Maggie's Farm

The Taki article on "The Day I Left the Left" was excellent. I was never a member of 'the Left', but I definitely know why I "left the Right". Which is to say a very defined portion of the Right.

First of all, I don't believe in the left/right spectrum and use those terms only as descriptors which the average person uses and understands. In reality, they have almost no value.
There is, probably, more of a circle of beliefs, rather than a line.
And what's amazing is where the left and right meet at some point in the circle, you'd almost wonder how they are so far apart. I 'left the Right' when the spending sprees of the 2000's got out of control. Somewhere around 2003/2004.

It was clear, by then, that having wars 'off budget' and playing games with accounting were not going to actually fix anything or make us any safer. I was bothered that Bush was willing to spend government money, as long as it was spent in a manner he felt was philosophically justified.

Yes, the Right does believe that government intervention and spending is OK. As long as it's on things they approve of. I really don't see how that's different from the Left. Both have inclinations geared toward spending, and both have created a situation which is today untenable.

They can point fingers all they like, but it's hard to deny either side is free from blame here. And it's hard to say that either side is fundamentally differentiated by a willingness to not spend money.

I know, right now, there is a large contingent of Republicans who are saying they don't want to spend money. And I hope they are honest. But history isn't really in their favor. Unfortunately, far too many votes rely on the continuation of cretinous policies that may not have been voted in by Republicans, but have certainly been expanded or maintained by them.

The infamous 'they' say that Keynes is dead. Well, if you're on the Right, anyway. The Left says he's needed more than ever. But 'they' need to really say that 'we need someone to review and balance the checkbook and Keynesians did a pretty lousy job so far."

So I left the Republican Party. I'd like to come back some day, but until I see real change I will simply become more cynical about party politics in general.

There are some bright lights out there. I hope these people make themselves more well known and become more influential. But I don't see the broad swathe of talent the party needs to move forward.