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Jim Folcik of Littleton writes:

Tory-crats - Soon after I began reading Andrew Roberts’ History of the English-Speaking Peoples Since 1900, I decided that I needed to read Churchill’s version first. Recently I dog-eared and highlighted a passage that I’d like to share. This passage describes the politics of the period after the Treaty of Ryswick, which ended the first period of continental war in 1697.
The Whigs were sensitive to the danger of French aggression in Europe.
They understood the deep nature of the struggle and were prepared to form an effective War Government. The Tories, on the other hand, resented the country’s being involved in the Continental commitments and voiced the traditional isolationism of the people. In the name of peace, economy and isolation the Tories prepared the ground for a far more terrible renewal of the war. Their action has been largely imitated in our own times. No closer parallel exists in history than that presented by the Tory conduct in the years 1696 to 1699 with their similar conduct in the years 1932 to 1937. In each case short-sighted opinions, agreeable to party spirit, pernicious to national interests, banished all purpose from the State and prepared a deadly resumption of the main struggle. These recurring fits of squalor in the Tory record are a sad counterpoise to the many great services they have rendered the nation in their nobler and more serviceable moods.
What would Winston think about our struggles today? Will someone in the future write about the Democrats “recurring fits of squalor?”

This letter has not been edited.

READER COMMENTS

Brian Stuckey, is that you? Did you get a new moniker?

It is hardly surprising that 2:36 equates all Democrat haters. To the degree that surrender monkeyism is a liberal america hating characteristic, the passage sited is a case in point.

Effective war government

This letter's title doesn't pass the straight-face test.

Given Republicans recent passionate defense of ineffectiveness and incompetence in war planning and execution (not to mention Britain's serial failures in the region now known as Iraq, including their current retreat from Basra), it is a wonderful irony to see such a letter trying to criticize Democrats in this manner.

You are very funny.

We now add a 17th Century mind to our gaggle of Pluperfect Pundits, Johnny, Jimmy, Brian, et. al. Ain't Republican/"conservative" reactionary regression wonderful? Before long they'll manage to get all the way back to their ancestral original Neanderthal knuckle draggers; and homo sapiens sapiens can get back to working towards a better world for all humanity, on its way to the stars.

"homo sapiens sapiens can get back to working towards a better world for all humanity, on its way to the stars."

Another typically thoughtless OG post. You get offended when accused of not having a rationale for these statements, so I'll once again ask, please explain how our far too socialist government's space program NASA has outshined the accomplishments of those evil individualistic capitalists like Richard Branson, other than being first. I'm sure that benevolence towards humanity is Virgin Galactic's motive as well, not the idea of profiting by being the first company to offer space-based products. I won't hold my breath waiting for a reference-less spray of compost heap, to steal your phrase.

drew,

I offered a generalization concerning a future for humankind. This was as a comment on a letter extolling a 17th Century political position, or set of ideas.

You're the one inserting NASA, and "capatalists"; and creating an "either or" straw-man concerning the particulars of implementation of a general idea. I know little, or nothing, about "Virgin Galactic" - or whatever it be that you are ranting aginst there. So, I have no way of even beginning to answer whatever "question" you were proposing.

Also, I'm far beyond the age at which the details are of any particular interest anyway. And, unlike the creator of Star Trek, Gene Rodenberry, and others who are outstanding in the field, I have no likelihood whatsoever of even having a little part of my ashes go into space. So, I'll leave your quarrel to your own devices.

"Also, I'm far beyond the age at which the details are of any particular interest anyway."

Thank you for the honesty. This comment explains the basis of a lot of your posts.

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