Monday, July 26, 2004

The Folks Who Know Better Converge on Boston for their Big Confab

"Which is more important? That they make the right decision or, that they're the one's who make it? Because, I'll tell you, the only way to ensure that they never choose wrong is to not let them choose at all."

Michael Flynn's - The Wreck of the River of Stars

Flynn's character is speaking specifically of the decision of two young 'space-farers' to get married and raise their unborn child, but makes extended reference to the Nanny-State conditions on Earth in his not-so-distant future space story. In the next paragraph he refers to the Folks Who Know Better and questions the statement inherent in that label.

As I read this during my morning flight, I was struck not just by it's truth but also with it's relevance. How appropriate a passage to be reading on this, the first day of the official Democrat Party proceedings in Boston. And how appropriate that setting for the convention.

Now, don't get me wrong, I LOVE Boston. I have passed many a pleasant day and evening there, both for business and pleasure. My wife and I have even contemplated the possibility of a move. But there is also no question that I would, politically, be in the minority. The ever perky Katie mis-read the prompter while interviewing the Massachusetts Governor this morning and stated that there were 13 Republicans in the state. The actual figure is 13%, but I imagine her estimate seems more accurate at times.

And so, back to the Revolutionary roots of our great Republic, and into the very heart of the modern-day liberal NorthEast come the delegates.

I heard on the radio, just before leaving my van at the ParkingSpot to fly to Minnesota, that there was a poll of the Dem delegations that yielded what I consider extraordinary results. It seems that the majority of delegates to the convention consider themselves moderates. I suppose not surprisingly, they consider John Kerry a moderate...

This from a party ready to nominate a ticket that is MORE LIBERAL it it's voting record than a Kennedy-Clinton ticket would be rated.

This alone sums up the problem with the present-day Democrat party. The fringe has recaptured the power (ala McGovern) and is pulling outward in all directions.

While the Donkey's may think they are returning to the point of origin of Liberalism, they have lost sight of Classical Liberalism entirely.

One of the young newlyweds in Flynn's novel was raised on Mars. The Free State of Marineris. Their Motto: Learn or Die.

This is thought most callous by the young doctor on The River of Stars. But Mars, (as we will find when we get there) is a very unforgiving place. To NOT learn is to not only endanger oneself, but everyone around you. Your carelessness could bring down the entire colony. What more could one expect in such an environment? The sentence is not carried out by society. It is carried out by nature itself.

Though it might seem curious to some, the character speaking to the young doctor found HER attitude callous.

His respect for the choices or others was not the result of some grand assessment of those peoples principles nor from a lack of one's own.

It is from a basic belief that it is NOT HIS PLACE to interfere. And so, the very willingness to meddle on the part of the young physician indicates a fundamental contempt.

The Republicans are likewise viewed as calloused. They would teach the man to fish. For those unable to accomplish this, your contribution of part of your daily catch to a local church, synagogue or mosque could feed the hungry.

The Democrat solution would be to send you out to fish, force you to give the fish to a government bureaucrat who will hopefully manage to distribute at least part of the catch before it rots on the docks to those they deem worthy. Most likely they would not be able to acquire a fishing license anyway with all that paperwork. (Do you realize what a problem we have with illiteracy? This problem needs more federal funding! After the requisite studies, of course...) And surely we all agree, we need to control overfishing. That can be a huge problem. And besides, they might get sea-sick...


"Which is more important? That they make the right decision or, that they're the one's who make it? Because, I'll tell you, the only way to ensure that they never choose wrong is to not let them choose at all."

Michael Flynn's - The Wreck of the River of Stars

Flynn's character is speaking specifically of the decision of two young 'space-farers' to get married and raise their unborn child, but makes extended reference to the Nanny-State conditions on Earth in his not-so-distant future space story. In the next paragraph he refers to the Folks Who Know Better and questions the statement inherent in that label.

As I read this during my morning flight, I was struck not just by it's truth but also with it's relevance. How appropriate a passage to be reading on this, the first day of the official Democrat Party proceedings in Boston. And how appropriate that setting for the convention.

Now, don't get me wrong, I LOVE Boston. I have passed many a pleasant day and evening there, both for business and pleasure. My wife and I have even contemplated the possibility of a move. But there is also no question that I would, politically, be in the minority. The ever perky Katie mis-read the prompter while interviewing the Massachusetts Governor this morning and stated that there were 13 Republicans in the state. The actual figure is 13%, but I imagine her estimate seems more accurate at times.

And so, back to the Revolutionary roots of our great Republic, and into the very heart of the modern-day liberal NorthEast come the delegates.

I heard on the radio, just before leaving my van at the ParkingSpot to fly to Minnesota, that there was a poll of the Dem delegations that yielded what I consider extraordinary results. It seems that the majority of delegates to the convention consider themselves moderates. I suppose not surprisingly, they consider John Kerry a moderate...

This from a party ready to nominate a ticket that is MORE LIBERAL it it's voting record than a Kennedy-Clinton ticket would be rated.

This alone sums up the problem with the present-day Democrat party. The fringe has recaptured the power (ala McGovern) and is pulling outward in all directions.

While the Donkey's may think they are returning to the point of origin of Liberalism, they have lost sight of Classical Liberalism entirely.

One of the young newlyweds in Flynn's novel was raised on Mars. The Free State of Marineris. Their Motto: Learn or Die.

This is thought most callous by the young doctor on The River of Stars. But Mars, (as we will find when we get there) is a very unforgiving place. To NOT learn is to not only endanger oneself, but everyone around you. Your carelessness could bring down the entire colony. What more could one expect in such an environment? The sentence is not carried out by society. It is carried out by nature itself.

Though it might seem curious to some, the character speaking to the young doctor found HER attitude callous.

His respect for the choices or others was not the result of some grand assessment of those peoples principles nor from a lack of one's own.

It is from a basic belief that it is NOT HIS PLACE to interfere. And so, the very willingness to meddle on the part of the young physician indicates a fundamental contempt.

The Republicans are likewise viewed as calloused. They would teach the man to fish. For those unable to accomplish this, your contribution of part of your daily catch to a local church, synagogue or mosque could feed the hungry.

The Democrat solution would be to send you out to fish, force you to give the fish to a government bureaucrat who will hopefully manage to distribute at least part of the catch before it rots on the docks to those they deem worthy.

Most likely they would not be able to acquire a fishing license anyway with all that paperwork.
(Do you realize what a problem we have with illiteracy? This problem needs more federal funding! After the requisite studies, of course...)

And surely we all agree, we need to control overfishing. That can be a huge problem.

And besides, they might get sea-sick...

0 Comments:

Post a Comment

<< Home