In the 19th Century, Martin Van Buren argued that demagoguery would run rampant in an era of weak political parties. Free from any institutional controls, candidates would resort to rash promises, extremism and scare tactics in order to gain votes. The demagogue seeks to gain power by appealing to voters' fears and their worst instincts. Van Buren saw this first hand in the late Jeffersonian era before the rise of the Whig party. We see it today as the void left by weak parties has been filled with interest groups, left and right, that tell us that the end is just around the corner if their political enemies succeed.
To wit, I give you the South Dakota blogoshpere, left and right. As is all too typical, CHAD attacks my friend Ken Blanchard in the most illiberal manner. CHAD is apparently unwilling or unable to make a distinction between arguing against artificial contraception and wishing to see it banned. Let's take a look at the article from the Chicago Tribune which causes this ruckus. First, the article states that there is division among pro-lifers as to whether contraception should even be an issue. So it can hardly be said that concern about contraception is a secret agenda of the pro-lifers. Second, as near as I can tell, the public policy advocated by the anti-contraception crowd largely entails denying public funding for contraception, mostly through eliminating the rather substantial amounts of public dollars that go to Planned Parenthood. This may or may not be a good idea, but one hardly can believe that the fate of the Republic hangs on public funding for Planned Parenthood. Third, as the article states, 91% of Americans support access to contraception. The question of legal access to contraception was settled more than two generations ago and virtually no one suggests reinstating a contraception ban. CHAD is simply trying to appeal to fear by making his/her enemies look like monsters.
I can say this. I travel in conservative Catholic circles. I have known dozens of priests, some of them very well. I don't know how many times I've been to mass in my years. I read substantial amounts of conservative Catholic literature. I spent 20 years in Catholic institutions of education. I never heard anybody suggest that contraception should be make illegal. There are lots of arguments about why artificial contraception is contrary to God's will and why it is harmful to male/female relationships, but not once in my 35 years have I heard anyone suggest it be made illegal. My colleague wrote that in recent memory "there has been no significant political opposition to contraception as such," even from Catholic circles. He is correct.
I now wait to be called names and denounced in the most vile terms.
Recent Comments