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The principles that rule this blog

Principles that will govern my thoughts as I express them here (from my opening statement):


  • Freedom of the individual should be as total as possible, limited only by the fact that nobody should be free to cause physical injury to another, or to deprive another person of his freedoms.
  • Government is necessary primarily to provide those services that private enterprise won't, or won't at a price that people can afford.
  • No person has a right to have his own beliefs on religious, moral, political, or other controversial issues imposed on others who do not share those beliefs.

I believe that Abraham Lincoln expressed it very well:

“The legitimate object of government is to do for a community of people whatever they need to have done, but cannot do, at all, or cannot
so well do, for themselves — in their separate, individual capacities.”


Comments will be invited, and I will attempt to reply to any comments that are offered in a serious and non-abusive manner. However, I will not tolerate abusive or profane language (my reasoning is that this is my blog, and so I can control it; I wouldn't interfere with your using such language on your own!)

If anyone finds an opinion that I express to be contrary to my principles, they are welcome to point this out. I hope that I can make a rational case for my comments. Because, in fact, one label I'll happily accept is rationalist.

Friday, October 14, 2011

Religious fervor about political issues

In Dennis Sanders' blog, “Big Tent Revue,” he references a column by New York Times columnist David Brooks, and makes the valid point that policy has become subordinate to symbolism, causing our political system to founder. I advise people to read both posts, and I think Sanders has a lot of truth in what he says. Certainly, whether it's taxes, gun control, or any of a number of issues, it looks like just what he talks about has happened.

The only question is, how can we change this trend? I'm not certain this can be done without great changes in our political establishment. Sanders seems to think that there was hope that Barack Obama might be the one, and he seems to be disappointed that he wasn't. I never saw Obama in that light, and my posts prior to the 2008 election should make that clear. But who can be the one?
Posted by Opinionator at 8:58 AM Labels: , , , , ,

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