During the past week there was a bit of a discussion going on in the comments, the general idea of which was whether conservatives need to come up with a new tag. The truth behind this concern is that, once you find yourself in the position of having to explain what you mean by your chosen tag—in politics, in religion, whatever—you’ve almost certainly lost the fight. In America there’s a very strong tendency to regard the past—which conservatives value—as not all that relevant. It’s part of that whole
Mark, sorry to quibble over spelling, but for those who may want to look into his thinking, it’s Patrick Deneen (not Dineen, though that is how his name is pronounced).
I’m smiling. We are all of those. And let’s just be who we are and let those who will always have a bone to pick, pick that bone. God is great, life is good and we love it.
Assuming Curry is correct about the influence of Hutcheson on the founders, I for one am shocked I have never even heard of him. Now I wonder how/when we began putting the founders in the Locke-box. My guess is that it took place during one of our several “re-foundings” — no doubt the move was especially congenial to the Progressive turn at the end of the 19th century.
Speaking of alternative sources of the founding, not long ago I came across the notion that at least some of the founders took inspiration from the natural law tradition, especially as it had developed among Catholic thinkers. Unfortunately I don’t remember who was making this case. Charles Coulombe, maybe?
Wow, some heavy discussion of the fact that words have meaning. Words matter. A fact too often dismissed and purposefully forgotten in todays fast paced manipulative society.
I first became aware of Locke’s influence upon our nation’s founding through listening to Mark Levin. I used to enjoy his show on a regular basis until he became an insufferable Ukraine shill along with his sometime pal Lindsay Graham. I couldn’t take it anymore and no longer listen.
Levin’s understanding and explanation seems to come down on the side of Life and Liberty being property. The one example he has used frequently that made sense to me was that of taxation being theft of a person’s labor and time. A theft that involves the taking of some small portion of a person’s “life.” Which I guess makes sense for a lawyer like him trained in the art of contracts and what not.
I appreciate and tend to like the Jeffersonian view of the unalienable aspect of Life, Liberty, and Pursuit of Happiness. That which is inherent to my existence and granted to me by God, and not by any earthly government composed of mere men. And that which no government has claim to as they are inferior to God.
Lots to think about from this article. I never understood unalienable rights before, for one. So thank you. Your person is probably the best example of this. And what is the big push now from the left? Making susceptible people, including tiny kids, question their most basic identities and their human bodies. Whoever is behind this knows what they are doing.
: “We're going to create a world where we can discover and dream our way past its paralysis, where we come together as a united community and rewrite the story that cancer tells.”
Sure, why not? Novus Ordo Seclorum, dude. New Frontier, or whatever.
With respect to this argument and the ancillary arguments, it is futile to understand the thinking and language of the founders without recognizing their deep embedment in Christianity. Where all men are equal and sacred. And have a profound duty to their fellow man. Up until the first war all society was organized around that principle - embodied in the social gospel. I am descended from dozens of founders, Revolutionary War Generals and even St John Bolingbroke who was widely read by the intellects in the Revolution and prior to - Codevilla mentions him, he was the founder of the Country Party. Given access to their papers, well, it is right there, in their letters and personal diaries. You can say that some were Deists or rationalists, but they were members of family, clan, tribe and that tribe was deeply deeply deeply Christian. They breathed it in from the moment of birth. (I didn’t like it either when I discovered it).
did Biden ever understand that he signed such an order? Charitably, one might imagine that Biden knew what he was doing at the time, but then forgot. But why should we assume that? Based on the evidence of our eyes, it seems equally likely, if not more so, that there was never a time when Biden understood that loan forgiveness couldn’t pass Congress; that it was deemed helpful to Democrats’ election chances; and that he therefore should sign an (illegal) executive order.
Who carried out that analysis? Who came up with a legal justification, to the extent there was one? Who prepared the executive order? Who told Joe Biden to sign it? Was Biden in the loop at all? Does Biden know anything about the order, other than what he may have read off a teleprompter at the time? Who, in short, is acting as president?
That little poem (which I also love) really helps define the shadow presidency we exist under right now. Part of the trouble in defeating what is so very wrong with the world is the designed nebulous nature of it all. The CDC only makes recommendations, it’s the states that enact mandates vs. the state is only following the CDC recommendations, we didn’t do nuthin’!
Mark, sorry to quibble over spelling, but for those who may want to look into his thinking, it’s Patrick Deneen (not Dineen, though that is how his name is pronounced).
Arrrgggh.
We are Foundationalists.
Or Constitutionalists. Or ... Republicans?
I’m smiling. We are all of those. And let’s just be who we are and let those who will always have a bone to pick, pick that bone. God is great, life is good and we love it.
Assuming Curry is correct about the influence of Hutcheson on the founders, I for one am shocked I have never even heard of him. Now I wonder how/when we began putting the founders in the Locke-box. My guess is that it took place during one of our several “re-foundings” — no doubt the move was especially congenial to the Progressive turn at the end of the 19th century.
Speaking of alternative sources of the founding, not long ago I came across the notion that at least some of the founders took inspiration from the natural law tradition, especially as it had developed among Catholic thinkers. Unfortunately I don’t remember who was making this case. Charles Coulombe, maybe?
Wow, some heavy discussion of the fact that words have meaning. Words matter. A fact too often dismissed and purposefully forgotten in todays fast paced manipulative society.
I first became aware of Locke’s influence upon our nation’s founding through listening to Mark Levin. I used to enjoy his show on a regular basis until he became an insufferable Ukraine shill along with his sometime pal Lindsay Graham. I couldn’t take it anymore and no longer listen.
Levin’s understanding and explanation seems to come down on the side of Life and Liberty being property. The one example he has used frequently that made sense to me was that of taxation being theft of a person’s labor and time. A theft that involves the taking of some small portion of a person’s “life.” Which I guess makes sense for a lawyer like him trained in the art of contracts and what not.
I appreciate and tend to like the Jeffersonian view of the unalienable aspect of Life, Liberty, and Pursuit of Happiness. That which is inherent to my existence and granted to me by God, and not by any earthly government composed of mere men. And that which no government has claim to as they are inferior to God.
I agree with you as to the Jeffersonian view -- and especially about Levin. I abandoned him for the same reason.
Lots to think about from this article. I never understood unalienable rights before, for one. So thank you. Your person is probably the best example of this. And what is the big push now from the left? Making susceptible people, including tiny kids, question their most basic identities and their human bodies. Whoever is behind this knows what they are doing.
@FLOTUS
: “We're going to create a world where we can discover and dream our way past its paralysis, where we come together as a united community and rewrite the story that cancer tells.”
Sure, why not? Novus Ordo Seclorum, dude. New Frontier, or whatever.
With respect to this argument and the ancillary arguments, it is futile to understand the thinking and language of the founders without recognizing their deep embedment in Christianity. Where all men are equal and sacred. And have a profound duty to their fellow man. Up until the first war all society was organized around that principle - embodied in the social gospel. I am descended from dozens of founders, Revolutionary War Generals and even St John Bolingbroke who was widely read by the intellects in the Revolution and prior to - Codevilla mentions him, he was the founder of the Country Party. Given access to their papers, well, it is right there, in their letters and personal diaries. You can say that some were Deists or rationalists, but they were members of family, clan, tribe and that tribe was deeply deeply deeply Christian. They breathed it in from the moment of birth. (I didn’t like it either when I discovered it).
Oh dear God, presentism. So wearying.
https://www.powerlineblog.com/archives/2022/10/who-is-our-president.php
did Biden ever understand that he signed such an order? Charitably, one might imagine that Biden knew what he was doing at the time, but then forgot. But why should we assume that? Based on the evidence of our eyes, it seems equally likely, if not more so, that there was never a time when Biden understood that loan forgiveness couldn’t pass Congress; that it was deemed helpful to Democrats’ election chances; and that he therefore should sign an (illegal) executive order.
Who carried out that analysis? Who came up with a legal justification, to the extent there was one? Who prepared the executive order? Who told Joe Biden to sign it? Was Biden in the loop at all? Does Biden know anything about the order, other than what he may have read off a teleprompter at the time? Who, in short, is acting as president?
That little poem (which I also love) really helps define the shadow presidency we exist under right now. Part of the trouble in defeating what is so very wrong with the world is the designed nebulous nature of it all. The CDC only makes recommendations, it’s the states that enact mandates vs. the state is only following the CDC recommendations, we didn’t do nuthin’!
Slippery and cunning devils.