I received one of those “I really like your blog but…” emails the other day. This one followed the typical pattern. The sender claims to be a conservative but takes issue with one or more of my “extreme positions.” He then makes an emotional case for a moderate/liberal viewpoint, wishes me well, and challenges me to be less divisive and less libertarian in the future. Sometimes these guys might actually think they’re real conservatives, but I’m sure most know better.
This time the issue was healthcare, and the sender argued that any real conservative would favor universal coverage. Of course, the essence of conservatism is individual rights and responsibility, which flies in the face of almost anything universal. There might be some exceptions to the rule, but you have to make a strong case. He didn’t. I’ll skip the rest of the details, as this is not the point of the blog. In the spirit of the season, I thought I’d offer my liberal friends some a few basic pointers on formulating their arguments. These work for conservatives and part-libertarians like me as well.
1. Know the facts. For example, you shouldn’t argue for tax “cuts” for low wage earners when Americans in this bracket are not net tax contributors in the first place. You’re better off taking an honest approach and arguing for more wealth redistribution.
2. Avoid emotional stories. The world is full of suffering people, but we shouldn’t develop public policy to alleviate every perceived need, and doing so is usually irrational anyway. For example, arguing for amnesty because you want to help 40 million illegals currently in the U.S. ignores hundreds of millions of impoverished individuals in other countries who would come here legally if they could. Are you suggesting that we open the door for them as well? Who’s going to pay the bill? Emotion is not a bad thing; it’s just not the basis of a sound argument.
3. Identify all of the consequences of your proposal, even the unintended ones. For example, history tells us that extending unemployment benefits actually increases the unemployment rate because recipients have less incentive to pursue and accept a marginal job offer. You might argue that extending benefits is the right thing to do, but you can’t argue that doing so will create jobs and/or growing the economy.
Think about these suggestions and you’ll understand why I’m a conservative. If you know your facts and think rationally about problems, you’ll end up favoring individual liberty every time. Even when you’re tempted to favor a government solution, stopping to consider the unintended consequences of a new or expanded entitlement should bring you to your senses.
Merry Christmas!
The left is all about emotion. They can’t construct rational arguments because rationality isn’t on their side.
the libs are entertaining when they call in on talk shows. I don’t think they can improve their arguments much anyway because they are just wrong.
hey Ted I think you’re missing the point. Libs have weak arguments to begin with, but they will have to change them if they start thinking rationally. Then we’ll have a serious discussion of ideas!