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Politics : Foreign Affairs Discussion Group -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: Katelew who wrote (252677)	12/30/2007 10:15:13 PM
From: bentway	Respond to of 281500

People who are conservative Republicans today would have been with the British during the founding of our country. That was the "conservative" position at the time. They have no ownership of the "Founding Fathers".

To: Katelew who wrote (252677)	12/31/2007 10:36:04 AM
From: c.hinton	Respond to of 281500

The transition from agrarian to industrial economies ceratinly had it effect...large population densities require more government.

To: Katelew who wrote (252677)	12/31/2007 10:36:58 AM
From: c.hinton	Respond to of 281500

The transition from agrarian to industrial economies certainly had its effect...large population densities require more government. as does war......

To: Katelew who wrote (252677)	12/31/2007 11:52:47 AM
From: J. C. Dithers	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 281500

Katelew, I'm actually sympatico with your feelings about the "fathers" in some respects. I, too, believe that the fathers lived in such vastly different times that we can't always take the founding documents literally. Probably the tendency of most of us all is to take them literally only when that suits the point we are making. However, I think they got it absolutely right about the citizenry not depending too heavily on federal gov't. I worry (in a reflective way) about the Dems becoming a one-party majority through being the party of largesse. 35 million blacks have voted as a virtual block for Dems. Hispanics may do the same in response to the immigration issue. If gays are 5%, that could be upwards of 20 million votes for Dems. Then there is labor, retirees, the arts, academia, and more. Yes, I am painting here with a HUGE brush. Yet, in all of these constituencies there are great numbers who vote more or less automatically on either perceived self-interest or on single issues. Presidential elections usually are won with on the order of 55 million votes. It doesn't take an Einstein to see that these "automatic votes" could be handing the Dems an unbeatable majority for the foreseeable future. The founding fathers never envisioned that the central government would become a primary source of financial support or wish fulfillment for so many of the citizenry. In the course of this happening, "rights" (or entitlements) have assumed far more importance than obligations, responsibilities or duties. I think the fathers would be appalled that we have come to that, and rightly so. I don't recall ever voting for a Democrat (making me an automatic vote ???), yet on the other hand I bow to no one in my admiration of FDR. One reason is that I lived through World War II and think he was the perfect leader to have fought the isolationists to get us to join the war and support Britain, and to keep morale high in dark days when the war began. Also, I admire his proactive initiatives to build confidence during the Depression, whether they were legal or not (which puts me on the wrong side for most Repub's on SI). I never tire or reading books about FDR.