tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9387707.post6946709211605147084..comments2024-01-05T13:36:55.379-06:00Comments on Two-Edged Sword: The Extent of Voting PragmatismLeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10422257306176024118noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9387707.post-5957314372843443862007-05-21T16:33:00.000-05:002007-05-21T16:33:00.000-05:00If we must choose between either the most pragmati...If we must choose between either the most pragmatically electable candidate for president or the best (most properly conservative) candidate from some third party, what are we to do if there isn't a third party we find more acceptable than the "lesser of two evils"? Which "third pary" ought I to support in order to avoid pragmatism? The Libertarian? The Constitutional?<BR/><BR/>Perhaps we can come up with a method of scoring candidates based on a graphical solution. On the y-axis we grade the candidates' genuine conservatism. On the x-axis we grade them on the probability (however we might arrive at that figure) of defeating a (socialist) Democrat.<BR/><BR/>"More conservative than the Democratic contender" and "Most likely to be able to defeat the Democratic contender" beats "Most genuinely conservative" but "Not likely to beat the Democratic contender" to my way of thinking. Especially in the absence of some alternative party behind which I can get. So far that pary isn't there.<BR/><BR/>The reality at present is this: It's Democrats and Republicans. That makes the choice real simple: the most conservative Republican we can get while still having a probability of defeating the Democratic contender.<BR/><BR/>We are talking about candidates for political office. All other things being equal, I would prefer Winston Churchill to Jimmy Carter.<BR/><BR/>We didn't arrive at our present situation overnight. We are not going to fix it overnight. We could stand by our principles; and give it all up to the socialists. Or we can accept the best of all possible candidates and at least slow down the decay while other strategies are employed elsewhere.James Frank SolĂshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17694957546165747971noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9387707.post-38852732203554556652007-05-21T10:57:00.000-05:002007-05-21T10:57:00.000-05:00The question about pragmatism being more deeply ro...The question about pragmatism being more deeply routed is a good one. The trouble is many if not most would be so offended at the suggestion, that they unable to muster the wherewithal to make a serious inquiry of his own thinking. Many of the rest, would brush it off with a "not me, I would never do that." I think that explains a lot of what we see not only in the nation, but also in the Church.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com