A Mainstream Conservative Praises Calhoun?

Maybe we are winning.

When a mainstream conservative can write glowingly about John C. Calhoun, perhaps the Straussian smear tactics against the man aren’t having the desired effect.

Good.

This helps American conservatism.

I know the other argument. Calhoun was a racist. How can we support that?

This is a stupid argument made by historically ignorant and stupid people.

You could probably count on two hands the number of prominent people who weren’t racists in the 19th century.

And that list doesn’t include St. Abraham or Burn ‘Em All Billy Sherman.

Calhoun was arguably the most important and original American political thinker of the nineteenth century.

His prognostications about the Union and the nature of democracy and the Constitution have been proven correct too many times to count.

Of course, SLAVERY!

When you can’t win the argument, use pejoratives.

Calhoun thought a dual presidency might be a good idea. He also favored checks on simple “numerical majorities” in order to protect minority rights.

That is why “conservatives” despise the man. They can’t see that American conservatives are, in fact, a numerical majority that needs protection. When all you care about are progressive talking points, you are going to lose the war. They think of “minorities” in 1960s terms.

We don’t live in 1960s America and the “silent majority” isn’t the majority any longer.

Calhoun, of course, did not favor this type of system at the State level, because the States were the check on unconstitutional federal power. His focus was always on the impact of one section plundering the other.

Either way, the fact that a real mainstream conservative penned an article in a mainstream conservative publication praising Calhoun is noteworthy.

Keep it going.

I discuss the article on Episode 804 of The Brion McClanahan Show.