OK, not really. But if the UnParty did release a video, I hope it would be as fresh, and original, and cool as this one — in that nerdy way that only Elvis Costello can be cool. In fact, it occurs to me that in the ads that the GOP is imitating back here, Microsoft should have hired Elvis to punch the message that maybe geeks use PCs, but geeks can be cool.
Last night, YouTube brought this one to my attention, based upon my past viewing preferences, and I really liked it, so I offer it as a kind of sorbet, to cleanse the palate after the GOP video…
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To me expressing the messages that the Republican Party (should) stand for is relevant and useful. Conservative does not mean resistance to all change. In that case support of Roe v. Wade would be conservative as that is the status quo. In common parlance, conservative means adherence to a set of standards many of which are set forth in the video.
Well, see, you’ve just pointed to another reason why I don’t like the term. One can argue all day whether the pro-life position is liberal or conservative. On the one hand, looking out for the unborn would seem to me to be the ultimate bleeding-heart liberal, compassionate position. Liberals usually want to look out for the “least of these,” but not in this case. On the other hand, wanting something to be legal, rather than forbidden, is classic liberalism. So where does that leave us?
Where I think it leaves us is where I am, a place where saying “I’m conservative” or “I’m liberal” doesn’t express anything coherent. Just take each issue, each situation, think hard about it, and tell me what you think. Don’t give me some blanket label to tell me what “team” you’re on, because I’m not interested.
To me the term means a basket of ideas most of which I agree with and is useful shorthand. If you are not interested that is fine but it is a meaningful term to many. And I flatter myself to think that I consider issues before adopting an opinion.
What worries me, Greg — and I’m not talking about you here, because you’re a thoughtful guy — is that too many people stop thinking the moment they accept one of those labels to describe himself.
Too many use it as a watchword to identify “friend” or “foe,” and are eager to overlook problems with “their” side or virtues of the “other” side in their eagerness to be accepted by their own tribe.
It gives far too many people an excuse to function on a primitive, sub-rational level.
Labels are useful when they are accurate. Barack Obama and most of his closest advisors and appointees describe themselves as socialists, communists and progressives – variants of authoritarian statists who oppose representative government.
They are my enemy. They are the enemy of every American who is not on their team, who doesn’t stand to profit directly from the looting and wealth transfers programs.