The Moral Bankruptcy Of Conservative Intellectuals
John Eastman
Michael Anton
Victor Davis Hanson
each of these three men are conservative intellectuals. We know that because they all are or have been associated with the Claremont Institute, an institution very much associated with conservative intellectual thought. Davis is a scholar of the ancient world, Eastman is said to be a constitutional scholar, and Anton is a member of the National Board For Education Sciences and specializes in the study of famous 16th century political philosopher Niccolo Machiavelli.
These are what they call deep thinkers, as are quite a few of the people associated with The Claremont Institute.
The Claremont Institute has a message that their writers push constantly, that America needs to return to classical values as expressed by folks like the Founding Fathers. Claremont denies the existence of systemic racism, criticizes secularism, does not accept the value of "diversity" and is at war with "woke".
A lot of people on the right of course have those same viewpoints , including your average MAGA, but the Claremont Institute folks are "intellectuals" and presumably have a better ability to support their political and social beliefs.
So why do I say these eminences are morally bankrupt? All three of them are big Donald Trump supporters. It seems to me that people who quote classical philosophers like Plato and Aristotle ought to have higher standards than would allow them to back the worst person ever to hold the office of US president, but I guess not. Eastman is the notorious source of the effort to get Mike Pence to throw the election to Trump, Anton worked in the Trump administration and is the author of a well known screed in 2016 called The Flight 93 Election which claimed that a victory by Hillary Clinton in 2016 would be an existential threat to America. He also at that time praised Trump and his "America First" slogan. Davis has written newspaper columns praising Trump .
I'm not sure what these three deep thinkers are thinking today, with the indictments against Trump for federal crimes hitting high gear, but I'm fairly sure they still feel the same way.
The Claremont Institute is also the home base for Ron DeSantis' pet pseudo- intellectual , the far right grifter Christopher Rufo, who has been tasked with shaping Florida's higher education system to DeSantis' liking.
No honest "intellectual" of any ideology could possibly really support Donald Trump, it is logically impossible, so we can assume these ones that do are hypocrites who don't care about how tortured their "thinking" appears.
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All of these people are to the far right on the political spectrum. That still doesnt excuse their universal support for Donald trump.
Conservative intellectuals is an oxymoron.
Well, they do have the academic credentials. I believe Hanson is a university professor. I just dont know how you could quote Plato and Thomas Aquinas in one breath and then praise Donald Trump in the next. It seems very dishonest.
Like you would know.
It may be hard to accept (I agree with that), but it is not hard for me to understand. Even intellectuals are moved by their passions, that is, feelings. These. . .people. .. want what they want and Donald Trump is their 'bastard' promising to get it for them. Even though he is a proven loser in politics, overall!
Exactly, because you yourself are the epitome of our modern day conservative intellectuals! Am I right or am I right?
i don’t know JBB, I’ve never thought of myself that way, but thanks for the compliment.
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Oh my!
Lol, moral bankruptcy….. right in the liberal wheelhouse.
How could someone who claims to be an intellectual possibly voice support for Donald Trump.
Feel free to explain it, although no one can.
Our definition of “intellectual” likely varies greatly. How can one describe themselves as an intellectual when their biases clearly delude their reasoning? Attack Trump, accept Biden? No true intellectual thinks that way.
Trumps biggest crime was beating your chosen one. After that, reason was a horse that left the barn permanently for many folks on the left. Not one of them, is a true intellectual. No matter how hard they try to tell themselves they are …..
lol. thats all i can say to that
Last night at a rally Trump said that Jack Smith is "deranged" and "a very sick man". Trump says he can tell by looking at Smith's face that Smith is "sick" (mentally).
Please tell us why you think this utter fool and buffoon should be president of the United States.
He is better than the other guy who is mentally and physically incapable of chewing gum while walking.
Guess you had more to say after all eh John?
Sadly once again you let emotion and bias degrade your intellect.
Attack Trump, accept Biden. Low hanging fruit for the pseudo-intellectual.
Please tell us why you think this utter fool and buffoon should be president of the United States.
Same reason the dementia ridden, grifter in chief is in office right now. He gets duly elected.
Well that and so many progressives and leftists here don’t want him, that’s good enough reason right there.
Hope there is two better choices but if not. It’s not even a question.
While we can never say "never," can we say we can see how "hopeless" this is? This. . .person. . .just lifted a negligent, dirty, bastard who worries about his presidential so-called, "legacy," after the fact.
Even Ashley Babbitt (who died at the Capitol in 2021) should cry foul from the grave! She lost her life because of Donald Trump's proven lying and conspiracies. And yet supporters of this bastard, who fights for more control over conservative hearts and minds, still won't release him to his fate.
It's disgusting. But on the bright side: It's clarifying. Why? They want Donald Trump to be the image the world sees when it looks at them.
We need no more understanding then that! These. . .people. . .supporting this dirty, negligent, bastard, are shouting their purposes for this country from the rooftops; we should hear them and respond with their defeat.
Watch Trump's conduct and 'listen' to his supporters words. These. . .republicans/conservatives. . .would whether see this country fall into political chaos, whether than see inclusion, equality, and diversity have equal footing with white nationalism, authoritarianism (do as we say), and Christian rights!
Independents and secularists should know that conservatives do not/never had them as their best interest. Republcans/conservatives will use secularists as vote 'fodder' to gain office and then proceed to pass policies that promote white nationalism, authoritarianism (do as we say), and Christian religious freedoms (and only Christian freedoms).
In any case it seems you got an opportunity to put that meme on display, nevertheless.
I know, you would think they would pay more attention to what the far left says since they really care about anything other than staying in power.
As independents and secularists will find out sooner or later, they will lose rights under white nationalism and fundamentalist Christians public policy. Just look at girls and women who have lost privacy rights-now their sexual "indiscretions" or rapes and incest will be made public in the faces of the children they are forced to bear. All because the so-called "moralists" have twisted the high court to return control of their wombs BACK OVER TO CONSERVATIVES AND THE CHRISTIAN RIGHT.
It's already happening: Girls and women giving birth to children that will for all intents and purposes be born into poverty all because conservatives SAY SO! But, won't lift a finger to support the babies once out of the womb.
Money ain't worth a damn if you can't enjoy it in a country not welcoming to you or worse, would whether see you gone from it!
You do realize the Supreme Court just gave it back to the states where the elected officials can do what they are elected to do don't you?
You do realize that what red-states want to do is strip girls and women of their privacy and are doing JUST THAT! These girls and women are right now getting pregnant and will have children their "elected officials" will not lift a finger to assist with once out of the womb. (But "VICTORY" will be declared that a life has entered the world! Though unwanted by its mother, those who are not its mother will be satisfied that ideology won out over substance!)
Here is the evidence of the proceeding. First, the lie was end partial-birth abortion. It ended. Then, the lie was end x number of weeks abortion. It was ended. Then, the lie is end abortions, except in the case of rape or incest or rape and incest. It was ended in some red states. Then, the lie is end all all abortions, period. Seriously, working on that one in the courts. Then, it's end birth control. . . . And, so forth and so on.
The irony is this: conservative women and conservative men already had ENDED ABORTION FOR THEMSELVES by virtue of being conservative. The only point of ending abortion everywhere is to target liberal, independent, and secularist girls and women with no 'out' for having children they do not want or can not afford. It's the conservative way!
I am going to trust the adults on this article to comprehend how stupid that comment is in regards to what I wrote. Beyond that, it is not worthy of anymore of words.
Exactly, those damned red states just don’t understand that;
These reasons are more than enough to justify the killing of unborn humans.
?
And self-righteous conservatives see death and destruction all around them amongst the living. Tell me, what is the conservative ideology and long-term strategy to stop the born from murder and war (and death in the millions)? At least, the "unborn humans" are. . .officially unborn.
And that does not read like a denial that some conservatives won't do a damn thing to assist girls and women with those children they ARE being beset with that they don't want (and neither do conservatives want them once they are born)!
Or in most cases...just walking
It is up to the elected officials of a state to do what the people that elected them want them to do, not what you or anyone outside the state wants them to do. And if the majority of the people in the state don't like what their elected officials are doing they vote them out. It is baffling why that simple concept that the country was founded on is so hard for some people to comprehend.
Where did I write anything about "adoption"? Please share. And let's be clear: Are some conservatives going on record affirming homosexuals adopting children? Explain yourself!
So you say.
Huh?
War what is it good for, Absolutely nothing!
Don't be dodgy and wishy-washy, some conservatives! Take a position in discussion and defend it! This is not a boxing match, it is a discussion about real life-not sports.
That's so 'WOKE'!
On what?
Your silly question on murder and war?
Can you even have a discussion on sports?
So do I when I see leftists saying we should welcome al illegals into the country and take care of them. I've asked many times how many illegals these leftists have taken in and I have never gotten an answer.
True up to a(an ideological point) and it is not a difficult concept to understand. But, it takes two sides to compromise and some conservatives ABSTAIN from finding a "win-win" settlement. Besides that, minorities have human and more to the point civil rights under the constitution equal to those of the majority in a state. Especially when it comes to privacy and abortion rights. Plus, the commerce clause in the constitution (Article 1) grants social consideration to interstate activities base on good faith acceptance between states. However, as you may or may not know, some red states are attempting to chase down and persecute citizens of the country for crossing state borders to conduct abortion or contraceptive activities. That is not liberty, freedom, or prosperity: it is authoritarianism and its coming out of conservative states.
Comprehend that!
So some conservatives are WOKE now?
It's a yes or no question. Not that difficult at all.
Yes or No?
Maybe.
If you think it is only the right unwilling to compromise you are being willfully ignorant. That is nothing a discussion will change.
Minorities have ALL the same rights as majority. Not especially anything....ALL.
I don't agree with chasing down anyone going out of state. It seems the courts will be involved with that. If I lived in one of those states I would consider it (along with many many many other things) when deciding who to vote for. Since I don't live in one of those states I will let them decide for themselves what they want.
That is how democracy works.
Comprehend that!
This is nonsense.
There are some conservatives worth listening to but the number is dwindling by the hour.
Please keep score and report back to us.
Again, I don't need some conservatives to validate me. And for the record, 99.99 percent of your comments skirt any issue you address, . . . so if I was going to be frustrated I would have been so since the "beginning" of knowing your online presence. (Back then, I got probably my first ticket for fashionably calling a some conservative, "honey." It was an expression, but a conservative took it as 'that's so gay' and reported it.) It is what it is.
Finally, you are not woke but you can't bring yourself to admit the obvious; some conservatives don't want homosexuals to adopt any children. How do I know? Droopy Desantis says "Don't Say Gay!" Atknown live it out around children.
I don't know where the ___ you live and it is irrelevant anyway. The general party of some conservative vote to oppress other citizens' rights and privileges. That places some conservatives "in the boat." End of story.
Figuratively speaking, are blanks all you got? Write something with substance.
And what their elected officials do is none of your business. End of story.
As opposed to the word salad that you are constantly tossing?
Desantis never said don't say gay. Why are you spreading disinformation?
Yes, it is. Some conservatives can do what the ____ y'all want to do with each other and to each other. When it involves anybody who is not conservative or some conservative bet we will have something to say/write/do about it. So, you're mistaken again.
What? No substantive comment to offer? Drained already?!!
You constantly expect a response to your shit much more frequent than you respond. Why is that?
It was interpreted that way. You know, the same way his compatriots interpret alternative messaging. It's very popular for the media to use short-hand expressions saves ink and printing cost and keeps the cryron display pithy!
Again, that is all some conservatives got a stupid denial of "Don't say gay"? When the meaning is be silent in class about homosexuals. (Chuckles.)
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This is a gross waste of NT time.
I am still waiting for a comment that is not a word salad
Give me some dressing with that salad!
NT can't tell time
Your comment? NT will likely survive.
Respond if and when you wish. Does not bother me in the least. I know why you won't/can't/don't all the same. BYE!
Chuckles. You got jokes!
Evidently, some conservatives are into using 'fillers' now. Nothing more of substance to share. Wishing folks would forget the topic, eh? Pathetic.
Thanks, mighty human of you.
What dressing do you recommend on that word salad?
Do you copy/paste your bullet-points from some anti-abortion site? Why not just link?
Oh? I keep trying to have conversations with some local MAGAs, but they duck and run immediately.
Let me know, the next time you have a worthwhile conversation lasting more than two exchanges.
Exactly, it is pathetic watching the deflection and dishonesty at play. One would hope that, at this point, the defense of Trump would quiesce.
No. I'm sure that at sometime I've been to sites that advocate for both sides but I don't remember when. The arguments for and against are pretty simple.
When was that?
Right now, for example.
More lies.
That’s a real bad habit you’ve got there Bob.
Guilty conscience?
About calling out someone else’s blatant lying?
Never!
From what I've seen, their morality is very similar to yours. Since they believe progressivism is bad for the country, it really doesn't matter what Trump does and criticizing Trump is "both sideism".
Pray tell, why oh why would any one believe PROGRESS is bad for this country? We have lights inside homes, better built homes, and nuclear science because of presidents whyo believe in political progress. This is just ridiculous that we have to drag conservatives along behind the car through life! It's frankly, sickening! Whole lives wasted or unfulfilled because of people too ridiculous to keep their backward looking points of view for their and theirs only 'enjoyment.' Instead, through some glitch in nature they are allowed to trouble society nonstop for the duration.
The Founding Fathers would all think Trump is a clown. He would be beneath the dignity of even a dime store philosopher, let alone professors of antiquity and the classics. These people at the Claremont Institute want to lecture the rest of us on what means to be a moral God fearing person who upholds tradition and "western civilization". Yet they support Trump. It seems kind of disgraceful on their part, to tell you the truth.
It is disgraceful. Some conservatives have placed themselves beyond conscience and opted for expediency. That is, now they simply want to TAKE stuff from liberals and secularists. They do not engage us with their emotions. Why? Because it would mean they would have to admit to being wrong. They won't do that. CASE IN POINT: The founding fathers mostly knew that slavery was antithetical to a free people, but put their right druthers down and let it continue happening anyway. The result: It took a civil war to bring people back to a modicum of acceptance of blacks turned out to slavery back into the fold of being treated with civility. To that end, there is an unbroken thread of hatred and obstruction for people of color in this country that continues every time republicans get a 'breather' in majority politics.
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Thank you, but no I won't have 'any.' Good evening.
Dont start trolling
How is citing the truth about our founders, trolling?
What do you think they would think of Biden?
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They would have thought better of him than they would of trump.
You're using presentism to judge the founding fathers. Neither blacks nor women were mentioned, they were both chattel at that time. This does not preclude the brilliance the founding fathers exhibited. Read a Madison or Jefferson speech. Then listen to Trump speak...
They would have been shocked he was still alive and looked for a decoder ring to help them understand what Joe was trying to say.
I wouldn't bet on it if I were you.
Conservatism is dead. W.F. Buckley and Barry Goldwater are dead. Unfortunately, conservative intellectualism has been replaced by an ideal that is afraid to ask and will not ask what (he) meant when he said, "I saved bin Sulman's ass." That and dozens of other things.
When I see the political hyper partisanship that exists on NT, I find that the only difference is in the name of the party.
The obvious problem with false equivalences is that they are false...
That the problem with false, false equivalencies.
They are doubly false …
Isn't a doubly false become a positive?
No, Ed is right. Some of the dems on here are as hyper partisan as some of the repubs. John is going to accuse me of both sidism but there some here that think their guy can do no wrong.
Biden has a lot of warts
Who says he doesn't? I haven't seen anyone on NT outright enthusiast about Biden.
The problem is that the other option - Trump and the MAGA Republicans - would be s-o-o-o much worse.
Putting the two on anything like equal footing is indeed bothsidesism.
I know that. I don;t want a return to the Dark Ages.
I don;t think I put Biden and trmp on equal footing. At least I hope my comment didn't come across that way. Biden is by far a better man than trmp. Biden has warts but trmp is a wart
Democrats who lied and continue to lie about Covington, Kavanaugh, Michael Brown, JIm Crow 2.0, the laptop, Florida education standards etc to divide the country for perceived political gains are lecturing about moral standards. That's where we are.
In the case of Covington and Michael Brown, for sure, you had some people who went forth and reached conclusions and publicized them and spread them based on incomplete information. Thats what can happen in a society of instantaneous communication. I'm not sure many people lied about Covington after they found out additional information that gave the story further meaning. The same with Michael Brown.
Kavanaugh is a little bit different, there are still unresolved allegations about his high school and college behavior.
What I have to laugh at though is your pretense that the left is guilty of this to some abnormal extent. There are thousands of lies coming from the right on social media every day.
Let's remember how Covington played out here. We had a seed published with the initial clickbait edited video and commentary leading to the usual people fanaticizing about how they'd like to assault the kids. At least, at first, people could claim to have been misled by the editing and lies.
Then later that day, the unedited video was published, demonstrating clearly that the kids were the ones being provoked and harassed. It just didn't matter. The original narrative simply continued day after day and the reality, the absolute indisputable reality of what happened, was ignored. When Sandmann settled his lawsuits the same people made the same arguments again. No acknowledgment of reality.
Someone on the left (can't remember the name) credited that moment for being the catalyst of why he was no longer a progressive. I just remember that he described watching an epistemic break occur in real time among his progressive friends as they watched the video with allies and they just didn't acknowledge the reality of what they witnessed. That's what drives so much of these "issues". The reality of Georgia's voting law didn't matter. Call it Jim row 2.0 and force MLB to move the All-Star Game from Atlanta. Who cares if the law is more liberal than Delawares? Biden declared it's racist so it is.