This Mark Steyn post got in my craw, going after a fellow Corner poster who was backing Rick Perry's stand on treatment of children of illegal immigrants-"...if that’s the – or even a – 'conservative' position, the republic might as well hold its going-out-of-business sale this weekend."
It appears that Steyn has written anyone who is the least bit centrist on the issue out of his movement. Am I a free-market supporting, traditional-morals-backing, strong-military liberal? I guess so, since compassion is a dirty word in this brave new conservative world.
A few semi-related thoughts
- Conservatives are on the verge of defining themselves out of existance if they're not careful. It reminds me a bit of some churches who split over the smallest of doctrinal disagreements, since if you have it right, the other side is preaching a false gospel even if they are in 99.99% agreement with you.
- I'm not a big Rick Perry fan, but he seems to be an improvement over Mitt Romney if the choice boils down to those two.
- Illegal immigrants aren't "the enemy." Not all of them are Zeta gunmen or an advanced guard for the reconquista. Most are just trying to make a living.
- Their kids are definately not the enemy. A little grace is an order for folks who didn't ask to be put in that spot.
- We're in far better shape as a country than the nay-sayers on either side of the aisle let on. We're over-leveraged as a country and have let government get a few notches too cumbersome, but the basic core that makes it go is still there and chuggling along.
My speen feels much better after a good venting.
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