The dialogue between conservatism and liberalism obviously must involve considering the purpose of government and the levels of governance.There appears to be only limited clarification since ancient Greece,Rome,China etc.Two things that seems common to despotic regimes that embrace oligarchy,kleptocracy,nepotism and exploitation are the systemic elimination of access to truth and the top down control of arms.Thus the second amendment although only intended for militia enablement in a time of muskets,has symbolic appeal.More closely examined,even in its mistaken context,it can be seen as manipulatable so as to produce an armed presence that can be organized to support those in power if and when their use of military and police power is unacceptable.The testosterone fueled fantasies about aryan selective savagery is race and gender based and the source of huge profit.Thus the diversionary nonsense that the NRA produces has thus far,with the aid of A and A+ congressional rating continually blocked sensible gun reform.Did you know that the USPHS cannot research the epidemiology of gun homicide and suicide because of a twenty year old NRA sponsored congressional ban?
The other prong of dictatorship and or oligarchy is the control of and obfuscation of truth.Propoganda is only one manifestation.The assault on the free press is yet another.Despotism requires that only its network be considered factual; all else is ” fake news”.
Elimination of the 4th estate is thus a priority of a would be despot.In a recent conference call with the President of Yale,I learned that university endowments have been targeted by the new tax reform legislation.Old Eli will be hit by a 35 million dollar plus loss.Similar losses will hit all major universities.In addition to the loss of world standing by the U.S.that was notable at the Davos conference;in response to my query about the simplistic dangers of digital information and reliance on highly manipulable social media,president Salovey said that the educators at Davos linked digital information,the proliferation of algorithmic thought and social media to radicalization and revolt.He emphasized the importance of content in the transmission of knowledge.This is Socratic education and even the great universities of the world,now with worldwide core extensions,cannot supply educators who can carry cultural and historical content while being taxed mercilessly.
The Trump administration controls the three axes of governmental power and is conducting an assault on the 4th and 5th estates.While I don’t consider MOM (POTUS)capable of deep thought I believe that a cadre that attaches itself to his bombast( although not fully able to control it)is.It is clear why MOM will remain the great divider riding the twin horses of threat of nuclear war and threat of internal insurrection.With this regime the possibility that the function of government is to protect and care for its population( with boundary guardianship only a part of it)hasn’t even a glimmer of possibility.
-
Follow
Following
Already have a WordPress.com account? Log in now.
The Octogenarians 
Reblogged this on daedal2207's Blog.
I did not “know that the USPHS cannot research the epidemiology of gun homicide and suicide because of a twenty year old NRA sponsored congressional ban”. What is this law specifically? Are other research agencies prohibited as well?
As a general rule we should not like seeing educational systems deprived of needed resources. The issue has become somewhat muddy given that on some subjects “education” for many institutions shifted to forms of “indoctrination”. To present Conservative ideas, high levels of difficulty, or outright exclusion from many campuses is evidence of this fact. Look at the troubles Ben Shapiro or Ann Coulter have experienced just trying to present a single lecture on many campuses. As for Yale, I thought that it was a “private university” possessing private endowments that make it wealthy beyond the need for (any?) of the taxpayer’s dollar.
I am glad that Daedal2207 points out that “even the great universities of the world, now with worldwide core extensions, cannot supply educators who can carry cultural and historical content while being taxed mercilessly”. This reinforces the argument that governments truly desiring the greatest productivity from its citizens should strive to keep taxes (and that form of redistribution) to a minimum.
Daedal2207: “The Trump administration controls the three axes of governmental power and is conducting an assault on the 4th and 5th estates.” This is a serious charge. If one focuses on what CNN, MSNBC, and the New York Times reports, this charge is entirely justified. If we go to other sources and consider only VERIFIED empirical evidence, other, and more likely possibilities are revealed. We have to consider the probability that bias exists in the 4th estate. Given that logic leads us astray if it employs false premises, this bias in our sources warps the judgment of We the People, the 5th estate. Is pointing out such bias to be considered an “assault” on the press, or is it an effort to reveal fundamental problems which when corrected will result in a more objective, strengthened press (and a more enlightened 5th estate)?
Daedal2207: “With this regime the possibility that the function of government is to protect and care for its population (with boundary guardianship only a part of it) hasn’t even a glimmer of possibility.” This opinion is weakened by the fact that “care” has a variety of distinct meanings. In what ways SHOULD our government “care” for its population? Unless clarified we do not really “know” his understandings about the “function of government”.
For instance, if “care” refers to a government powerful enough to produce and distribute to us the “things” it thinks we should have, we are talking about a socialist (possibly totalitarian) system. If by “care” we are referring to a government that protects for each individual citizen a right to be as independent from government dictate as possible (liberty) we have the kind of “care” intended by our founders.
I am finding that the actions of the Trump administration are very “caring” in the latter sense, but “uncaring” in the former. So, what is “the function of government” preferred by Daedal2207?