David Brooks has suggested as much in two columns this month. It used to be an article of faith among conservatives that the economy was self correcting and the government should simply stay out of the way. While moderates usually favor some federal government intervention in preserving rights and enforcing regulations, they have often been…
Defining Moderation
Some Ridiculousness
For your consideration, some of the more ridiculous, immoderate statements and actions of the last 2 months: Obama nominated Richard Cordray to head the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. That’s not the ridiculous action – Cordray is actually more moderate and less divisive than Elizabeth Warren, who basically crafted the bureau from start to finish. The…
A Roosevelt for Our Day
In popular imagination, Theodore Roosevelt is remembered as swashbuckling hero, a trust buster and champion of American greatness. In 1900, while serving as governor of New York and running for the Vice Presidency, he published a collection of speeches and articles in The Strenuous Life, a title designed to capture the forcefulness of the former…
Pundits, Part II
In contrast to George F. Will, I continue to enjoy David Brooks. I appreciate his Hamiltonian conservatism and his commitment to moderation in our politics. His latest column is no exception. In contrast to Will’s goal of a political victory, Brooks’s goals is a governance victory. The question he poses to Republicans is not “How…
Brooks on (Im)Moderation
David Brooks is the only political columnist I follow regularly. Unlike most of the others I’ve encountered, he does a good job of leaving the shrillness behind for more nuanced argument, usually balanced with a good measure of praise where praise is due. So when he writes a column like the one published yesterday, it…
In Praise of New York Senate Republicans
In the midst of all the discussion of the passage of Same-Sex Marriage legislation in New York, I want to take a moment to congratulate the Republicans for behaving like passionate moderates. First, some praise for those who voted against the bill: This article in the New York Times details the active and effective role…
Commander in Chief
I watched the Republican debate last night and had plenty of thoughts that I won’t share here. But one thing that really stood out to me was the way in which they dodged military-related questions, both those having to do with “don’t ask, don’t tell” and items of foreign policy. Their most common refrain was…
Seeking Moderation in the Muslim World
Much of the Muslim world appears to be undergoing a profound change. For the United States and other Western nations, the questions of the moment are: “Who can we trust? Who should or would be our ally?” For a long time the United States had a pretty clear answer for this question. For all we…
Semantics: Moderate v. Centrist II
My earlier post (here) received a thoughtful response this week from Solomon Kleinsmith over at Rise of the Center, so I thought I’d take the opportunity to continue that conversation here. Readers may want to take a look at his comment on the earlier post, to which I’ll be replying. (Also, if you’re interested in…
Our Lost Faith in Professionals
Lately, it seems that every profession is under serious attack. Of course, lawyers have long been the butt of jokes. But now teachers are portrayed as leeches sucking the taxpayers dry, protecting their cushy jobs at all costs, and failing our children. Everyone seems to openly scoff at the idea that government “experts” know anything…