Blogs > Cliopatria > Carnival and Two Notes on Democracy

Nov 2, 2006

Carnival and Two Notes on Democracy




History Carnival XLII is up at Holocaust Controversies!

Crooked Timber has done a seminar on Sheri Berman's The Primacy of Politics: Social Democracy and the Making of Europe's Twentieth Century, with a response by Berman.

Fortunately for you, our colleague, Hugo Schwyzer, who teaches at Pasadena City College, thought it was more important that his students hear his lecture on the Roman gods and"the role of paranoia in the expansion of the Republic" than that either they or he hear Senator John Kerry make his campaign speech at the College. You are, therefore, spared all comment at Cliopatria about whatever Kerry said and who thought what about it. What has passed for political debate in this campaign season embarrasses all hope of democratic government. Some non-imperial democracies ought to send a few missionaries in here to teach us how it is supposed to be done.



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Stephan Xavier Reich - 11/25/2006

Don't talk that way about our Ralph! He's a registered Republican dontcha know? Granted, he hasn't supported a Republican since Thomas Dewey, but that doesn't stop him from hiding behind it at every opportunity!


Stephan Xavier Reich - 11/25/2006

RL:

I'll apologize to you if you will apologize for acting as a Democratic spy! Seriously, what kind of Republican do you consider yourself? A Bush style Republican> A McCain? A Goldwater? A Reagan? An Ike?


Stephan Xavier Reich - 11/25/2006

uh huh. So, again, some Republican politicians you have supported and respect?


Stephan Xavier Reich - 11/25/2006

Not a thing. Just a fellow Republican, like yourself. No one asked me but I'd put myself in the Goldwater/Chaffee/Giuliani wing . . .


Stephan Xavier Reich - 11/25/2006

Life is all about variety! I actually think the Goldwater-Giuliani connection has been made by Rudy himself . . .


Stephan Xavier Reich - 11/25/2006

So can I put you down as a Goldwater Republican?


Stephan Xavier Reich - 11/25/2006

Sorry, I guess I'll have to accept that you are a REPUBLICAN, and that no one will ever have any idea why.


Stephan Xavier Reich - 11/25/2006

Well, I too come from a Republican family. My grandfather was convinced, wrongly I'd say, that the Democrats were too soft on Communists.
But I've done some campaigning, and will again if Giuliani runs for President. Here in NY I support our mayor and governor.


Ralph E. Luker - 11/4/2006

No need to apologize for anything except the spy charges, since I was born into a Republican family of several generations and have served in its ranks for many years. We've yet to hear anything about what you've done. That you are a winger, you've left no doubt. The party needs fewer of them.


Ralph E. Luker - 11/4/2006

I didn't vote for him for President. His votes on civil rights legislation were the decisive factor for me. I lived to regret having voted for his opponent, but given who were lining up to support Barry Goldwater here in the South I don't know that I had a realistic alternative. Really, I don't understand why you care about this. I can't imagine that it's of interest to Cliopatria's other readers.


Ralph E. Luker - 11/3/2006

Since the triumph of the radical right in the Republican Party, it would be hard to think of a Republican politician who has _not_ linked him- or herself with Goldwater, at least through Reagan. Even so, the Chaffee-Goldwater link is a bit of a stretch.


Jonathan Dresner - 11/3/2006

Interesting. First time I ever heard Goldwater and Guiliani described as being part of the same wing of the Republican party (not to mention Goldwater and Chaffee!). I'm not saying you're wrong, just that it's ... different.


Ralph E. Luker - 11/3/2006

This is not a very interesting question -- one that may interest you, but I dare say very few other readers of Cliopatria. Would you be satisfied if I said "Probably only those whom you want to drive out of the Party?" And what makes you the arbitor of things Republican?


Ralph E. Luker - 11/2/2006

What on earth do you mean by "a spy"? Are Democrat and Republican two different countries? Claiming absolute and ultimate loyalty? Your small tent Republicanism excludes people, rather than drawing them in. I am, in many ways, a conservative -- but a conservative who understands that the Bush administration doesn't have a clue and apparently doesn't give a damn about what conservatism is. It is anything _but_ conservative. I was born into a Republican family and was a Republican precinct captain before I was old enough to vote. It's more than a little irritating for Stephen- and Johnnie-come-latelies to pretend that they are more Republican than thou.


Jonathan Dresner - 11/2/2006

What's worse, a moment (as opposed to a lifetime) of linguistic awkwardness, or sexual harassment?


Ralph E. Luker - 11/2/2006

Brother Reich doesn't mind violating the privacy of the ballot box to score the partisan touche. Pity. That I have served on county Republican Executive Committees in two different states long since Thomas E. Dewey is a matter of public record.


Ralph E. Luker - 11/2/2006

Brother Reagan, I understand your felt need for the partisan touche. Unfortunately, as I am a Republican, you get no score.


John Jeremiah Reagan - 11/2/2006

My sympathies to Ralph Luker. I know what it feels
like. Two weeks ago I watched a well timed release
about a GOP Congressman's insignificant albeit pathetic e-mails derail Republican plans. Now John Kerry has messed up the Democrats and Prof. Luker
is decrying the quality of American political debate.
Buck up Professor, there still most of a week to go.