tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32636283.post3231749773566667614..comments2023-03-26T03:50:25.501-04:00Comments on David's Secret Blog: In Defense Of Michael VickUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32636283.post-34864876527809218672007-08-25T11:41:00.000-04:002007-08-25T11:41:00.000-04:00If we claim to be a country where the law rules, t...If we claim to be a country where the law rules, then we need to follow the law or change it. That goes for arrogant athletes as well pious wimps. What Vick did, although disgusting in the extreme, doesn't seem to be against any law -- resorting to Interstate Commerce is quite the stretch.erphttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09826044412670324694noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32636283.post-791039202143153342007-08-25T07:31:00.000-04:002007-08-25T07:31:00.000-04:00You have nicely set out the time-honoured dilemma ...You have nicely set out the time-honoured dilemma that keeps conservatives lying awake at night trembling about democracy's inherent fragilities. It seems to have troubled the Founders mightily. How can freedom, federalism and constitutionalism withstand the whims of the outraged masses? In the 19th century and well into the 20th, the feared image was the hungry mob in the streets, which is why the Church and European aristocrats were so reactionary. If you study the history of the 1930's, their fears were not entirely misplaced. But today it's more the Starbuck's crowd full of self-righteous boomer morality and determined to have their way whatever it takes. Judicial activism, federal gov. power grabs, the destruction of the presumption of innocence, especially in high profile prosecutions, IRS summary seizure powers, and lots of other deaths by a thousand cuts have seriously undermined any notion that democracy has to be built on rules and restraint to survive in any meaningful sense. Conservatives have to be careful here too. Not every objection to things like <I>The Patriot Act</I> should be dismissed out of hand.<BR/><BR/>This issue separates conservatives from libertarians, who tend to argue as if the foundations were eternal and so solid there is no need to worry about them--just put government into reverse wherever, whenever, and wonderful, magical results will come out the other end.<BR/><BR/>The problem is that to most folks constitutionalism, federalism, etc. are boring when compared to saving abused animals or stopping climate change or whatever. Conservatives are boring too. Just last night my wife and I were watching a CNN documentary on Diana, who my wife always loved. It was very sanitized and painted a poor hurting beauty betrayed by Prince Schmuck and his cold family, until she finally comes into her own. Afterwards, I unwisely put the case for the defence--that she arrogantly and recklessly undermined the whole system by deciding to crown herself and compete with the Royal Family rather than just walk away quietly with a big settlement. Treated her to a little Baghot. Bad career move. I went to bed haunted by the image of Buckingham Palace burned to the ground by hordes of enraged Shes vicariously scorned and mistreated. Actually, it almost was, wasn't it?<BR/><BR/>BTW, I always found Orrin very unconservative on this score. He never seemed to care whether some malfeasor was convicted in state court, federal court or just lynched. In fact he seemed to think trials were a waste of money and that an arrest should suffice.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32636283.post-11102667452020925792007-08-25T02:35:00.000-04:002007-08-25T02:35:00.000-04:00Very interesting.I hadn't thought of it that way.Very interesting.<BR/><BR/>I hadn't thought of it that way.Hey Skipperhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10798930502187234974noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32636283.post-5192252176975252712007-08-24T10:42:00.000-04:002007-08-24T10:42:00.000-04:00Well said.Well said.erphttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09826044412670324694noreply@blogger.com