tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8839412.post824071250015889270..comments2024-03-19T07:48:54.021-06:00Comments on Gus Van Horn: Bush's Statist LegacyGus Van Hornhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05126749051688217781noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8839412.post-77200615138945051082008-08-23T12:28:00.000-06:002008-08-23T12:28:00.000-06:00That is a profound point, and I would add that the...That is a profound point, and I would add that the same doubles standard demonstrated by the Bush administration pervades religious thought on morality.<BR/><BR/>Just observe the attitudes and behavior of the deity of most religions: extremely jealous, demanding of obedience, violent, and vindictive. This is both held as a moral ideal and forbidden, and it leaves the religious two choices: "prosper" by taking advantage of the double standard, or be a sucker -- i.e., live as you are told.<BR/><BR/>When someone makes a big deal out of following Christianity (or any other faith), it is an immediate red flag and carries with it the moral credibility of a jailhouse conversion, as far as I am concerned.Gus Van Hornhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05126749051688217781noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8839412.post-46157450816890279382008-08-23T11:03:00.000-06:002008-08-23T11:03:00.000-06:00Something I have noticed in the Bush administratio...Something I have noticed in the Bush administration is a striking and very destructive amoralism, in a manner that I have not heard commented on in the media.<BR/><BR/>I'm not referring to the oft-cited whipping boy "greed", which as an Objectivist I regard as a red herring at best, and backwards at worst. <BR/><BR/>I am thinking of an overarching *unprincipled* approach to moral issues that results in a moral free-for-all within the Administration. Examples: the apparently unsupervised feeding frenzy of contractors in Iraq (of course they have a right to profit if it's done honestly), the constant pressure to find loopholes in our laws to allow extra-legal activities such as torture, extradition, imprisonment, privacy violations, etc., the sacrifice frenzy in Iraq of providing democracy, rebuilding and security at our expense, the ugly partisan attitude of the Administration reflected in a desire to simply screw everyone in order to win regardless of the cost in reputation or honor. And of course the liberties that they are taking with *our* liberties when they propose their idiotic economic and welfare programs. Actually, some do involve free markets, but they are few.<BR/><BR/>My take on this free-for-all is that this is a direct result of the religious piety of the participants. This veil of piety masks the actual lack of moral guidance provided by religion on real earthly issues, and gives them a moral green light on pretty much anything they can get away with, as long as they are considered to be "good Christians". In my opinion this phenomenon is a glaring statement of Christianity's ultimate moral incompetence.mtnrunner2https://www.blogger.com/profile/10974435572236740294noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8839412.post-49339408283657299082008-08-22T11:33:00.000-06:002008-08-22T11:33:00.000-06:00What's worse is that the whole, "At least he's not...What's worse is that the whole, "At least he's not as bad as so-and-so" line of thought will keep getting Bush and worse (e.g., McCain) elected. <BR/><BR/>We won't get a government that protects individual rights until the public becomes more generally aware of the essential nature of proper government. The whole phoney "liberal vs. conservative" debate is keeping that from happening.Gus Van Hornhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05126749051688217781noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8839412.post-46283349190205426242008-08-22T10:19:00.000-06:002008-08-22T10:19:00.000-06:00If Bush were a Democrat, then we would hear these ...If Bush were a Democrat, then we would hear these facts and figures every day from Limbaugh, Hannity, Hewitt, every other right-wing talk show host, and the right-wing blogosphere. The left does not think Bush has expanded government <I>enough</I> and the right gives Republicans a break, so posts like this are left to those of us more worried about big government than partisan politics.Myrhafhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16340507405537605164noreply@blogger.com