The American Spectator

Robert Stacy McCain| 2.12.10 @ 2:29PM

Well, Quin, I didn't assert that Tim James was an angel, but he was opposed to Bob Riley's $1 billion tax hike, which wasn't exactly the kind of policy a "fiscal conservative" could be expected to support, as Bradley Byrne did.

Quin| 2.12.10 @ 2:43PM

Re the tax plan, all will be explained in due course, my friend... on Monday. Context, my friend, context.

Stephen Gordon| 2.12.10 @ 2:53PM

Quin,

I do live in the state: Billion dollar tax increases are not fiscally conservative in these parts. I'd don't know how you plan portray either Riley or Byrne as fiscal conservatives, but I'll await your article with great interest.

Nick| 2.12.10 @ 3:11PM

Mr. Hillyer,

I'm with Mr. McCain on this one.

I remember Gov. Riley's attempt to raise taxes in Alabama. Human Events covered it quite well.

Quin| 2.12.10 @ 3:25PM

With all due respect, our usually wonderful friends at Human Events, along with the entire national media, did a pathetic job covering the issue. Pathetic. There is a difference between ideology imposed from above as a one-size-fits-all, context-less, radicalized mind-lock, and political philosophy applied on the ground to particular facts in particular situations based on empirical data. Human Events and other national outlets unforutnately fell prey to unthinking ideology. Eric Hoffer warned against blind ideology in his classic "The True Believer." President Reagan gave Hoffer the Presidential Medal of Freedom. Strict ideology is the province of Jacobins. Sound and principled philosophy applied with care is the province of Madisonians. I'll stick with Madison, thank you.

Nick| 2.12.10 @ 3:59PM

Look forward to your side of the story.

I'm not immune to having my mind changed.

A J Nock| 2.12.10 @ 10:31PM

I believe in basic principles,your drive by
shooting of people who don't believe in
giving an inch doesn't impress me.Ronald
Reagan is a good example.He signed three
major tax increases in California.Including
one in his first year in office.Result of eight
years of Reagan as governor?Higher taxes,
higher after inflation indexed spending.As
president he had one major tax cut.Then a
series of tax increases,including two or three
major ones.The social security commission he
signed off on was especially pernicious since it
canceled out the income tax cuts for working
and middle to upper-middle class people AND
set us up for a social security crises that dwarfs
what we faced in the early '80's.There is only
one answer to calls for higher taxes-demand to
cut spending instead.

Red Phillips| 2.12.10 @ 3:44PM

Of course the best conservative candidate for Gov of Alabama is Roy Moore. I have heard good things about James, also. At least James' father stood up to the Feds on behalf of Roy Moore. Unlike Riley who did nothing to protect the States' Rights of Alabama against the meddling Feds.

Nick| 2.12.10 @ 4:01PM

Mr. Phillips,

On Roy Moore, we completely agree, sir.

Albert A. Turner| 2.12.10 @ 4:03PM

Roy Moore is a one trick pony that does not have a clue. Byrne is a democrat/rino/Crist/Riley type. Tim James might be ok. Might be is the operative word here. I look forward to your report, also.

Red Phillips| 2.12.10 @ 4:15PM

"Roy Moore is a one trick pony that does not have a clue."

Roy Moore is a philosophically grounded across the board conservative.

Ben| 2.12.10 @ 9:44PM

Sorry, but conservatives do not defy federal court orders, particularly conservative judges. Bill Pryor -- the heroic state attorney general who put Moore's self-promoting antics to an end by relieving him of his duties -- is a true conservative.

Nick| 2.13.10 @ 2:05PM

Sorry, but conservatives believe in FEDERALISM.

The federal court had no jurisdiction in that case. That is why Roy Moore defied their unconstitutional interference.

Cliff| 2.13.10 @ 3:44PM

Roy Moore wasn't talking about federalism, he was, essentially, talking about anti-federalism. The Federalists believed in the supremacy of the federal government in areas where it was sovereign. The Anti-Federalists did not.

The problem is, the Anti-Federalists lost.

Red Phillips| 2.13.10 @ 5:55PM

Oh yes they do if the court orders are unconstitutional. It's called nullification and interposition. Ever heard of the Virginia and Kentucky Resolutions?

Ben, you wouldn't know conservatism if it bit you on the rear. The First Amendment was not intended to apply to the States. It says "Congress shall make no law..." Therefore, the only entity who can violate the First Amendment is Congress when they make a law. A judge in Alabama couldn't violate the First Amendment if he tried. It's called original intent. It is what authentic conservatives believe. Study up on it.

Red Phillips| 2.12.10 @ 4:20PM

"Strict ideology is the province of Jacobins."

Jacobinism on the "right" is nowhere more apparent than in the global crusading for democracy trumpeted by the interventionist crowd. So Quin, does this mean you are abandoning interventionism and joining us non-interventionists?

Bob Belvedere| 2.12.10 @ 4:38PM

Quin, Stacy: The two of you are both my Godfathers in this blogging thing of ours, so you will understand if I stay out of this one.

Quin| 2.12.10 @ 4:42PM

Bob, don't worry, it's a friendly dispute, and you need not take sides. I am and always have been on the unpopular side on this on, and plead merely for a fair reading of my Monday column so that folks will understand there wasn't a single, indisputable, conservative position on the tax issue in Alabama. My goal is to explain why the 2003 tax issue should have NO BEARING on this year's race, because there were excellent reasons for conservatives to be on either side of that issue.

Henry Butler| 2.12.10 @ 11:57PM

An interesting piece....I look forward to a more critical examination of Alabama's candidates for Governor...but let's be honest. Tim James has done very little in his life that did not depend on his father's influence and deep pockets. There is a skunk under the bridge deal that needs to be disclosed openly and I have no doubt some candidate will discuss this at an appropriate time. Yes, he did sell the bridge because he was losing his ass on it and the who and how of that will make good copy as well. As far as Riley goes, he has overstayed his welcome in Alabama and the possibility exists that he could be prosecuted for the millions he has taken from the Indian casino interests if the right people will talk. I have no dog in this fight but it would be helpful to have an unbiased review. Finally, I am hopeful that the true conservatives in this state will not blindly follow the lead of the Republican party but insist that the Republican party follow their lead. Thank you for a well-written and thoughtful site.

Stephen Gordon| 2.13.10 @ 9:42AM

Henry, this is a most sensible statement: "Finally, I am hopeful that the true conservatives in this state will not blindly follow the lead of the Republican party but insist that the Republican party follow their lead. "

We'll see what happens.

clay barham| 2.13.10 @ 11:43AM

What you are seeing in the Tea Party movement is a movement back toward the 19th century Democrats, the only truly functioning libertarian party in America that followed Jefferson and Madison, unlike modern Democrats who prefer Rousseau and Marx, when the people do not. See The Changing Face of Democrats on Amazon and claysamerica.com.

Ned Chipley| 2.14.10 @ 8:23AM

I'm a Texan -- appreciating the reasoned debate going on at this site. Way past time in ALL states of our great nation to start investigating and getting back to the fundamentals of our nation as embodied in our Constitution. Those principles are not (apparently) understood or followed by our national leaders today -- or in previous administrations. Blessings on Sweet Home Alabama!!