Conservatism 2.0 And Buckley On Intellectuals

There's been an on going debate over the role of, and need for more intellectuals on the Right.

See Bill Quick:

Careerism and credentialism are as big a problem for the conservative establishment as for the liberal one.

Stacy McCain:

This points to the gap between the interests of young political professionals like Ruffini and Henke, and the interests of the grassroots....

and Patrick Ruffini - complete with picture of William F. Full disclosure, I was a move on-er in an email group. 

Over the last few days, Jon Henke has laid out the case for the Right more strongly disavowing outfits like WorldNetDaily that actively peddle Birther nonsense. To the extent the mainstream Right has weighed in, it has been to urge Jon to ignore WND and move on, in the interests avoiding an intra-movement civil war. Some have even tried to subtly distance Jon from the conservative movement, saying his views don't represent those of most conservatives. Many on the Right have made the calculation that however distasteful their views, a public fight with the Birthers just isn't worth it.

I think I'll invoke Buckley, as well - with a quote I recently heard read on Mark Levin's show, also in Liberty and Tyranny, I believe:

I'd rather entrust the government of the United States to the first 400 people listed in the Boston telephone directory than to the faculty of Harvard University. William F. Buckley, Jr.

Or, maybe we need another Think Tank to sort this all out? Frankly, it seems to me that a majority of government's issues don't take an intellectual to solve. If anything, what we need is more common sense right now. Hard to argue with when alleged Constitutional scholars are hiring the likes of Van Jones, wouldn't you say?

Comments

[chris]

More University of Idaho, less Ivy League. Take a look sometime at the Forbes 500 list and their CEO's. Out in the real world, good leaders come from all over; big schools, small schools, no schools, business schools, med schools, trade schools, private colleges, secular schools and deeply religious schools.

The voters have looked at the mess caused by a bunch of lawyers and MBA's from the Ivy League and self proclaimed "elite" schools and don't buy the program of; spend more, give away more and promise even more while claiming everyone will get more and more while doing less and less:

"One would have to be a member of the intelligentsia to believe such things...no ordinary man could be such a fool." Orwell

[Huey]

How do you define "intellectual?" I mean...really?

Are they those who are taught Economics in the best schools, who write papers on Economics that other economists read? If so, find one, let him tell us what to do. I'll go find two more who are just as "intellectual" who will say not only that the first "intellectual" is wrong but that he is EXACTLY wrong.

Perhaps, political science? Law? What subject? It doesn't matter what subject or where an intellectual falls on the political spectrum, I can find other "intellectuals" in the same subject who fall on the same side of the political spectrum who thinks differently.

If all we needed was direction from an "intellectual," then all we would have to do is find the "bestest of the bestest" of 'dem intellectuals and just do what he said.

Yeah...

I think that maybe the best thing to do is to have an educated and engaged citizenry who reads/listens to those "intellectuals" (like George Will, perhaps...maybe Buckley, Jr.?) and, based on their own life experiences and their own thinking decide whether or not to listen to them or ignore them.

[Barbara]

Dan and Chris,
well said.
For the life of me I don't understand why some make America so complicated, job retention or something like that.
We the people rule, we elect "hessians" to do our bidding.
note: no itty bitty print that says what they think matters
The Federal government has very precise job description.
nope no itty bitty print there either about healthcare or education etc.
well am sure you get the drift.
keep up good job and more radio time please!!

[Chercast]

Recommended reading for young political professionals - Plutarch. Work harder to "contend with our enemies".

Plutarch - "How to Profit by Ones Enemies"

"Wherefore let us enter the lists with our enemies, and contend with them for true glory, lawful empire, and just gain. Let us not so much debase ourselves as to be troubled and fret at any possessions they enjoy more than we have. Let us rather carefully observe those good qualities wherein our enemies excel us, so that by these motives we may be excited to outdo them in honest diligence, indefatigable industry, prudent caution, and exemplary sobriety; as Themistocles complained that the victory Miltiades got at Marathon would not let him sleep. But whosoever views his adversary exalted far above him in dignities, in pleading of great causes, in administration of state affairs, or in favor and friendship with princes, and doth not put forth all his strength and power to get before him in these things,—this man commonly pines away, and by degrees sinks into the sloth and misery of an envious and inactive life."

[PA]

"How do you define "intellectual?" I mean...really?"

Its not hard. The worst of them usually are all to willing to assert their superiority to anyone willing to listen to their prattling on.

My own experience (having a graduate degree from a well known and regarded university), is that the degree's worth collapses to near zero about 5 years after graduation. After that, people want to know what you've done on the job and are capable of doing in the future. Some of the very best people I've ever worked with, who routinely do post-grad level work every day, never got any degrees at all.

Of course, my degree is in the sciences, not the soft squishy stuff, so YMMV when dealing with other things.

[Huey]

PA: My experience exactly (other than I received a "squishy" law degree from a "mediocre" school). It didn't matter once I got in the courtroom where I got my degree from, nor my opponent his -- results are all that mattered.

"Intellectuals" I've known over the past four decades seldom were "doers." They tended to have notions (rarely anything other than rehashed ideas of others they've learned of somewhere along the way to "intellectualism.") which didn't relate to the real world.

[David R. Graham]

Yup.

[lonetown]

With all due respect - Ruffini??? Mans a joke. I followed thses douche bags through the entire last campaign. Intellectual? how about ineffectual!

[Mr. Sauce]

Oooh, Jon Henke, alright!

[Gary Maxwell]

Doesnt Henke profess allegiance to the Libertarians? At times he seems to be Ron Paul with better writers. No thanks Jon.

[syn]

About defining 'intellectual', thought this argument provides a thoughtful perspective:

http://www.conservatives4palin.com/2009/09/on-barack-obama-sarah-palin-and.html

[Huey]

syn: Good, thoughtful article. Thanks.