Do The Research Before You Write
Michael Tomasky wrote an article in the New York Times telling Democrats how to deal with Republicans. It was featured by Mustang Bobby and Athenae. Tomasky suggested that Republicans had some regard for John Stuart Mill.
The Victorian Web covers one of my favorite quotes from JSM:
In reply to an attack made upon him by Sir John Pakington for calling the Conservative party “the stupid party,” Mill, admitting the phrase to occur in his Representative Government, went on to say, “I never meant to say that the Conservatives are generally stupid. I meant to say that stupid people are generally Conservative. I believe that is so obviously and universally admitted a principle that I hardly think any gentleman will deny it. Suppose any party, in addition to whatever share it may possess of the ability of the community, has nearly the whole of its stupidity, that party must, by the law of its constitution, be the stupidest party; and I do not see why honorable gentlemen should see that position at all offensive to them, for it ensures their being always an extremely powerful party.
Mill also favored women’s suffrage, which is not exactly in favor with the current Republican Party.
BTW, the link to Considerations on Representative Government is to Gutenberg so you can read it for yourself to see if there is any intersection between J.S. Mill and Republicans.
11 comments
I love that quote. Sorry I haven’t been on for a very ling time. I ended up on FaceBook, where so many people I know, personally, are Trump fans. I have to keep fact-checking them. Unfortunately, that takes time.
You are always welcome here. I have a few neighbors that I avoid because their loyalty to Trump means they think COVID is a hoax and I can’t afford to be around them. You can present the facts but you can’t make people believe them. I hope we can come together after Trump is gone. He has dug up a lot of nastiness that should have been left alone to fade away.
Hello OWL! It has been some time. 😀 I wondered if you were OK (and other’s also). I am glad you are ( as well as anyone can expect these days anyway).
I also hope things are going well with you Bryan.
I see McConnell & Pence are gloating over rushing the ACB SCOTUS vote. They could well succeed. 🙁
I was pretty much AWOL the past 2 weeks. After I thought I sprained my ankle (which turned out to be a fractured bone in my foot — did I mention that? Not sure now), I ended up with a severe case of hives and I just thought “another allergy… sure, why not?” after tests, my GP thinks it is caused by high stress. I didn’t know hives could be the body’s reaction to continued stress. Apparently, it is. I love learning things, but not the hard way. 🤷♂️🙄 It’s OK now. I stayed off the news & twitter for the past week as much as possible. played relaxing music, watched comedies, and played my favorite games. Also really got into some YT Science & other vids. found some really interesting ones! it all focused my mind on better things than this World going to hell. but that’s humans for you. if hell doesn’t actually exist… They’ll make it so!👹😈
well, it seems Putin has decided Dotard is no longer needed. What do you think Bryan (I added a comment):
https://twitter.com/Lorrain22492203/status/1320561801151602688
Volodya and the boys decided he wasn’t viable and cut back on their support. They wanted chaos and got it and now they need to shift their focus to their neighborhood and local problems. They are looking at problems with Turkey over the Azeri/Armenian dispute as well as Syria, so they cut Trump loose. He moved from the asset to liability side of the balance sheet.
Oh, yes, hives is the universal symptom for all kinds of things. If you think about it allergies are a form of stress. Your body encounters something it doesn’t want to deal with, so you spend your time itching. 2020 has offered more than enough to stress out almost everyone.
It was stupid by the Republicans. The Democrats are going to increase the number of justices on the Supreme Court and balance it again. There really should be 13 justices, one for each of the Circuit Courts of Appeal, but they will probably go to 11 or 15 because of superstition
Thank you, Kryten42. I’m glad you feel better. It sounds painful. To get hives along with the fractured bone in your foot! Ouch! 2020 does seem to be that year we won’t want to repeat anytime soon. The people at the stores, near me, don’t seem to be concerned about Covid19. The stores have signs that shoppers must wear facial coverings, but they flock in without. Luckily, most have tape on the floor as designations of where to stand. Though, my brother said he was in line and an unmasked woman was in his space, even tapped him on the shoulder to ask something. Ugh!
People don’t believe there’s a risk because politicians refuse to take it seriously. I have COPD and wearing a mask makes it hard to breathe (not really, and I know it’s just in my head) but I do it because I tend to cough for no particular reason and I don’t want to make others nervous. Yes, it’s annoying, but it beats the hell out of the flu, pneumonia, bronchitis, or COVID.
You’re welcome OWL, and thanks. it’s been that kind of year for most of us I think. 🤷♂️🤔
One thing that COVID-19 has shown, and something Bryan knows I’ve said often, is that most Humans are selfish, thoughtless, morons. perhaps COVID-19 will be the great equalizer. Too bad for them.
Same with my chronic cough Bryan. Though the Vicks VapoDrops before I have to go out & keeping a couple with me) minimizes the cough pretty well. I also take one before bed so I can get to sleep.
Did you ever watch “Not the Nine O’Clock News” (a BBC comedy series from ’79 to ’82)? They mainly took a shot at the neo-con Politicians. It’s still very relevant, unfortunately. The bit that Rowan Atkinson does around the 10 minute mark is one example.
https://twitter.com/Kryten_42/status/1321648795558424576
(This is part of my current “reducing stress” self-therapy… It was a bit of “six of one, half a dozen of the other”!)🤷♂️🙄
A US Native-American twitter friend sent me this for comment (she knew I couldn’t resist! I am sooo damned predictable these days. My old Mil/Int instructors would be shaking their heads and glaring at me!) 😆 Anyway, I dutifully added a comment. 😉
https://twitter.com/CateM5551/status/1321690862712074241
Yes I remember NTNON from Saturday nights on Public Broadcasting. The commercial stations didn’t have the nerve to show British satire during the Reagan reign. I enjoy Rowen: Blackadder, Mr. Bean, et al.
As for Cate noticing Tucker’s pathetic excuse, it is sad that with the money he is paid he couldn’t have come up with something more believable. He has wildfires, blizzards, protests against police brutality, and a hurricane to choose from and he says “lost in transit”. Rupert should kick him to the curb for that performance.
Volodya has already shifted to “Donald who?” mode so Fox should fall in line.
the internets seem to have eated my comment, but i do love athenae, thank you for the pointer!
The old Katrina crowd are still around, and Athenae has gotten snarkier since becoming a Mom.