Jonathan Pie explains it

[Urbane Guerrilla]

Bruce, by his own testimony, is not a friend to a virtuous society. You shouldn't cry ad-hominem when a party -- that is not mine -- jettisons ethics and has apparently French-kissed and taken French leave of its senses. These too are no friends of a free and virtuous society -- yet they find supporters here in this hostility. Party loyalty is not a substitute for principles. Too many now haven't had that idea.

I do not "reflexively" ad-hominem anyone. I do reprove manifest ethical lapses, and none shall deny me. I would just as readily reprove yours if any, and can one be any more fair?

[Griff]

Originally Posted by Urbane Guerrilla

Bruce, by his own testimony, is not a friend to a virtuous society.

Bruce is a known real world good guy. I know him by his actions. He is not someone who believes magical thinking will help people, he helps people. Adopt his ethic.

[henry quirk]

I believe him to be sincerely well-intentioned.

[fargon]

Originally Posted by Griff

Bruce is a known real world good guy. I know him by his actions. He is not someone who believes magical thinking will help people, he helps people. Adopt his ethic.

I am in complete agreement with Griff.
"Adopt his ethic." I have.

[Urbane Guerrilla]

I'll esteem him virtuous once he goes libertarian. But he will need to do that to do good politics rather than statist politics. It'll clue him about why I use "statist" as a swearword.

[Luce]

Originally Posted by Urbane Guerrilla

I'll esteem him virtuous once he goes libertarian.

Sure, but you seem to be religious about it.

[sexobon]

And all this time I thought xoB was just another run-of-the-mill whacko extremist. Goes to show how appearances can be deceiving over the internet.

[Urbane Guerrilla]

Whacko it outta the park, maybe!

The danger of the 'net is that as far as it is concerned, you are exactly what you say you are.

[BigV]

But not what other people say you are, grandiloquent protestations to the contrary notwithstanding.

[Urbane Guerrilla]

Originally Posted by BigV

But not what other people say you are, grandiloquent protestations to the contrary notwithstanding.

Definitely not. Especially not when I'm the best at grandiloquence to be found here.

[xoxoxoBruce]

Originally Posted by Urbane Guerrilla

Definitely not. Especially not when I'm the best at grandiloquence pomposity to be found here.

FTFY

[alexmortone]

Originally Posted by Undertoad

Fucking Donald Trump. The left is responsible for this result.

)))

[Urbane Guerrilla]

Politics isn't a religion. It is an interest.

And something I like about Trump and other Republicans (particularly the less-insider sorts, DJT being a madly and greedily resented outsider and outside force that is just what the free republic needs after generations of the opposite) is how they on occasion think like libertarians. There has been for four generations a cry for running the government in a businesslike fashion. Trump has answered that cry at long last. Four more years will answer the cry even better. Plus sequelae -- really putting the end to the era of big government, that we all may be the wealthier, breathe the freer, and make our sexual desirability the greater. Makes America the greater too, hmm? See, my eyes are open -- and there are those who are so philosophically bankrupt that they have run out of substantive rebuttals, have exhausted their antifreedom arguments and sallies, and ad-hominemwise tell me I'm "pompous" for being open-eyed. This is a dimbulb's attempt at saving face, and it is contemptible. When you can't, simply can't, brighten the free republic, you're a mess.

[Luce]

Originally Posted by Urbane Guerrilla

There has been for four generations a cry for running the government in a businesslike fashion.

Likewise, and equally valid, is the urge to have plumbers conduct brain surgery.

Category errors are a thing.

[xoxoxoBruce]

He's right, look at all the successful businesses running a trillion dollar deficit.