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Popular democracy is, as I have argued, an essential part of the theory of modern conservatism. I just recognize that it is of less value as an end in itself than, say, individual liberty or fundamental human rights. Do you? https://www.nationalreview.com/2021/03/not-everyone-should-be-made-to-vote/
https://thefederalist.com/2015/11/16/conservatisms-essential-element-is-experience/ https://twitter.com/jonathanchait/status/1381684699681206275
https://thefederalist.com/2015/11/16/conservatisms-essential-element-is-experience/ https://twitter.com/jonathanchait/status/1381684699681206275
If you think pure majoritarianism is paramount, as @jonathanchait seems to imply we should, ask yourself how popular Jim Crow laws were in states with white supermajorities of the population.
Funny how you discover the virtue of being fair when I apply *your* reasoning against *your* argument. Yet, if you object to conservatives saying "wait, pure, unchecked majoritarianism with no counterbalancing values can go bad places," well, that is the textbook example. https://twitter.com/jonathanchait/status/1381687057890873351
Or voting to make someone else their property, for that matter. https://twitter.com/NathanWurtzel/status/1381686877170851855
I literally do not believe that, and have never argued that, not that it will stop you saying so. Raising the top tax rate is economically self-defeating. Past a certain point, it is also unfair. It is not the same thing as not allowing people to vote. https://twitter.com/jonathanchait/status/1381689254921842693
What I believe in is, essentially, the classical liberal order championed by Abraham Lincoln. Democracy is one of the components of that, but it has never been the only one.
Democracy may or may not be pure majoritarianism, but if you acknowledge the legitimacy of *any* restraints on majorities, Chait's demagogic attack on the conservative critique dissolves. All we're saying is that our system isn't & shouldn't be 100% pure majoritarianism. https://twitter.com/jbview/status/1381694474049486854
Black Americans in 1890:
US population: 11.9%
Georgia 46.7%
Alabama 44.8%
Florida 42.5%
Virginia 38.4%
North Carolina 34.7%
DC 32.8%
Arkansas 27.4%
Tennessee 24.4%
Texas 21.8%
Kentucky 14.4%
Missouri 5.6%
West Virginia 4.3%
Majority in only 3 states. https://twitter.com/mikeduncan/status/1381701082628419591
US population: 11.9%
Georgia 46.7%
Alabama 44.8%
Florida 42.5%
Virginia 38.4%
North Carolina 34.7%
DC 32.8%
Arkansas 27.4%
Tennessee 24.4%
Texas 21.8%
Kentucky 14.4%
Missouri 5.6%
West Virginia 4.3%
Majority in only 3 states. https://twitter.com/mikeduncan/status/1381701082628419591
I suppose one can argue that Jim Crow only ever actually existed in Mississippi, South Carolina, and Louisiana, but you need a pretty strange definition of Jim Crow for that to be true.
Anyway, in the American system, the majority always wins in the long run, if it is sufficiently united & determined. Which is as it should be. And the people yelling at me today will be back tomorrow defending undemocratic rule by activist judges & unelected bureaucrats.
The great thing about being a conservative is not having to adopt a bunch of inconsistent, situational stances about our system based on who's in office or what we're trying to sell to whom on a given day.
