Joseph SobranJoseph Sobran, (1946-2010) American columnist

Joseph Sobran Quote

“Liberals have a new wish every time their latest wish is granted. Conservatives should make them spell out their principles and ideals. Instead of doing this, conservatives allow liberals to pursue incremental goals without revealing their ultimate destination. So, thanks to the negligence of their opponents, liberals control the terms of every debate by always demanding 'more' while never defining 'enough.' The predictable result is that they always get more, and it's never enough.”

Joseph SobranJoseph Sobran
~ Joseph Sobran


Ratings and Comments


Nan, Franklin

Therein lies the problem. The Liberals behave like spoiled teenagers who don't really know what's good for them but know what they want. The Conservatives behave like over-indulgent parents and let them have it, just to keep peace in the family, even though they know it's not really good for them. When will they learn?

Robert Dean, Houston, Texas, USA

I think this site has a definite bias that is against the common man and for power to the wealthy..

J Carlton, Calgary

This is a very insightful observation. Problem is, if the last "Conservative" administration is any indication, they have joined the Liberals in their incremental removal of citizens rights. Apparently in order to protect those rights...

Niel Young, Laconia, NH

I have been preaching and writing about "incrementalism" for 13 years with a weekly column in The Weirs Times (weirs.com) and my Saturday morning radio program (wezs.com 8:05-Noon Eastern). Due to a lack of backbone for Republicans in Washington it is up to the activists to take the fight to the liberals and educate the voters. This now is a very difficult task! bnyoung@metrocast.net

Mike, Norwalk

I did not know how to rate this quote, 5 stars for accuracy or 5, stars for implementation. Nan and Carlton are right but, I choose a thumbs down because neither liberals or conservatives limit their wish lists or administrations to Constitutional boundaries. The bickering between the parties accomplishes nothing more than a diversion as to who is to blame for the problems while, both ignore the Constitution. Neither liberals or conservatives recognize the nobility of life, the individual to be sovereign, the Laws of Nature or Nature's God, truly what is just or, that compelled compliance, license, governmental larceny, victimless crimes, etc. are morally reprehensible, unlawful and unjust.

Anon
  • Reply
Anon    3/23/09

Mike, I agree in that both wish lists exceed the the natural limitations that Natural law allow and naturally we will pay for it when when we bend these laws up to the breaking point and find out these laws cannot be broken.

jim k, austin

A good example of this is in "education". We keep throwing money to schools hoping they will get better,and they never do. And, naturally, liberals always want to spend more which is their answer to every problem, real or imagined.

Waffler, Smith

Thank God for incrementalism, those of you who do not like it should just go back and live as if you were in the middle ages. All humnan activity experiences incrementalism, check out science, music, engineering and tell me that progress or change or improvement is not effected by incrementalism..I agree however that ones attitude towards change is a fundamental concept between so called conservatives and those who are not. Skeptics and people with little faith in the future tend to be agaisnt change or improvement etcetera. I think it is probably some how their own selves or their own intellect that they fear the most. If it were not for incrementalism where would computer software be?

E Archer, NYC

What conservatives? I haven't seen any lately. To Robert Dean: it has been my experience that this site is definitely for the common man -- as far as the wealthy goes, I suppose that is a relative term. Bill Gates is wealthy, but the Federal Reserve owns every dollar in his pocket, so who is wealthy? I give the quote 5 stars because I do not equate Liberals as Democrats and Conservatives as Republicans -- both parties further FASCIST policies, one party pushes the left and the other the right. The goal: permanent subservience to the global banking cartel.

warren, olathe

Waffler do you ever actually read the quote the way the author intended?

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