Blogging on the cheap

Just back from a weeklong jaunt to Tokyo. Haven't had so much time for blogging, so here's a (slightly modified) excerpt from an email I recently wrote, in response to someone who'd "had it up to HERE" with conservatives:

I find it hard to condemn basically 40% of the American populace. Some "conservative" positions are obvious crap, for example:

* disrespect for science, as manifested by "intelligent design", disregard for global warming evidence, banning of stem cell research, etc.
* xenophobia, especially of foreign grad students and poor mexican immigrants
* the willingness to dole out huge amounts of pork spending to companies
* disrespect for gays and gay rights

However, think about this: conservatism (I hate that word! It's "conservativism" dammit!) and liberalism are not diametrically opposed philosophies. Isn't that a funny thought? But it's true. The policy space is too multi-dimensional for there to exist only two perfectly opposite philosophies of government. Consider the following areas where liberals and conservatives could (and therefore should!) work together:

* both liberals and conservatives oppose prostitution and international trafficking of women (liberals because it degrades women, conservatives because it increases sexual license)
* both have an interest in seeing black Americans become prosperous (liberals because it would lead to social equality, conservatives because it would decrease black violence)
* both have a long-term interest in curbing the federal deficit (though this requires a lot of teamwork to do)
* both want to promote democracy and human rights in poor countries (liberals because this increases freedom, conservatives because it increases American business oppostunities)

So there are major areas where liberals and conservatives should be working together, not at cross purposes. And therefore, it's important to realize this and not to demonize conservatives categorically. Conservatives and liberals each have their own desires for America, and there are many situations in which these desires can be mutually fulfilled (and a few where they can't).

Cooler heads prevail. And they don't come any cooler than Mr. Noah...he wears sunglasses inside, at night!