of conservative. You see there are many types of conservative ideology which one may possess or not possess. For example, you have social conservatives, fiscal/economic policy conservatives, legal conservatives (which are people the uphold precedent for the simple fact that its precedent whether they agree with it or not), there are defense conservatives and the list goes on. The truth is the word conservative and the word liberal are loaded and mean 20 different things to 20 different people. This article is incredibly superficial about what it means to be conservative. Besides, I think most people including liberals would agree to the second statement that human nature is reflected in government but that certainly doesn't mean that they are right wing. What do you do when one person views an action as conservative and another views the same action as liberal because of different methods of reasoning?