tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22301740.post5594159481745206851..comments2024-03-26T09:49:07.212-07:00Comments on The Scratching Post: Two PoliticiansK T Cathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10259428595745509790noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22301740.post-6186549454625635412011-01-26T06:32:17.937-08:002011-01-26T06:32:17.937-08:00Reagan had something to say. He took a solid posi...Reagan had something to say. He took a solid position that was guaranteed to make some people substantively angry. He believed in what he had to say. The underlying philosophy was clearly stated and unequivocal.<br /><br />Pawlenty has a pretty video. In it, he says we need to work hard and we're Americans. Yay! Americans!K T Cathttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10259428595745509790noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22301740.post-55200165880497162312011-01-25T17:37:31.157-08:002011-01-25T17:37:31.157-08:00Yeah, Pawlenty's video gave me a freaking head...Yeah, Pawlenty's video gave me a freaking headache.<br /><br />But aside from that...<br /><br />There was an obvious foreign policy/Cold War backdrop to Reagan's speech that talked about an enemy whose policies were informed by collectivism.<br /><br />Pawlenty's video also talked about a struggle but more of a domestic, existential struggle against a self-imposed enemy that was informed by statism/collectivism.<br /><br />I wonder if people who heard Reagan speak for the first time thought he had beamed down from outer space. Remember, this speech was not even a decade after Lionel Trilling declared liberalism not just the dominant political philosophy but the only politcal philosopy among respectable people and nations.<br /><br />Awaiting my grade, Prof. KT.Deanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02448369692335981936noreply@blogger.com