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  1. user_82762 Inactive
    user_82762
    @JamesGawron

    EJ,

    Whatever the outcome, that was the most beautiful speech I have heard in a very long time.  What a terrific guy.

    Regards,

    Jim

    • #1
  2. Hartmann von Aue Member
    Hartmann von Aue
    @HartmannvonAue

    Yes. But can we get him on some Ricochet podcast first?

    • #2
  3. Valiuth Member
    Valiuth
    @Valiuth

    It sounded a bit conspiratorial to me.  I don’t think liberals came up with all their social do-gooderism to control black people. They did it because they are naive, and have an inaccurate view of the world and man kind. This blinkers them to the negative social consequences of their programs, and leads them to promote more of the same kind of bad programs to fix the social ills they create in a never ending death-spiral.

    I also don’t like the phrase that “Freedom means not being dependent on anyone.” This just serves to further exacerbate the worst conservative cliches, and also happens to not be true. It sets up the argument on terms that liberals will always win. Freedom isn’t about not needing anybody it is about being able to choose who you need and on what terms you need them in a mutually consensual way. Conservatism isn’t about not offering people social assistance, it is about creating the environment in which people can make and maintain the social institutions that provide the help and support all people need. Help and support that will be far more specific and personalized than any government bureaucracy could ever provide.

    • #3
  4. liberal jim Inactive
    liberal jim
    @liberaljim

    Valiuth: It sounded a bit conspiratorial to me.  I don’t think liberals came up with all their social do-gooderism to control black people. They did it because they are naive, and have an inaccurate view of the world and man kind. This blinkers them to the negative social consequences of their programs, and leads them to promote more of the same kind of bad programs to fix the social ills they create in a never ending death-spiral.

    I guess you can explain the inner city school systems also?  If you think progressives are well-meaning, benevolent public servants, you view them  as naively and inaccurately as you think they view the world and mankind.

    • #4
  5. Jon Gabriel, Ed. Contributor
    Jon Gabriel, Ed.
    @jon

    I was going to post his Landrieu ad until I saw that you beat me to the punch, EJ. What a fantastic spokesman.

    • #5
  6. Michael S Inactive
    Michael S
    @user_542832

    Hartmann von Aue:Yes. But can we get him on some Ricochet podcast first?

    Seconded.

    • #6
  7. user_740328 Inactive
    user_740328
    @SEnkey

    We need more of this kind of outreach. I think too often we struggle with questions on how to reach specific voter groups. I’ve always bought into the principle that we should share our message and appeal to the broad american in everyone. Maybe a smarter tactic would be to target leaders in those communities where we struggle to attract voters. After all, they already know how to communicate and get their message out. Empowering them with the conservative case for success creates a multiplier effect that will bring more and more voters from those communities to our side.

    • #7
  8. Bryan G. Stephens Thatcher
    Bryan G. Stephens
    @BryanGStephens

    Let him speak all the time!

    • #8
  9. user_11047 Inactive
    user_11047
    @barbaralydick

    Beautiful, just beautiful.

    Now, he needs a video as succinct as those two outlining what he has done and what he will do to change things.

    • #9
  10. Paul A. Rahe Member
    Paul A. Rahe
    @PaulARahe

    Breathtaking, positively breathtaking.

    • #10
  11. Paul A. Rahe Member
    Paul A. Rahe
    @PaulARahe

    Valiuth:It sounded a bit conspiratorial to me. I don’t think liberals came up with all their social do-gooderism to control black people. They did it because they are naive, and have an inaccurate view of the world and man kind. This blinkers them to the negative social consequences of their programs, and leads them to promote more of the same kind of bad programs to fix the social ills they create in a never ending death-spiral.

    I also don’t like the phrase that “Freedom means not being dependent on anyone.” This just serves to further exacerbate the worst conservative cliches, and also happens to not be true. It sets up the argument on terms that liberals will always win. Freedom isn’t about not needing anybody it is about being able to choose who you need and on what terms you need them in a mutually consensual way. Conservatism isn’t about not offering people social assistance, it is about creating the environment in which people can make and maintain the social institutions that provide the help and support all people need. Help and support that will be far more specific and personalized than any government bureaucracy could ever provide.

    You are kind . . . and, alas, naive.

    • #11
  12. Paul A. Rahe Member
    Paul A. Rahe
    @PaulARahe

    These two videos should be run nation-wide now. They would cause heartburn in all of the right places.

    • #12
  13. Jim_K Inactive
    Jim_K
    @PlatosRetweet

    Great post, thank you!

    • #13
  14. Valiuth Member
    Valiuth
    @Valiuth

    The black community has been fed on a steady diet of progressive conspiracy theories and platitudes. Substituting conservative ones is a disservice to them. Its also a disservice to ourselves.

    Inner city schools may be run by incompetent, lazy, and greedy unions, but those things alone are sufficient to explain the mess they are in. We don’t need to add some new layer of conspiracy. Those bad inner city schools are not a sign of some devious plot. They are the result of a poorly structured economic environment, and I find that bad enough.

    • #14
  15. Pencilvania Inactive
    Pencilvania
    @Pencilvania

    Time for a RicoPAC?  Real Clear Politics shows polls:

    Poll Date Sample Landrieu (D) Guillory (R) Spread
    PPP (D) 8/16 – 8/19 721 RV 50 36 Landrieu +14
    Harper (R) 8/14 – 8/15 596 LV 44 44 Tie
    • #15
  16. raycon and lindacon Inactive
    raycon and lindacon
    @rayconandlindacon

    Valiuth:It sounded a bit conspiratorial to me. I don’t think liberals came up with all their social do-gooderism to control black people. They did it because they are naive, and have an inaccurate view of the world and man kind. This blinkers them to the negative social consequences of their programs, and leads them to promote more of the same kind of bad programs to fix the social ills they create in a never ending death-spiral.

    I also don’t like the phrase that “Freedom means not being dependent on anyone.” This just serves to further exacerbate the worst conservative cliches, and also happens to not be true. It sets up the argument on terms that liberals will always win. Freedom isn’t about not needing anybody it is about being able to choose who you need and on what terms you need them in a mutually consensual way. Conservatism isn’t about not offering people social assistance, it is about creating the environment in which people can make and maintain the social institutions that provide the help and support all people need. Help and support that will be far more specific and personalized than any government bureaucracy could ever provide.

    “I’ll have those n*ggers voting Democratic for the next 200 years.”
    ~ Lyndon B. Johnson to two governors on Air Force One

    Good ol’ LBJ was such a naive and generous man.

    • #16
  17. jzdro Member
    jzdro
    @jzdro

    James Gawron:EJ,

    Whatever the outcome, that was the most beautiful speech I have heard in a very long time. What a terrific guy.

    Regards,

    Jim

    Beauty is truth, and truth beauty.  That is all ye know on earth, and all ye need to know.”

    • #17
  18. jzdro Member
    jzdro
    @jzdro

    Valiuth:It sounded a bit conspiratorial to me. I don’t think liberals came up with all their social do-gooderism to control black people. They did it because they are naive, and have an inaccurate view of the world and man kind. 

    Hi Valiuth,

    Yes, but still, the explanation does not have to be all the one or all the other.  People have different interests and motives, and many have multiple interests and motives.

    In the decades after Emancipation, black Americans educated themselves and acquired skills and experience, over generations.  They competed also on price.  So they presented competition to existing labor.  A large, often organized segment of existing labor perceived that as a threat, as did and do their organizing bosses.  Hence initiatives like the Davis-Bacon Act.

    The elites are indeed naive, absolutely, and feel guilt because they don’t do anything or employ anyone, so they foster these “social do-gooderisms” in order to feel better about themselves.  No skin off their nose, as the hill folk say.

    • #18
  19. x Inactive
    x
    @CatoRand

    Wow.  Brilliant and moving.  Thanks so much.

    • #19
  20. Valiuth Member
    Valiuth
    @Valiuth

    raycon and lindacon:

    “I’ll have those n*ggers voting Democratic for the next 200 years.” ~ Lyndon B. Johnson to two governors on Air Force One

    Good ol’ LBJ was such a naive and generous man.

    Fair point, but I the way I took the conspiracy was that they set things up to fail, and that the failure in integral to the plan of obtaining the votes. I don’t think that is true. I think LBJ thought he would get their votes out of gratitude for actually helping them. Kind of how like Republicans got their vote from their work on abolition. A scheme of sorts but hardly a nefarious conspiracy, more like good old fashioned politics. That doesn’t excuse the harms bad policies have caused mind you. But again, its not an evil conspiracy and pushing the evil conspiracy angle I think is very disingenuous.

    • #20
  21. George Savage Member
    George Savage
    @GeorgeSavage

    EJ, thank you so much for introducing me to an American patriot and orator of the first rank.  Guillory’s ability to connect emotionally and speak plainly while weaving in high-minded points of political philosophy, history and economics reminds me of Ronald Reagan.  Inspirational!

    • #21
  22. user_252791 Inactive
    user_252791
    @ChuckEnfield

    Valiuth:It sounded a bit conspiratorial to me. I don’t think liberals came up with all their social do-gooderism to control black people.

    raycon and lindacon:

    “I’ll have those n*ggers voting Democratic for the next 200 years.” ~ Lyndon B. Johnson to two governors on Air Force One

    I think you’re both right.  I don’t think that controlling the black community is primarily what motivates the thought leaders of the progressive social movement.  But that doesn’t mean the politicians who champion these programs year after year aren’t motivated exclusively by the votes they receive.  Very few successful politicians are blithering idiots, so they have to at least suspect some of the harm caused by these programs and ignore it because it’s in their individual interest to do so.

    To pick nits with Mr. Guillory, I don’t think these politicians are attempting to control the black community either.  Aside from how they vote, I don’t think these politicians care enough about the black community to want to control it.  That doesn’t mean he’s wrong to worry about that.  Countless times the feds have leveraged financial dependency to effect extra-constitutional powers, and as soon as they think it will increase their power, they will leverage welfare programs to control the black community.

    • #22
  23. user_252791 Inactive
    user_252791
    @ChuckEnfield

    I sincerely wish Mr. Guillory well, and I think he’s running in one of the few states where a man who speaks such truths as these can get elected.  That said, let’s not kid ourselves into thinking that the truth matters when it comes to racial issues.  If a white man expressed the same opinions, he would be called racists and his campaign would be over before it started.  Black men who say such things are sell-outs and Uncle Tom’s.  I have no reason to expect a better outcome for Mr. Guillory, but I hope I’m wrong.

    • #23
  24. user_22932 Member
    user_22932
    @PaulDeRocco

    Compared to that, Barack Obama on his best day is a crashing bore.

    • #24
  25. EJHill Podcaster
    EJHill
    @EJHill

    Valiuth – If there had not been almost a century of evidence that the powers of communism and socialism keeping the people willingly dependant on their government masters I’d say you had a point. And the way that Democrats divide and conquer and pander to hatreds and division belie their benevolant “love of the comman man.”

    And while we do discourage such talk, conspiracies do exist, it’s just that when it’s done in the highest corridors of power it’s called “policy.”

    • #25
  26. user_554634 Member
    user_554634
    @MikeRapkoch

    President? King!!!

    • #26
  27. Songwriter Inactive
    Songwriter
    @user_19450

    Inspiring.

    • #27
  28. user_158368 Inactive
    user_158368
    @PaulErickson

    Valiuth:

    raycon and lindacon:

    “I’ll have those n*ggers voting Democratic for the next 200 years.” ~ Lyndon B. Johnson to two governors on Air Force One

    Good ol’ LBJ was such a naive and generous man.

    Fair point, but I the way I took the conspiracy was that they set things up to fail, and that the failure in integral to the plan of obtaining the votes. I don’t think that is true. I think LBJ thought he would get their votes out of gratitude for actually helping them. Kind of how like Republicans got their vote from their work on abolition. A scheme of sorts but hardly a nefarious conspiracy, more like good old fashioned politics. That doesn’t excuse the harms bad policies have caused mind you. But again, its not an evil conspiracy and pushing the evil conspiracy angle I think is very disingenuous.

    I’m with you, Val.  Maybe because as I was growing up in the 60s and 70s my dad was in the thick of it.  He was a Presbyterian minister appointed to an all white city church in the late 50s and integrated it.  He marched in Alabama with Dr. King, founded interfaith anti-poverty programs, believed the ecologists (pollution was a serious problem back then, young-uns.)  I think his last push was the nuclear arms freeze in the late 70s.  Believe me, though I may be biased, he was a committed and sincere man.  “Control” was the farthest thing from his mind.

    Looking back, this experience may explain why it took me so many years (and Barack Obama’s candidacy) to turn me fully to the right.

    (edited a typo)

    • #28
  29. Matede Inactive
    Matede
    @MateDe

    “Because no matter what she does, 95% of us will line up and vote for her. Every. Single. Time”.

    That is a powerful point.

    • #29
  30. No Caesar Thatcher
    No Caesar
    @NoCaesar

    Matede:“Because no matter what she does, 95% of us will line up and vote for her. Every. Single. Time”.

    That is a powerful point.

    Very powerful.  I hope this is the start of a long-term determined program of black outreach by the GOP.  At some point it will break the log-jam.  If the GOP leadership is behind this, good for them and it answers some of my critique against them elsewhere.  If not, then it supports my critique.

    • #30
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