Those of us who first became politically homeless in 2016 have been in a period of uncertainty lately: We need to figure out who we are. If we don’t succumb to Saruman’s trap—going along with populist dictators in the foolish hope of using them for a higher purpose—then we’d better cement our position.
Labels matter in politics. They can also lose meaning. For example, there is no such thing as “Conservatives” about the MAGA movement, which were mostly retaliatory Looking for an ideal return to the past. This is not just a personality cult. Today’s progressives are far removed from their predecessors. In the early 20th century, just mentioning the name Theodore Roosevelt at a meeting of “The Squad” and see what happens.
Even the conditions left and right—Let us remember that it came from the early arrangement of seats in Parliament. of the French Revolution—it doesn’t convey much anymore. Attitudes towards various forms of government coercion Deficit spending, the rule of law, no single party has a consistent view on these matters. The activist bases of both Democrats and Republicans like the idea of expanding executive power at the expense of Congress and the courts. Both see America’s foreign policy of the past decade as a story of interminable stupidity. This is best resolved by leaving the world alone. both lamenting fear and resentment and avoid those who are most profoundly unbiased.
What’s worse is the extent to which the MAGA world and progressive activists are more interested in destroying institutions than building them. Both condemned the necessary parts of the government. (The Ministry of Justice on the one hand Police departments on the other hand) attempt to enforce speech codes. Threatening to expel those considered enemies from public life and seek justice Both groups of exterminators, for example, really do not want to see. Let alone help rebuild great universities as politically neutral sources of education. rather than being an incubator for their own comrades.
Calling people who have become politically homeless with the rise of Donald Trump “conservatives” no longer makes sense. To be a conservative is to want to delay or stop change and preserve institutions and practices as they are. or to allow the institution to develop slowly But in the past few decades Norms of public speech and conduct have caused a lot of harm. until it was insufficient to slow down the progress of political decay. To the extent that the ordinary meaning of this word conservative It is considered a commitment to conservation. That battle has been lost, and in many ways.
We are certainly not “progressive.” We do not believe that progress is inevitable. (And can it accelerate) or is history bent in a certain direction? Stay on the right side of history It’s a phrase that gives chills to those of us who view human nature rather gloomy. The idea that the arc of history bends inexorably toward justice died for many of us by the mid-20th century, moreover, the modern progressive mood that insisted on orthodoxy in particular matters. Be specific, such as pronouns and strict, all-encompassing categorizations of oppressors and victims. It’s something many of us can’t stand.
What we have is old liberalism, which is a point. just did By Nathan Sharansky, former Soviet dissident. liberalism Not a totally pleasant word. But because the current political vocabulary has deteriorated Therefore it is necessary to do so.
What does it mean to be a libertarian? Especially in Trump’s second term. When politics becomes rough and cruel And the partisan divide seems insurmountable.
It begins with a commitment to the idea of “freedom,” that is, the freedom most appropriate to human nature. And not only do they need legal protection for their expression. But it also requires a set of internal constraints based on a feature currently lacking: sound judgment. ability to empathize The desire to avoid unnecessary pain Tolerating a certain level of conflict Realizing that mistakes await us all. We agree with Alexis de Tocqueville’s argument. Democracy in Americathat it is a matter of tradition or habit of belief or norm And it wasn’t just laws that kept America free.
If this doesn’t sound like a partisan political agenda? That’s because it’s not. But it’s an emotion. It is a set of habits rooted in beliefs about the challenges and promises of free autonomy. It reaffirms the primacy of deep values over the exigencies of any political project and reflects the belief that these are ultimately more important.
Cardinal John Henry Newman, whose writings in the early 19th century defined the concept of liberal education, famously captured these qualities in his description of the products of education as say:
He was never mean or narrow-minded in an argument. Never taken unfair advantage Never mistake your personality or sharp words for an argument. Or hint at evils that are not dared to be spoken out loud. He had too good a feeling to be looked down upon. He was doing too well to remember his injury… He is patient, long-suffering, and philosophically resigned; He accepts pain because it is inevitable, loss because it cannot be fixed. and death because it is his destiny He may be right or wrong in his opinion. But he had too clear an idea to be unfair… He knows the weaknesses of human reason. including its strengths, characteristics, and limitations.
There is no doubt that these qualities may seem foreign to many. They are not what build a strong political party. They are easy to mock and cannot be tweeted about. They are more about statesmanship than politics. They will not please our political parties. And certainly none of their extremist allies. At least they won’t capture the imagination of Americans in the short term. They may not be the victory cult of a political movement that can win the presidency in 2028 or maintain a majority in the House or Senate.
But liberals with modern American principles can wield influence if they are patient. willing to argue And above all else If they don’t give up We can write and speak try to persuade and can participate Our influence, to the extent that we have it, will be felt in the long term and indirectly. In education this is perhaps most felt and the need most urgent. Starting from the early years that young people acquire instincts and historical knowledge that can make them thoughtful citizens; It’s a long-term project. But that’s not new. The fight to eliminate official discrimination on the basis of race and religion in public life also took a long time.
True libertarians are short-term pessimists. Because they understand the dark side of human nature. But there is long-term optimism about human potential. Which is why they believe in freedom. In this difficult time We should not run from the public square or sing Jeremiah and wave our fists to heaven. We need to be anti-hysterists, unassuming skeptics, constant advocates for old values and best practices in the new conditions. We need to continually make our case.
And this is not just a matter of argument. We must be people who not only articulate but embody certain standards of behavior and thought. We may need the courage the magazine’s first editor described: a willingness to “Two or three dare to be right.” Surely we should follow his motto. atlantic ocean And it is “without a party or faction” if that means traveling in the political wilderness for a while. There are many precedents for that. Moreover, the people traveling with us will be good friends and may be much more numerous than we think.
