tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4223398383609158624.post8310359293704034061..comments2024-02-24T00:37:43.087-05:00Comments on The Other McCain: The answer is not terribly complexRobert Stacy McCainhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03084541621503669804noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4223398383609158624.post-16094350149567657572009-06-01T16:12:23.211-04:002009-06-01T16:12:23.211-04:00@gaudio:
You seem to assert that "we [can] expect ...@gaudio:<br />You seem to assert that "we [can] expect our institutions (public and private, but mostly public) to step in where there are disparities of opportunity, whatever the socio-economic factors".<br />My reply is that this is the height of wishful thinking. Public sector is this one; private sector that. The Constitution has Amendment X. While some grey areas have crept in (e.g. utilities), <B>less is more</B>.<br />These United States will be so much twisted political wreckage by the end of this Administration. Affirmative Action needs to GO, if we are ever to recover.smitty1ehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06559464300318848169noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4223398383609158624.post-33606376181015530202009-06-01T05:33:03.331-04:002009-06-01T05:33:03.331-04:00I've just recently stumbled upon your blog, and ba...I've just recently stumbled upon your blog, and based on what I've read I think it's safe to say I disagree with your politics. There, with that out, I hope I can offer my own opinion without being labeled a troll (your recent "Quick Guide to Blog Trolls" being, after all, the article that led me here)...<br /><br />Hanson's article would have been mildly interesting, if anything he said there were new. And I agree with most of his conclusions. Again, not a troll, I really do disagree with most affirmative action programs today.<br /><br />Unfortunately, Hanson's post consisted mostly of confused combinations of anecdotes and speculation, with an undercurrent of political attack in there (is there any evidence that Obama benefited from affirmative action programs, other than the fact that he's black and attended schools inaccessible to most of the rest of humanity?). <br /><br />I found your (much shorter) response actually more thought-provoking (if not any more particularly original). Unlike Hanson, you actually seem to have a point...<br /><br />I understand your position that "things are about as 'fair' as they will ever be", but I wonder upon what basis you arrive at that conclusion. In other words, what do you yourself think the victory conditions are?<br /><br />As I said I am against most affirmative action programs, whether they are meant to redress past wrongs or to negate current ones. This is not, however, because I believe past wrongs have been redressed or that current wrongs have reached their minima. It's simply because I don't think affirmative action programs cut to the real problems- at least not the ones facing us today.<br /><br />The question, I think, is whether we expect our institutions (public and private, but mostly public) to step in where there are disparities of opportunity, whatever the socio-economic factors?<br /><br />I agree with Hanson that poor rural whites from Oklahoma deserve a taste of opportunity as much as anyone. But I wonder are the detractors of present affirmative action ready to support more intelligent policies that reach out to all disaffected demographics, or would they be content merely to do away with affirmative action and let the lower classes figure out the book lernin' themselves.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com