(they just don't show it often)
I ran across this quote about Buckley from one of his liberal friends, "For Murray Kempton, one of his many friends on the left, the Buckley press conference style called up "an Edwardian resident commissioner reading aloud the 39 articles of the Anglican establishment to a conscript of assembled Zulus."
I've admired Mr. Buckley for a long time. Grandpa Jay read "National Review" for many years and it lay around our house. One of his other favorites was S.I. Hayakawa, renowned for his study of linguistics. I guess that is one reason I am interested in the etymology of words. (Look it up)
"Semanticists and linguistic scholars continue to remind us that words change in meaning according to time and place and circumstance. Their warnings are certainly not to be ignored. Yet, with all the changes that go on both in language and in the world described by language, there are remarkable elements of stability in a vocabulary with as rich a literary and cultural history as English."
—S. I. Hayakawa, Choose the Right Word: A Modern Guide to Synonyms
Thursday, February 28, 2008
Coulter on Buckley on Reagan
One of my current favorite writers quotes an old-time favorite about a classic communicator, comparing him to the "Greatest Communicator".
"When later challenged on Reagan's intellectual stature, Buckley said: 'Of course, he will always tend to reach first for an anecdote. But then, so does the New Testament.'"
William F. Buckley was a great writer and speaker if you could understand all of his words. His writings and sayings can often be quoted to good effect.
I think that would be a great coup for me to be able to come up with a description or saying so apt and succinct as to be quoted by others.
See http://www.townhall.com/columnists/AnnCoulter/2008/02/27/william_f_buckley_rip,_enfant_terrible for the whole thing.
"When later challenged on Reagan's intellectual stature, Buckley said: 'Of course, he will always tend to reach first for an anecdote. But then, so does the New Testament.'"
William F. Buckley was a great writer and speaker if you could understand all of his words. His writings and sayings can often be quoted to good effect.
I think that would be a great coup for me to be able to come up with a description or saying so apt and succinct as to be quoted by others.
See http://www.townhall.com/columnists/AnnCoulter/2008/02/27/william_f_buckley_rip,_enfant_terrible for the whole thing.
Sunday, February 24, 2008
Do it for the Chuldrun
As Clinton's surgeon general used to say, "We're doing it for the children." Some of my kids want me to continue blogging. Do we change the name? I don't think so. I'm still the buddha, and I still support the ideals that Mitt has come to stand for. (for which Mitt has come to stand) Or as Winston Churchill once said, "Ending a sentence with a preposition is something up with which I will not put." I hereby call for any commenters on this blog to forthwith present their favorite grammatical rule. Comments may be in one's own favorite language, but must be accompanied by English translation.
Wednesday, February 6, 2008
Why Mitt Will and Must Stay In
How discouraging it has been to see the rejection of such an outstanding, qualified man by so many Republicans. I'm sure Gov. Romney will survive, but I am worried for our conservative ideals. I believe that Gov. Romney feels the same way about our ideals and about our country and that is why I do not think he will drop out of the race.
With Senator McCain the front-runner and likely nominee, it is now as important as ever that he feel continued pressure to defend his conservative credentials. After having had his non-conservative record exposed on so many issues, if he is allowed now to coast to a victory he will assume that the people do not care, or even support his liberal positions. It is now vital that someone (and Gov. Romney is the only one who can do it) continues to challenge him. McCain must be forced to take explicitly conservative positions in opposition to the bills he has sponsored in the past, and he has shown a willingness to do so when challenged. For example, he says now that he opposed the tax cuts only because they were not accompanied by spending cuts (a fully defensible conservative position). He also says that now he is convinced that the border must be secured first. He must be put in the position to reverse every one of the liberal legislative positions he has taken in public. He must admit to want to appoint judges who would defend the constititution (even those who would overturn McCain-Feingold and who would not find in the constitution a "right" to abortion). He must be willing to reverse his stand for forcing the United States to fight "global warming" while competing unfairly in world markets.
It is highly unlikely that Gov. Romney can win the nomination, but it is vital that someone as skilled as he continue to force McCain to stake out conservative positions. It is the only way conservatives will have any influence on this election. I believe that Gov Romney will take a high road through the balance of the primaries. I believe that he will show himself to be the spokesman for conservative principles for the future, and I also believe that he will see clearly his duty to encourage Senator McCain to take conservative positions which we can support against the democrats and which he will then be honor-bound to defend in the future. I believe that Senator McCain will respond positively to the challenge of Honor, Duty, Country and that if he can be placed in the position of committing to defend conservative positions he will do it as a matter of duty and pride.
With Senator McCain the front-runner and likely nominee, it is now as important as ever that he feel continued pressure to defend his conservative credentials. After having had his non-conservative record exposed on so many issues, if he is allowed now to coast to a victory he will assume that the people do not care, or even support his liberal positions. It is now vital that someone (and Gov. Romney is the only one who can do it) continues to challenge him. McCain must be forced to take explicitly conservative positions in opposition to the bills he has sponsored in the past, and he has shown a willingness to do so when challenged. For example, he says now that he opposed the tax cuts only because they were not accompanied by spending cuts (a fully defensible conservative position). He also says that now he is convinced that the border must be secured first. He must be put in the position to reverse every one of the liberal legislative positions he has taken in public. He must admit to want to appoint judges who would defend the constititution (even those who would overturn McCain-Feingold and who would not find in the constitution a "right" to abortion). He must be willing to reverse his stand for forcing the United States to fight "global warming" while competing unfairly in world markets.
It is highly unlikely that Gov. Romney can win the nomination, but it is vital that someone as skilled as he continue to force McCain to stake out conservative positions. It is the only way conservatives will have any influence on this election. I believe that Gov Romney will take a high road through the balance of the primaries. I believe that he will show himself to be the spokesman for conservative principles for the future, and I also believe that he will see clearly his duty to encourage Senator McCain to take conservative positions which we can support against the democrats and which he will then be honor-bound to defend in the future. I believe that Senator McCain will respond positively to the challenge of Honor, Duty, Country and that if he can be placed in the position of committing to defend conservative positions he will do it as a matter of duty and pride.
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