Posted on 01/01/2012 4:27:36 PM PST by SeekAndFind
Columnist George Will is starting off 2012 on a positive note… at least in most areas. For his premiere column in this election year, Will doesn’t sound very enthusiastic about the prospects of defeating Barack Obama in November, but he still feels that conservatism in general is on the upswing and we should be looking forward to a banner year.
Although they have become prone to apocalyptic forebodings about the fragility of the nation’s institutions and traditions under the current President, conservatives should stride confidently into 2012. This is not because they are certain, or even likely, to defeat Barack Obama this year. Rather, it is because, if they emancipate themselves from their unconservative fixation on the presidency, they will see events unfolding in their favour. And when Congress is controlled by one party, as it might be a year from now, it can stymie an overreaching executive.
One of the first items on Will’s list of positive conservative indicators is a story which we covered here earlier this month. It’s the not very widely covered fact that America became a net petroleum exporter again in 2011 for the first time in more than half a century. Good news to be sure, but why does George Will see this as particularly beneficial to conservatism? Because progressivism, he claims, relies on scarcity as a means to allow government to control behavior.
For the foreseeable future, a spectre is haunting progressivism, the spectre of abundance. Because progressivism exists to justify a few people bossing around most people, and because progressives believe that only government’s energy should flow unimpeded, they crave energy scarcities as an excuse for rationing — by them — that produces ever-more-minute government supervision of Americans’ behaviour.
Energy issues aside, the author also sees plenty of room for optimism regarding the November elections even if Obama wins a second term, and the Senate is the key. By taking the majority there, the GOP’s stamp of approval would be required for any future appointments to agencies such as the NLRB, the EPA and the energy department. These entities, which Will refers to as unconstrained instruments of presidential decrees, will lose much of their power to do mischief through what amounts to extra-legislative lawmaking.
This is a double edged sword, of course, and continues an unpleasant precedent. In theory, the president makes these appointments as part of his mandate as expressed by voters selecting him for office. Using the legislative branch to thwart these types of appointments at every turn has always struck me as somewhat dirty pool, but the practice has been in place by both parties for a while now, so there’s not much to be done about it.
In that light, George Will may be correct when he closes by saying that, in the end, control of the White House may not wind up meaning very much if conservatives control both chambers of Congress. With that, this parting observation:
In any case, nothing that happens this November will bring an apocalypse. America had 43 presidencies before the current one and will have many more than that after the end of this one in 2013 or 2017. Decades hence, it will look like most others, a pebble in the river of American history.
And on that cheerful note, enjoy your New Years Day, folks.
Even George Will knows that Willard Romney is toast if nominated.
Atheistic Clinton/Obama lover George Will says that things are looking good to him?
Bad news for America!
Wanna have some fun? Sneak up behind George Will and whisper “Mitt Romney” in his ear.
Watch his botwie spin and listen to him squeal like a fangirl.
Things are not looking up. If Obama wins again, America will probably fall as a world power. If Willard wins, America has very little hope. This is a terrible, dangerous, frightening year, and I hope every Freeper will be working to elect the most conservative government possible.
Will’s opinion does not represent the mainstream of thinking Constitutional conservatives. And, I know, that is not news.
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$3.50/gal is the same dynamic as scarcity. |
I follow the O/G business and I'm not sure what Will is talking about when he says we are a net exporter. We have started to export some gasoline, but we import 7 plus million bbls of oil per day.
George who?
Anything this guy says bears deconstructing. What he calls Conservatism is whatever he thinks will benefit his version of reality. And if that’s not an apt description of what ails modern relativist thinking, I don’t know what would.
Will doesn't sound very enthusiastic about the prospects of defeating Barack Obama in November, but he still feels that conservatism in general is on the upswing and we should be looking forward to a banner year.That's because he's not a conservative, and what he regards as conservatism *is* on the upswing, at least in his own mind.
RE: Atheistic Clinton/Obama lover George Will
Actually George Will calls himself an agnostic.
Excerpt of his interview with Stephen Colbert...
_________________________
Stephen Colbert: Are you an atheist?
George Will: I’m not decisive enough to be an atheist.
SC: Are you an agnostic?
GW: Yes.
But at the same time we import oil, however, the number of barrels is falling because of increased domestic production. Several articles that I read about the gasoline mentioned we could also be a net exporter of crude if we would be allowed to drill. Much comment about the oil sands in ND and the fracking in the east.
We should never export crude oil.
What I want to know is....What needs to happen to make refined petroleum products dirt cheap for US Citizens, and outrageously expensive for the foreign markets?
America will suffer greatly if Obama has another 4 years to inflict more weakening of our standing in the world. The world has taken its measure and will challenge us. Iraq’s unity government is fracturing, Iran is not the least bit worried about a US backlash against their nuclear program, Biden has told us that the Taliban is not our enemy and the Administration is for sure getting ready to meet and apologize for all the problems we caused them the last 10 years. We just learned that Gen. Petraeus is deeply at odds over the troop drawback in Afghanistan that Obama is pushing, and wanted to quit. China is using currency manipulation to make US businesses not competitive internationally, but the Obama administration refuses to say so.
We haven’t even gotten to all the problems of an administration with countless statist czars, refusal to submit a budget for years, and total lack of inability to work with Congress unless it is to force a few more liberals into their camp.
By the way, Antonin Scalia, Anthony Kennedy, Clarence Thomas, Samuel Alito and John Roberts are not getting any younger. Forget the already liberal wing of the court. If we lose any of the 5 justices on the right or swing, the Constitution really is in terrible trouble. George Will better adjust his bowtie. We simply cannot afford another 4 years of Obama. Our country’s survival really is hanging in the balance.
We have not
Myself, I don’t think Romney as Pres would be so bad. Yes, I realize he is a serious departure from conservative ideals, but he is not a vandal. He is not out to destroy the country nor the culture. I believe he is generally a sensible person.
The danger, as I see it, is that for me, Romney as candidate practically guarantees the re-election of 0bama, and that prospect is depressing as hell.
The Supreme Court. ‘nuf said.
“And when Congress is controlled by one party, as it might be a year from now, it can stymie an overreaching executive.”
That might have been true years ago, but not anymore.
The Executive branch has been given so much power over the 20th century that presidents like BO can just ignore Congress in many areas. And a majority doesn’t matter unless it’s a veto-proof majority.
Seems like Will ought to know this by now.
There are several reasons why Romney is not my chosen candidate. That said, why do you think his candidacy would practically guarantee the re-election of Obama?
George Will should have his sanity questioned for writing these words. The next Supreme Court justice selection will set the course of jurisprudence in this country for the next 10-15 years.
The coming Obamunist economic crisis will require a solid, conservative hand on the till if we are to have any chance of survival. We face the most important Presidential election since 1860 and Will should know that.
It's why it is more important than ever that we have a truly conservative nominee to defeat Zero. That nominee cannot and must not be Myth Romney.
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