Ready to rumble? Village Voice Author, Rick Perlstein, Here to Debate the Freeper Horde

08/03/2004 | Rick Perlstein

[dead]

Opening Statement

Dear FRiends:

I once suffered two great frustrations in being a freelance political writer. First, the loneliness: you put an article out there, and you might as well have thrown it down a black hole for all the response you get. Second, the ghettoization: when you do get response, it would be from folks you agree with. Not fun for folks like me who reliish--no, crave and need--political argument.

Then came the Internet, the blogs--and: problem solved.

I have especially enjoyed having my articles in the Village Voice posted on Free Republic by "dead," and arguing about them here. The only frustration is that I never have enough time--and sometimes no time--to respond as the threads are going on. That is why I arranged for an entire afternoon--this afternoon--to argue on Free Republic. Check out my articles and have at me.

A little background: I am a proud leftist who specializes in writing about conservatives. I have always admired conservatives for their political idealism, acumen, stalwartness, and devotion. I have also admired some of their ideas--especially the commitment to distrusting grand social schemes, and the deep sense of the inherent flaws in human nature. (To my mind the best minds in the liberal tradition have encompassed these ideals, while still maintaining that robust social reform is still possible and desirable. My favorite example is the Protestant theologian Reinhold Niebuhr, author of the Serenity Prayer and a great liberal Democrat.)

Lately, however, I've become mad at the right, and have written about it with an anger not been present in my previous writings. It began with the ascension of George Bush, when I detected many conservatives beginning to care more about power than principles. The right began to seem less interesting to me--more whiny, more shallow--and, what's more, in what I saw as an uncritical devotion to President Bush, often in retreat from its best insights about human nature.

I made my strongest such claim in a Village Voice article two weeks ago in which I, after much thought, chose to say conservatism was "verging on becoming an un-American creed" for the widespread way conservatives are ignoring the lessons of James Madison's great insights in Federalist 51 that in America we are supposed to place our ultimate trust in laws, not men.

Finally, in what I see as the errors of the Iraq campaign, I recognize the worst aspects of arrogant left-wing utopianism: the idea that you can remake a whole society and region through sheer force of will. I think Iraq is a tragic disaster (though for the time being the country is probably better off than it was when Saddam was around--but only, I fear, for the time being).

I am also, by the way, a pretty strong critic of my own side, as can be seen in my latest Village Voice piece.

So: I'm yours for the day--until 7:10 pm CST, when I'm off to compete in my weekly trivia contest at the University of Chicago Pub. Until then: Are you ready to rumble?

Respectfully,
Rick Perlstein

[Sir Gawain]

Not interested.

[Perlstein]

Here I am. Who'll have the opening shot?

Rick

[Patrick1]

Welcome and let YOUR education begin. I'm sure in a few days here your friends at the Village Voice will no longer recognize your writings.

[Use It Or Lose It]

Perhaps you can answer this question. Based on John Kerry's anti-war activities in the 70's, and his no vote to remove Saddam Hussein from Kuwait, and his pronouncement to bring the troops home quickly from Iraq, which was was Kerry's more intellectually honest vote: to authorize war OR his no vote on authorization to fund it? And why?

[mrsmith]

"James Madison's great insights in Federalist 51 that in America we are supposed to place our ultimate trust in laws, not men. "

So you're trying to get the Dem Senators to approve "original intent" or "strict constructionist" judges? I must have missed that article.

It would be especially nice to see an article in the Village Voice bemoaning the way judges who don't feel bound by the rule of law have led to the backlash of a federal marriage protection act or amendment.

[vbmoneyspender]

Dear Mr. Perlstein:

Do you believe that President Bush was justified in going to war against Hussein based solely on Hussein's firing of missiles at our pilots over a multi-year period? If not, why not?

[alisasny]

see my post 7 I got the first q : )

[TheBigB]

Rick... Welcome...loved you in Hellboy .

Sorry, bad joke. Hadda get that outta the way. ;)

I have read through several of your articles, and would take issue with several things, but rather than take up too much of your time (because I'm sure there are others that would like to Q&A with you as well), I'd just like to get your thoughts on a few big items.

What in your opinion, are the differences between a liberal and a conservative? I mean, seriously. rather than name-call, what exactly is it that makes you call yourself a liberal? Give us some details...not just the old, "I care for the poor, I want to help people" crapola. If you're one of those who really, truly believes that conservatives are simply out to make as much money as possible for themselves on the backs of everyone else, then there's no sense in going any further, because the philosophies are simply too far apart.

Cheers,
BigB

[Always Right]

Finally, in what I see as the errors of the Iraq campaign, I recognize the worst aspects of arrogant left-wing utopianism: the idea that you can remake a whole society and region through sheer force of will. I think Iraq is a tragic disaster

???? Excuse me, but what how are we forcing our will on Iraq. We liberated them from a brutal dictator who was using force for his personal gain and power. The left somehow mistakes Saddam's Iraq with a free sovereign nation.

[Shermy]

Dear Rick:

1. Some argue the vehement criticism and anger towards Bush is visceral, motivated by more than strongly-felt policy disagreement. Some would say the vehement criticism and anger towards Clinton was no different, just coming from the opposite direction. Are they different sides of the same coin? What are your thoughts?

[Uncle Miltie]

Veterans Accuse Dems of Distorting Facts About Bush
By Robert B. Bluey
CNSNews.com Staff Writer
July 30, 2004

Boston (CNSNews.com) - Veterans who support President Bush accused Democrats of spreading misleading information about the state of affairs for the millions of veterans who rely on the government's health care benefits.

On several occasions throughout the Democratic National Convention, speakers have criticized Bush on the issue of veterans' benefits. Sen. John Edwards of North Carolina, the vice presidential nominee, raised the issue in his speech Wednesday night.

"Let me tell you," Edwards said, "the 26 million veterans in this country will not have to wonder when we're in office whether they'll have health care next week or next year. We will take care of them because they have taken care of us."

Edwards was referring to a repeated Democrat line of attack that Bush allegedly cut spending for the Department of Veterans Affairs.

"It's blatantly a lie," said Griffin T. Dalianis, a Vietnam veteran from Nashua, N.H. "Our own hospital in Manchester is receiving money now that has been moved into Veterans Affairs. It will give us a full-service hospital. Right now, disabled veterans, and I am one, have to travel over 140 miles roundtrip to get any kind of services outside of a little wound."

The Democrats' claim has been debunked by the Annenberg Public Policy Center of the University of Pennsylvania. Bush, in fact, has overseen a 27 percent increase in funding for veterans. That number would increase to 37 percent, based on this year's budget proposal.

[Hatteras]

"...when I detected many conservatives beginning to care more about power than principles. The right began to seem less interesting to me--more whiny, more shallow--and, what's more, in what I saw as an uncritical devotion to President Bush, often in retreat from its best insights about human nature."

I noticed that you apparently slept through the 8 years of Bill and Hillary Clinton so it would be useless to discuss anything with such an open-minded individual as I'm sure you are.

Adios, my friend.

[woofie]

Try # 8

[Perlstein]

Alisa, this is the article where I critique conservative rationalization:

http://www.villagevoice.com/issues/0429/perlstein.php

Rick Perlstein

[Uncle Miltie]

Vietnam veteran Paul J. Chevalier of Portsmouth, N.H., said when compared to other administrations, Bush has done more to help veterans than he's getting credit for.

"In the eight years under President Clinton, the total money allocated to the VA increased 30 percent during those eight years," Chevalier said. "In the first three years of President Bush's administration, it has already gone up 40 percent."

[Onelifetogive]

I detected many conservatives beginning to care more about power than principles.

I don't see any of that amongst the Dims....</sarcasm>

...in what I saw as an uncritical devotion to President Bush...

He saw that here?????

[rintense]

Mr. Perlstein,

Having been confronted by an Kerry supporter on my way to get in line for a Bush rally, and leaving him crying- yes, crying- after cordially debating with him and presenting facts, and shaking hands as we departed, I've realized that until there can be a detachment between emotions and reason, civilized debate can never take place. I, therefore, appreciate your invitation, but nonetheless decline.

Sincerely,
Republican Warrior Princess

[G.Mason]

"Sadly, that cannot be said for some FReepers."

Well smack our unprofessional writers mouths!

[firebrand]

In Perlstein's article on people who love Bush, I wondered why he painted conservatives/Republicans as people who change the subject if they don't have a good answer, when that's exactly what liberals/Democrats do.

[Southack]

"I think Iraq is a tragic disaster (though for the time being the country is probably better off than it was when Saddam was around--but only, I fear, for the time being)."

It's perception. The mainstream media portrays Iraq as being in chaos or at least at the threshold of near-anarchy. They show a suicide bombing here, a church attack there, a roadside bomb, mortars shelling American positions, etc. Whew!

Furthermore, the media shows places that it either collectively likes or collectively doesn't care much about one way or the other as near-utopian.

Rio, for instance, is portrayed as a calm paradise...but in Brazil on average every day there are 110 civilians shot dead in daily gang wars and crime sprees. Yet there it is in the news media, the calm, peaceful, paradise of Rio.

In constrast, you'd be hard-pressed to show 110 civilians killed by the Iraqi insurgents on their bloodiest of days over there. Typically, there will be 1 or 2 Americans killed each day there and 60 to 70 Iraqis (including bad guys) taking daily dirt naps.

110 Brazilians *every* day...versus 1 or 2 Americans.

Yet Rio is paradise and Iraq is chaos. Go figure.

5 Legislative Days Left Until The AWB Expires