Evolution of thought

[JD Barleycorn]

I have been giving this some thought for a while:

Winston Churchill is given credit for saying that when we are young we are all liberals and when we get older we become conservatives. To be otherwise would mean that we have no heart when we are young and no brain when we get old.

I think we can all relate to being children and wondering why life is not fair or why everyone can't be helped by the biggest thing that we knew at that age; government. As we got older we learned about life and people. We learned about government and the abuse that it can be responsible for. We learned about people in government and how terrible their motivations could be. In a word, we become more conservative based on new knowledge and wisdom. So,
Becoming conservative in thought is an evolutionary process.
We hear of liberals like the late Ron Silver, Dennis Miller, David Mamet becoming conservative and moderates like Ronald Reagan becoming more conservative as they age. Aging gives us new knowledge and insight. Has anyone heard of any conservative becoming a liberal as they grow older? I can't think of one. Take note, I am not talking about democrats or republicans. That is a party affiliation. I am talking about philosophy or way of life.

So that is it, becoming conservative is an evolutionary process and some people never evolve as it were.

[catnipdipper]

I was clean for Gene in '68 and my thinking has never varied one iota. If anything it is more reinforced than ever against what I feel are some serious radicals on the other side.

We have lost of kindness and respect for individuals and our country's meaning.

My side of things.

[CuteOldGuy]

Originally Posted by catnipdipper

We have lost of kindness and respect for individuals and our country's meaning.

I have to agree with that one, Catnip. I worked on the McCarthy campaign in '68 and McGovern in '72, however, I don't think today's Democrat party is anywhere near what it was back then. Of course, Barry Goldwater would renounce today's Republican party, too.

[6ULDV8]

Originally Posted by CuteOldGuy

I have to agree with that one, Catnip. I worked on the McCarthy campaign in '68 and McGovern in '72, however, I don't think today's Democrat party is anywhere near what it was back then. Of course, Barry Goldwater would renounce today's Republican party, too.

Ol' Barry wouldn't even recognise todays republicans and yesterdays dems were way more liberal.

[JD Barleycorn]

I don't agree with the idea that yesterday's democrats were more liberal (that is if we all agree on what is liberal). I just finished reading a book on the Smother's Brothers and I noticed that most of the politicians who tried to pass laws and regulations to stop them were democrats. Like in the days of McCarthy, the House UnAmerican Activities Hearings were ran by the Democratic party since the democrats ran the House. It was yesterday's democrats who passed Jim Crow laws, tried to defeat the 1964 Civil Rights Act, split to create the Dixiecrats who supported segregation and voted for intervention in Vietnam. Today's democrats are trying to use regulation to close down Fox News, Rush Limbaugh, and Glenn Beck. You may disagree with what they say but a true liberal would support their right to say it. The old liberal has morphed into the neo-liberal, progressive, or socialist.

Back to my original statement; I never said EVERYONE evolves, I said that conservatives have evolved from something else. If you can name one person that has gone from conservative to liberal I would like to know that name.

[catnipdipper]

Theodore Olsen

[JD Barleycorn]

Which one? The former solicitor general? Husband of Barbara Olsen killed when her plane hit the Pentagon? If it is then you can search better if you spell it Theodore Olson.

[JD Barleycorn]

A quick check on the afore mentioned Theodore Olson shows that he is a lawyer having taken sides on both sides of the political aisle. He has defended Israeli spies and accused Chinese spies. He represented George W. Bush in the 2000 election debacle. His fourth wife is a registered democrat. Now if you are saying that he stand for defending gay marriage somehow makes him a liberal then you are quite wrong. I present Barack Obama, a socialist and thinks that there is no such thing as gay marriage and Laura Bush, a conservative, who supports gay marriage. Supporting or opposing gay marriage does not make you either a liberal or conservative by itself. You have anything else not related to his law practice?

[catnipdipper]

Well according to our beloved Tea Party I could cite Orrin Hatch and Lugar.

If those poor bastards even speak to a Dem they are in the line of fire.

The rest are keeping a down low and hope not to be noticed and have turned into political cowards putting themselves ahead of the country and being hostage to right wing zealots and the fear of retaliation.

[lakecat]

I suppose you could say Arianna Huffington, but I'm not convinced that wasn't more about the money than a true idealogical conversion.

[catnipdipper]

Is a very good reason! I hear it helped in New York to get the needed votes to allow Gay Marriage. 2 goner Republicans according to a support of marriage group that is really pissed off.

Always follow the money.

[JD Barleycorn]

Catnipdipper, maybe you missed what I said, this isn't about parties this about philosophy. The discussion of dem or GOP is moot. There are liberal republicans and sometimes people jump parties without changing their beliefs. Sorry, there are no conservative democrats in the national party right now.

[catnipdipper]

I think you spend too much time sipping your namesake and then drooling and blathering.

I don't miss many points unless I want to and/ or if it takes to much effort to acknowledge them.

[JD Barleycorn]

Catnip I will try to write slower next time.

[catnipdipper]

That should be easy for you.