Monday, August 08, 2016

Litmus test for conservatism

The litmus test for whether an economic proposal is conservative is the extent to which it is an example of this statement by Reagan. 

In this present crisis, government is not the solution to our problem; government is the problem.

I heard nothing of the sort in Trump's speech. Did you? 

10 comments:

Crude said...

I heard nothing of the sort in Trump's speech. Did you?

What, the economic thing? He went on about deregulation and ending various taxes. I'm not sure what else is to be expected - if anything I was disappointed by some of that. The child tax credit, however, seems suspiciously great.

Kuudere-Kun said...

Shows how the definition of Conservative has change, originally those who wanted less government were the radical leftists.

John B. Moore said...

It looks like Reagan qualified his statement by saying "In this present crisis." This implies that Reagan himself might advocate a government solution under different circumstances. In other words, government isn't always the problem. It can sometimes do good things.

Kuudere-Kun said...

Reagan was an FDR democrat.

Gyan said...

Is conservatism the solution to our problem?

Victor Reppert said...

I was actually thinking of the acceptance speech.

Trump is the candidate of the party that prides itself on conservatism. I think he says a lot of things many conservatives like, but he has not grasp of conservative principles, or any other principles.

Joseph Hinman (Metacrock) said...

there was a time when hating government wasn't considered the basis of "conservative principle,s" it seems like before Reagan they didn't talk about that.

Ilíon said...

"It looks like Reagan qualified his statement by saying "In this present crisis." This implies that Reagan himself might advocate a government solution under different circumstances. In other words, government isn't always the problem. It can sometimes do good things."

Whoddathunk! Reagan was a conservative, not a libertarian.

Ilíon said...

VR: "The litmus test for whether an economic proposal is conservative is the extent to which it is an example of this statement by Reagan.

In this present crisis, government is not the solution to our problem; government is the problem.
"

Aside from what John Moore has pointed out, it is not at all the case that that is the litmus test for whether an economic proposal is conservative.

THIS is the litmus test: "Does this proposal use the threat of governmental violence to compel some persons to serve the private interests of other persons?"

Ilíon said...

... and Donald Trump is very much in favor of using the threat of governmental violence to compel some persons to serve the private interests of himself.


You know, just as is Hillary Clinton ... and Bernie Sanders.