Social Conservatism Is Dieing

[Teahive]

And it's silly to argue that Human nature isn't the issue of relevance. Yeah, we know how humans do in different environments. We have the history, and we wrote it down.

We can certainly learn lessons from history. Lesson one: The environment changes. We don't live like people did a few thousand years ago. We have different moral matrices. What we now look back at as positive developments, they might have considered descent into madness.

[kurt9]

I argue there is no such thing as conservative in America. The values supposedly define “conservative”; self-reliance, work ethic, free-market capitalism, individual liberty and self-empowerment, and technological innovation; are truly revolutionary values when viewed in the proper context of world history. The U.S. itself, being founded on pioneering principles (as espoused by Frederick Turner Jackson) was a product of the Renaissance and Enlightenment and is, therefor, a revolutionary creation.

Individualism and free-market capitalism are inherently dynamic, more so than any other social-economic system.

I think its fair to say that conservatism is a null word. I have always characterized myself as “right-wing”. However, I have always despised the label of conservative. I am not a conservative. Rather, I am a radical for individualism and free-market capitalism.

Once the Republican party ditches the moniker of conservative and adopts these values, it will once again become politically competitive.

[GIThruster]

I suppose it matters what you consider "Conservative". To a liberal Democrat the moderates in the Republican party whom compromise on things like gun control, are considered Conservative. To real conservatives, Christi is too liberal.

Everyone to the left of me is leftist and everyone to the right is. . .

BTW, http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/20 ... ibilities/

At this point, the game is really just name recognition, but Christi is actually edging Clinton out. Very surprising.

Expect Clinton to run and get dragged through the Benghazi mess for months until she quits. The gift that keeps on giving.

[ladajo]

I dunno about Benghazi. I think they will pin the booger on someone else and sacrifice them. They have been keeping the "public blame" up their sleeve so far.
Probably waiting to roll it out when needed, like a magic shield for "Hillary I'm not Bill".

[williatw]

Amy Chua In 'The Triple Package' Claims Jews and Mormons Produce More Successful People

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article ... eople.html

The Triple Package? The Eight Races and Relgious Groupings Amy Chua Names As Better Than Everyone Else and Why?


Jewish - Jewish Americans have the highest incomes per head across the nation
Indian - Along with Indian Americans
Chinese - Chua infamous first book Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mom explored the relationship between Chinese parents and their children's success
Iranian - Iranian-Americans have historically excelled in business, academia, the sciences, arts and entertainment
Lebanese-Americans - Such as Ralph Nader have had a significant participation in American politics and social and political activism
Nigerians - Ivy League admission rates of West African immigrant groups far exceed those of non-immigrant American blacks
Cuban exiles - Eva Mendes and Gloria Estefan are prominent Cuban exiles
Mormons - Mormons such as Mitt Romney are high profile politicians.

She breaks down the 'Triple Package' succinctly for her readers as follows:


1) A superiority complex: Chau believes that any cultural group who innately thinks they are just better than others has an advantage.


Ignoring the wars, genocide and abject human misery this kind of thinking has caused, Chau and her husband declare that 'the superiority complex is antithetical to mainstream liberal thinking...the stuff of racism , colonialism, imperialism, Nazism.'


2) Insecurity: Chau and her husband believe that a deep seated insecurity can be a motivating drive to achieving success.


'That insecurity should be a critical lever of success is another anathema, flouting the entire orthodoxy of contemporary popular and therapeutic psychology,' they write according to the New York Post.


'Note that there’s a deep tension between insecurity and a superiority complex,' the authors continue.


'It’s odd to think of people being simultaneously insecure but also convinced of their divine election or superiority.'


3) Impulse Control: Chau thinks that perseverance and patience are virtues that have been lost to most Americans - but still exist among her eight golden cultural groups.

[Diogenes]

I have argued earlier that I think the Mormons are perhaps the most successful iteration of the various religious doctrines. In terms of success, it does matter what are your basic beliefs.