digamma.net - notes

Matthew Yglesias on the Iraq war:

It’s a distinctively liberal error to think “massive, flawlessly executed government-sponsored venture” is a real option to be put aside “don’t do it” and “do it but make some mistakes.” Mistakes, when made, should of course be criticized, but on side level some mistakes are inevitable. If your plan depends on the absence of errors, then you’ve got a bad plan.

Other distinctively liberal errors:

• Accusing people who oppose your government-sponsored venture of opposing its goals, particularly goals that might benefit children.
• Insisting that your government-sponsored venture is succeeding, and that information showing otherwise is mere propaganda.
• Blaming your government-sponsored venture’s failures entirely on its your opponents’ failure to support it.

Discussing Iraq with a Republican is a lot like discussing Philadelphia’s public schools with a Democrat.