Stand back. Little Johnny Hood (John Locke Foundation) is thinking again . . . which means some kind of cranial explosion or meltdown is imminent. And you definitely don't want to get slimed when it happens.
Today's musings start with a sweeping reconstruction of modern American history to assert that:
There was little progressive about Progressivism, not really much new in the New Deal (it was warmed-over European collectivism), and certainly nothing great about the Great Society.
Hood's predictability as a wingnut reactionary would be funny if it weren't so sad. Because when all is said and done, he continually reveals the rightwing agenda for what it is: an all out assault on the very notion of common good.
Armed with platitudes about reverence for personal freedom and self-determination, wingers routinely argue that the federal gummint is inherently bad . . . while happily embracing the trampling of individual freedoms and privacy as long as that's done by good old boys at the state level.
So my question for Little John is this: what's your position on local authority? Why do the people of Chapel Hill have to ask the yahoos in Raleigh everytime we want to pass a local ordinance?
And why not just drive it down to the individual level? Why should I have to go along with a Chapel Hill ordinance that offends my sensibilities? Why not give me the freedom to do whatever the hell I want? Isn't that the essence of personal liberty?
I have a feeling that Little Johnny Hood probably doesn't like the idea of anarchy . . . especially since the likely victims would be the economic elite who call the shots in virtually every aspect of our culture, government and society.
So I guess that means we need some laws to protect what we hold as the common good. And when you go there, you have to ask what IS the common good . . . and how do we achieve it?
John Hood and his ilk will argue that the common good doesn't extend to such extravagances as poor people having food and heat. In fact, he thinks poor people are doing just find thank you."
It's no wonder there's such a stunning ideological divide. Wingers believe that government is a terrible thing and that "starve the beast" is the only way to go. Progressives believe government has great potential for doing good, especially in situations where free-market forces operate with devastating consequences (environment, health, political corruption, the defense industry).
Until reactionaries like Hood recognize the real costs of their ideology and hold their sacred cows to account, I'll continue to dismiss their arguments as so much sound and fury, signifying nothing of value or interest.
Hood says he's open to input:
As I continue to ponder these matters, I’d welcome comments, suggestions, and arguments from CJO readers.
How about this suggestion, John. Stop pretending to be an honest seeker of truth.
Comments
Find John boy a real job?
"Hood says he's open to input"*
< the only input he is interested in is the next paycheck from Rope a Dope Pope. I hope he finds a real job soon, instead of being the water boy for a over the hill rich egomanic kid who wants to runs this state like his control freak friend Bush. Everytime I catch him on NC Spin he appears to be in a tight bowel movement strain with that prune look ing face into the camera. I hate to get personal sometimes.>
Will somebody find John a real job?
"Hood says he's open to input"*
Never finish the reply! I was simply extending his secret inner need r desires! The only other input he is open to is when Rope and Pope paycheck will be on time from Art.
Stink tanks
They're like debate clubs only they're using live ammo.