You are going to have to eventually deal with this 13-year-old kid. He’s now a best-selling author. He’s a “conservative” here explaining its meaning. When you run into a “Conservative” ask him/her why, if it’s all about individual rights and the principles of personal responsibility, exactly why is every Conservative up in arms over California’s proposal to legalize marijuana. Does it make any sense when benchmarked against these conservative principals?
Found by Micah Phillips.
#3–Mark==when you support “respect for the law” but not the laws themselves, you really are supporting authority.
And yes, that very much is the Repuglican Party today.
Conservatives? Irrelevant outside of things political. Within things political: Sell the theory, act on hypocrisy.
He would get my vote assuming that we will still be having elections by the time he is old enough to run.
And assuming he’s not a judas goat like Limbaugh.
Respect for life as one of the key conservative tenants? Seems like ‘hypocracy’ was the fifth tenent he left out.
Bobbo, I guess you pegged me on that. I “follow the law” but I don’t “respect the law” when it comes to marijuana legality. I know it is illegal and I don’t partake but I really don’t respect the law since it is silly and reduces our freedom. In that regard, I guess I am respecting the authority, more or less, because rejecting it can land me in the pokey. However, it is more about respecting “force” than it is about respecting authority.
But I wouldn’t call conservatism irrelevant. I think true conservatism just needed someone like Obama to make people realize what conservatism actually is. I think fiscal conservatism will come back like a freight train in the not too distant future. At least, I hope so for the financial well being of the country.
The definition of “conservative” as someone who wants to uphold traditional beliefs and institutions and restraints on behavior is still valid (i.e., 18 holes of golf followed by heterosexual missionary position on Saturday night followed by church Sunday morning).
#34–Mark==well done. Words are so important, they are the stuff of ideas.
You don’t need to respect authority/laws/force and indeed none is usually requested. In most dystopian views, only conformity is required.
I also only use legal drugs, support total drug legalization, and am a fiscal conservative while maintaining liberal social views. Maximum personal freedom within a balanced budget.
No, fiscal conservatism is impossible in the foreseeable future. Instead, yes, the iron hand of economics will rule when we fail to rule ourselves. The only way to “balance the books” is for a round of hyperinflations leading to the economic collapse/reset of USA and China and many others with a “banking sector” of any prominence. AFTER THAT, yes conservative economics for two generations before the repeat.
Its the way of life.
“This is what is wrong with you liberals – it is not what people THINK the constitution means. It is what the constitution SAYS. The constitution is very clear but you keep trying to interpret it to make it fit with what you FEEL it should mean.”
Yes, like where the constitution says that you can wiretap Americans without a warrant or you can imprison people for years without charging them with anything, or that the vice-president isn’t part of the executive branch, or that you can torture people in violation of the Geneva convention…
What more is there to discuss? Dvorak already nailed the issue.
The problem is simply that “social/religious conservatism” and “respect for the constitution, respect for life, and less government” are two different things that don’t work together. Social conservatives and liberal democrats both want more government control and more spending. The only difference is that one group wants more money spent on defense while the other wants more social programs.
My hope is that the odd brand of social conservatism that has dominated the republican party dies with the boomer generation.
its amazing, you all really think that if its legalized it will be the same product you get now, illegally from a dealer. 1, California, like everything else the state government touches, will ruin it by putting strict controls on the process of making it and selling marijuana. 2, The state won’t sell to 21 and under (sorry kids) and 3 they’ll tax the hell out of it from the start (think sales tax + excise tax + special tax to fund children’s health insurance (FUCK YOU ROB REINER). 4, other states will effective sue california to force them to prohibit the sale of Marijuana to other states where the drug it still illegal. and finally 5, cartels and dealers won’t want to lose their business so they’ll develop a more addictive marijuana in order to keep business. In the end, the product/taxes will suck so bad that it will still be bought illegally from the dealer. My say keep the status quo, except give it the enforcement of a $25 ticket with no punishment of jail time
#39–Joe==why hold on to the tired old ethics? But even in your scenario==better a $25 fine than 25 years in jail. I wouldn’t get overly fixated on how draconian “legalized drugs” would be when the only comparison is what we have today. Always good to try on new ideas though and at least you offered one.
Call it what you want, bullshit till your hoarse, I know it has left me broke, insecure, and worse off than I ever have been in my life.
Conservatism = take, take, take, take, take, and trickle very little.
The primary principle of conservative is “selfishness”. Every concept this kid is trying to pass off as conservatism is just another definition of selfishness.
Look up the works of Sociologist Jonathan Haidt, he really understands the psychological differences between liberalism and conservatism.
Lets start with “Personal Responsibility” which is based on the belief that our circumstances are the result of our own actions and not from outside influences. From a conservative “selfish” point of view this is a strong belief that “I don’t have to care about anybody but myself, because everyone who is suffering brought it upon themselves”.
Two other of this kids conservative “principles” are in fact contradictory. He wants “Less Government” but also wants to “Honor the Constitution”. Conservatives like this contradiction because they can move between them as they see fit. When Government supports their cause they cry “Honor the Constitution”, when it gets in their way, its “Less Government”
Then the whole “Respect for Life” is total bullshit as far as the conservative mind really works. Any philosophy that supports, unnecessary wars for resources, death penalty, environmental destruction, guns and other weapons, defense expansion, and military spending, has zero respect for life as far as I am concerned.
This 13 year old kid has bought into the “propaganda” hook line and sinker. Maybe when he grows up and realizes sex is better than violence, he will understand things as they really are.
Shoot him now, before it’s too late.
The day I let a 13 year old tell me how it is. Is the day I need a kick in the head.
He may be smarter than W though. But that is not saying much.
I must say he’s well spoken and glad to see more literate Republicans starting to emerge.
Perhaps a Krohn/Palin ticket in the making for 2012 ? They will have the right wingnutts the MySpace crowd covered.
“exactly why is every Conservative up in arms over California’s proposal to legalize marijuana.”
Big hint here. Pot is legal in CA. Just get a doctors note.
BTW, if any smoker in CA is pushing to get it further “legalized”, you’ve smoked too much. Right now you can buy it TAX free!
The new US AG isn’t going to bust “medical” pot users in CA…
You shouldn’t even need a Drs note to buy something thats less addictive and harmfull than things you can buy down at the corner store.
Many know this law is bullshit and few respect it. The only benefit is for authoritarian bully cops, the prison system and the DEA (who are just federal authoritarian bully cops).
This is the true measure of conservatism: Bullheadedly keeping the status quo for no other reason than its the status quo.
#45, Dallas,
Sorry, but this is one of the few times I will disagree with you. The kid is not well spoken. He speaks well in public, but he speaks the same old bullshit rhetoric the conservatives always spin. There is nothing new or any different take on what he is saying.
They should name a disease after this kid. Call it Krohn’s Disease. So full of shit you support and/or vote for any self styled conservative.
#23 billabong
Actually I’m buying both and most poor people I know can’t afford the things I’m buying.
#25 jpfitz
Absolutely nothing wrong with being gay. My SO and I have more gay friends than straight.
#37 jccalhoun
Nothing pisses me off more than the butchering of the Constitution during Bush’s reign.
Being a fiscal conservative I support abortion rights up to a point but not partial birth abortion. I support the Constitution but not the Patriot Act. I support legalizing Marijuana.
I don’t support Obomba or his dumbass policies.
Tip for the future
Weapons and ammo
(Yes, and gold too.)
Little poll:
Does anyone here support impeachment for a Pres that violates the Constitution when it’s in the form of orders or signing bills that violate the constitution?
And, if so, would you call for the impeachment of Obama if he did that?
Did you support calls to impeach Bush for unconstitutional acts?
I love the sound of NeoLib crickets.
You love the sound of your own voice (keyboard).
That’s a loaded question.
I call for the impeachment of any president who willfully fails to uphold his constitutional duties or violates the law.
I think that impeachment should be used a lot more. Bill Clinton shows that being impeached doesn’t mean you get kicked out of office or that your image is permanently ruined. There was a book out a could years ago arguing that impeachment is really the legislative branch’s only tool to express displeasure with the executive branch. I didn’t read the book so I’m not totally informed but I did hear the guy on a couple interviews and he made a good point.
Sorry I wasn’t up at 7:30am on Saturday to reply to the impeachment question…
The kid’s dad has trained him well. If chimps could talk you could train one to do that. He’ll get to college with that huge ego his parents have nurtured and either get wasted on drugs, wind up in a sex scandal with a male intern or get caught with thousands of dollars in his freezer. So he should do well in politics.
#51 rofl.. almost spit my coffee out.
so someone infected this kid with the
dreamy message of conservatism.. too bad it’s falling on deaf ears..
heck, i wouldnt be suprised if the
constitution gets scrapped within the
next 4 years.. *sigh*
wonder if he’ll be used as the repubs secret weapon against O’s brownshirts..
?
-s
I can’t get past this kid’s voice, but it’s pretty clear that someone else wrote his speech, and quite possibly the book in question.
Now the cricket’s on the other foot.
No discussion with Paddy gets any deeper than fallacy, inflammatory statements and attempts at witty rejoinders.
If you cant engage in a real conversation, stay under your bridge.
Let us be honest here, how much can a thirteen year old really know about personal responsibility.
Let us be honest here, how much can a thirteen year old really know about personal responsibility?
Wow, you Americans are going to be in deep sh**
in the very near future.