The Bourgie Conservatives have declared Charles Johnson an Apostate of Conservatism.
I think it is instructive to consider that Johnson’s initial break with conservatism came over IDT/Creationism.
My conservatism fractured over Bush’s lies about stem cell research during his veto of the stem cell expansion bill, and John Cole’s fracture point was Schiavo….all three issues of conservative dogma vs established science.
On Schiavo–
Political fact: the Republican-dominated congress of the time passed a law giving federal courts jurisdiction in the Schiavo case. This law arguably violated a) the constitutional prohibition on ex post facto legislation and bills of attainder, b) the jurisdiction of the State of Florida and the Florida court system, c) the rights of Michael Schiavo, and d) the autonomy of Terry Schiavo, insofar as it thwarted her wishes as determined by the courts. At the same time, many legislators and activists (some influenced by a heavily edited video) argued, against all the medical evidence, that Terry Schiavo had not suffered irreversible brain damage.
The actions of the Republican Congress in the Schiavo case violated almost every conservative tenet, from respect for the constitution (section 9 and amendment 1), respect for the rule of law and the courts, respect for the scientific and medical truth, respect for limits on government, particularly the limit on responding to popular appeals with force majeure, respect for individual autonomy, and, not least, respect for the privacy of a family. This case did crystallize a growing alienation from the Republican Party felt by many people, and thus, it seems to me, should count as a major disaster (and blunder) by the conservative movement. It seems to me that a rational and politically effective assessment would recognize that, possibly even learn from it, and move on. Instead, it seems to me, some contributors here find it necessary to redefine the issue, from the factual question of whether the courts correctly determined the expressed wishes of Terry Schiavo not to undergo medical intervention to keep her alive in an irreversible vegetative state, to the philosophical question of whether her condition cancelled her essential humanity. That discussion may have some interest, but it certainly doesn’t reflect what I and my sources remember about the controversy at the time.
Conservatism vs science is an obsolete argument in the 21st century.
The Tyranny of the Stupid is ending…..only 6% of American scientists are republican.
Unless conservatism can end its war on science, it will simply have to give up on the votes of the college-educated, like it has given up on the votes of blacks.

shams 9:23 am on December 7, 2009 Permalink |
Here is another example of conservative dogma vs science from the Bourgie Conservative Farm Team at the League. (yeah, freddie, you’re just a token).
fact: Ashkenazai jews have 2 sigma in IQ over population mean.
fact: Israeli immigrants do have the character traits delineated in the freakonomics article. IPOF, the initial composition of immigrants to America was ALSO the basis of initial American success.
However, the current crop of immigrants in America don’t meet the initial conditions…..they are not true immigrants, but economic refugees.
I think of IDF culture as a kind of Sardaukar culture, and Israel as a volunteer/immigrant Selusa Secundus. In an extremely harsh environment, selection for fitness traits is accelerated, and the initial conditions for immigration are a selection gradient for desireable traits.
Anwer Kamal Pasha 5:28 pm on December 7, 2009 Permalink |
I could not understand the purpose actually but I have to say that the dealing with PVS is totally unfair. Without having anyway to know about their consciousnesses these patients are believed unconscious . We have proved that most of them are conscious and the need is to find a way to help them regaining the motor function.If you want to know more just search about Jawad Pasha and Muhammad Hussain Kakar of Pakistan.
shams 6:35 pm on December 7, 2009 Permalink |
/sigh.
the autopsy revealed Schiavo was blind, and 80% of her brain mass had been necrotized into CS fluid. Brother Anwer, I simply don’t think this case is analogous to your successes in Pakistan.
bi la kayfah
aziz 6:43 pm on December 7, 2009 Permalink |
correct – but the better term would be “atrophied” (/imaging physics pedant)