So, in short, you are advocating a return to "fundamentalist" Judeo-Christian morality, circa...when exactly? And should the morality be codified in law? Has all progress since the Enlightenment, since the Renaissance even, been "nihilistic"?
FreeRepublic entertains many old fashioned people, not terribly learned or articulate, bless them, and a small town, rather Nineteenth Century ethos. I like it. On the other hand, this will not be a successful defense against the "left" aspect of modernity. Take France and Germany as proof. Or Dalrymple's writing on English culture. Or the state of any big city USA. (And increasingly the small towns.)
You lost me a little here. What does "this" refer to? FR as a tool of communication to advocate such a return to J-C values? How do France and Germany constitute proof as to is uselessness? And why exclude Scandinavia, Japan, South America, the whole industrialized world, in fact? Or is there something special about France and Germany?
On the near term new middle class jobs will be very rare.
Haven't "information careers" become the new "middle class jobs"? Are they really in jeopardy of disappearing in the new technological world?
There is no reason to expect any real economic "recovery" until the excesses of the Bubble have been worked through.
What exactly is the "Bubble"? Its excesses?
They will fight to the death to stop any tax cutting, regulatory reform, judicial reform, or legal reform that would in fact lead to recovery.
For argument's sake, what kinds of reform would you advocate?
When they gain power they will do whatever they believe it takes to insure that they cannot ever be dislodged. Political opposition will be suppressed.
"1984"? Is the future really that dim to you?
Sorry to barrage you with questions, but you've really stoked my grey matter, here.
You said: So, in short, you are advocating a return to "fundamentalist" Judeo-Christian morality, circa...when exactly? And should the morality be codified in law? Has all progress since the Enlightenment, since the Renaissance even, been "nihilistic"?
My reply: I said nothing of the sort. I said, "This trend is "left". It is the major cultural trend in the West since the "Renaissance"." I am talking about a cultural trend. You are talking about "progress". Also, I advocate very little except that one be willing to distinguish between truth and lies.
You said: Has all progress since the Enlightenment, since the Renaissance even, been "nihilistic"? My Question: What do you mean by "progress"? Do not conflate the accidents of changing technology and the efforts people have made to come to terms to these technologies, nor increased populations, transportation, industrialization, access to media, etc. that are a result of changing technology. Otherwise you won't be able to distinguish between technological change and "progress". That is, you will be forced into the position of saying "progress = technological change." Technological change is morally neutral, I think we both can agree, and therefore has nothing to do with "nihilism", etc.
"This" refers to "a small town, rather Nineteenth Century ethos" as a phrase, "ethos" as a noun. I should have been more specific. I owe you this one.