Posted on 02/06/2003 1:14:09 PM PST by WaterDragon
"Mad as the sea and wind when both contend." -- Hamlet
"They're talking apples and oranges!" is a familiar frustrated cry from bystanders listening to a furious discussion. It means that while the two sides seem to be arguing about the same thing, they probably aren't.
For example, when Democrats in Congress denounce the "unacceptable costs" of President Bush's tax cut proposal, the Democrats are stating their belief that government would be negligent in its duties if it allowed a reduction in the flow of money to Washington --money which the Democrats confidently believe they spend wisely to create and fund important improvements in our society
President Bush and his supporters in Congress argue that tax cuts, leaving more money in the hands of those who earn it, create -- through investments, savings and purchases -- capital which creates more jobs, and ultimately a total increase in wealth. In fact, conservatives have proven that tax cuts invariably increase the amount of money flowing to Washington for Congress to spend.
If more U.S. dollars will go to the politicians when taxes are reduced, why would the Democrats object?
Thomas Sowell's book "A Conflict of Visions" goes a long way towards unraveling such conundrums. He provides an explanation for why liberals and conservatives often seem to talk at cross purposes with each other, and why sometimes their proposals seem to be at cross purposes with their own stated goals....(snip)
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The Left has a lot of appeal for the articulate segment of society. In a Communist/statist society, it is the articulate who will rise to the top. The people who are skilled at intrigue, at persuasion, at flattery, at political games have a competitive advantage in large organizations (with government bureaucracy being the largest of organizations).
In the capitalist world, what counts is not how articulate you are, but how RIGHT you are. The man who makes it rich is the one who makes the right decisions, even if he can't articulate WHY he's doing it beyond "having a hunch". Conversely, in government you can fail to actually achieve a decent product for years (eg, the public school system, welfare, public housing, etc) and still be promoted, as long as you're articulate and good at political games
This is why they're so upset at people like Rush, Anne Coulter, David Horowitz, etc. People who are articulate AND have reasoned arguments are deadly to Leftists. The Left's arguments are seductive only to the extent that they can suppress rebuttal. This is why PC is so big on campus
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