Victor Davis Hanson: The Coming of Nemesis, Hubris and the law of unintended consequences.

NRO ^ | 02/20/2004 | Victor Davis Hanson

[Grampa Dave]

Thanks for the post and the ping!

[Tolik]

The country would win tremendously if we had a normal dialog with such democrats as Hanson, Lee Harris, Orson Scott Card (all my personal favorites I enjoy to post to this board) and Zell Miller. The difference of opinions is healthy. More: its essential for democracy.

Unfortunately the Democratic party moved so much to the Left, that people like them find themselves outside of their old party. Does Republican party win from this? In a shortsighted answer, yes. But, not really.

Hysterical attacks from the Left combined with big media openly cheering left wing of one party, it becomes too easy for Republicans to dismiss ANY criticism as vile shrills. It is a noise, not a feedback. I afraid that Republicans become too complacent (as demonstrated by "big government" moves by the Bush administration, that criticized, but enough from the Right).

I long for a good debate instead of name calling.

The best possible scenario: Democratic party moves even more to the left to her own extinction. New centrist party emerges to balance Republican. Productive debate resumes. [dream on:))]

[absalom01]

Let the chips fall where they may. John Effin' Kerry doesn't stand a chance.

And that just might be hubris. PT Barnum noted that no one ever went broke underestimating the intelligence of the public -- a maxim that still seems to apply in the "blue" counties.

[Alamo-Girl]

Bump!

[wizardoz]

bookmark

[metesky]

Big bump!

[Billthedrill]

Thanks for the ping. A VDH BTT until I can digest and comment later.

[blackie]

Victor Davis Hanson, common sense ~ bump!

[AmericanVictory]

We respectfully disagree with some of his conclusions. Particularly with regard to the big liberal lie about what actually happened in the Vietnam war. We have been handed the opportunity and the time to correct this ongoing lie as taught in our universities ever since the war with increasing fervor is now. It is directly pertinent to the present situation.

[MEG33]

Reading Hanson improves my day.

[PhilDragoo]

God Bless our Vietnam veterans.

5,000 degree Kelvin karma for Kerry's betrayal of them.

[Billthedrill]

Thanks again for posting. I think one of the reasons for the current inchoate smear campaign on the part of Democratic activists is that too many Democrats haven't, pardon the expression, "moved on" from 2000. This sort of hyperbole generated by losing zealots is fine when there is no longer a candidate upon whom they reflect. Now, however, there will be an individual who must either disavow or publicly validate the actions of his partisans, and some of those actions, as Hanson points out here, are quite counterproductive.

It should be remembered that the author does not speak out of any partisan opposition himself; Hanson is, or claims to be, a lifelong Democrat. But the wing that seized control of that party with the accession of the Clintons is closely identified with the anti-Vietnam-war retreads of the 70's, and it is these who have turned the party of Scoop Jackson into the party of Abbe Hoffman. Not only have they not "moved on" from 2000, they haven't "moved on" from 1970 either. It is a legacy that must be pinching a bit for Mr. Kerry, who wants to be seen as Scoop and whose hangers-on are all still playing Abbe. It is difficult to tell if he really has grown from the slanderer of '71, but it is apparent that many of his most vocal advocates have not.

And if Humphrey wouldn't be in the same room with Hoffman, what are we to say of a party who enjoys the open championship of such a detestable creature as Larry Flynt? How hypocritical is it for a professional pornographer to be rubbing his hands gleefully over an incipient smear campaign structured around the payment for an abortion? Is this really the sort of thing that Kerry (or whoever) wants to have linked with a campaign for the presidency? Because linked it certainly will be if it happens.

If I understand Hanson's point here, it is that the Democratic party has been systemically poisoned by the toxic residue of the radical pasts of its most influential adherents, who have failed to mature in the intervening years and who now, in attempting to recapture the passions of their youth, are reclaiming its follies as well. If this is the case, I think they have a hard lesson to learn.

[windchime]

Bump!

[wife-mom]

What a great Sunday afternoon read! IMO, VDH is wise beyond words. Thanks for posting this.