William F Buckley on liberals

[Jess Hawsen Arown]

He must have read some of the comments here.

“I won't insult your intelligence by suggesting that you really believe what you just said.”
― William F. Buckley Jr.

“Liberals claim to want to give a hearing to other views, but then are shocked and offended to discover that there are other views.”
― William F. Buckley Jr.

“I would rather be governed by the first 2000 people in the Manhattan phone book than the entire faculty of Harvard.”
― William F. Buckley Jr.

“Liberals, it has been said, are generous with other peoples' money, except when it comes to questions of national survival when they prefer to be generous with other peoples' freedom and security.”
― William F. Buckley Jr.

[barahona44]

It was the Boston phone book.But the point is the same.

[thaskalos]

A very timely thread...seeing that Mr. Buckley has only been dead a little over 8 years. :ThmbUp:

[VigorsTheGrey]

A very timely thread...seeing that Mr. Buckley has only been dead a little over 8 years. :ThmbUp:

I must say that Mr. Buckley was always a person to be reckoned with.

His cryptic, impenetrable, and largely irrefutable logic
fell on the bright and dull alike with largely no effect.

Almost a mirror double of Dr. Strangelove, with his wry, almost comedic smile, attached to brutal reasoning that always left one questioning whether or not one actually understood what the hell he was talking about....

[Jess Hawsen Arown]

It was the Boston phone book.But the point is the same.

This was my source. My bad. I should have provided the link.

https://www.goodreads.com/author/quotes/16697.William_F_Buckley_Jr_

[mostpost]

Many, many years ago I came upon a book which I believe was called "North Atlantic High." It was supposed to be about Willliam F. Buckley sailing across the North Atlantic. Even though I have never sailed and have rarely been on a boat, I enjoy those types of stories, so I bought the book.

What a disappointment. Buckley did not sail across the Atlantic. He was on a boat-his boat-that someone else sailed across the Atlantic. Now he may have been an expert sailor, but as best I recall, he never did any sailory things on the jury. There was a crew that did all those thing and a captain to supervise the crew. There was even a chef to feed Buckley and his rich friends. I think there was a separate cook to feed the crew.

The whole book consisted of Buckley and friends sipping wine and talking.

[VigorsTheGrey]

Many, many years ago I came upon a book which I believe was called "North Atlantic High." It was supposed to be about Willliam F. Buckley sailing across the North Atlantic. Even though I have never sailed and have rarely been on a boat, I enjoy those types of stories, so I bought the book.

What a disappointment. Buckley did not sail across the Atlantic. He was on a boat-his boat-that someone else sailed across the Atlantic. Now he may have been an expert sailor, but as best I recall, he never did any sailory things on the jury. There was a crew that did all those thing and a captain to supervise the crew. There was even a chef to feed Buckley and his rich friends. I think there was a separate cook to feed the crew.

The whole book consisted of Buckley and friends sipping wine and talking.
And your point is......? Although he does bear a slight resemblance to Errol flynn

[thaskalos]

I must say that Mr. Buckley was always a person to be reckoned with.

His cryptic, impenetrable, and largely irrefutable logic
fell on the bright and dull alike with largely no effect.

Almost a mirror double of Dr. Strangelove, with his wry, almost comedic smile, attached to brutal reasoning that always left one questioning whether or not one actually understood what the hell he was talking about....

I, personally, always found him to be an insufferable bore...God rest his soul.

[VigorsTheGrey]

I, personally, always found him to be an insufferable bore...God rest his soul.

I agree....that's probably why his logical rhetoric had no effect...but no matter what he said he always gave off the distinct impression that HE was superior to his interlocutor and his ideas were merely a barely veiled ruse to make everyone around painfully aware of that distinct probability....

[Jess Hawsen Arown]

Tough to listen to, but he sure understood liberals.

[whodoyoulike]

A very timely thread...seeing that Mr. Buckley has only been dead a little over 8 years. :ThmbUp:

I thought he had passed but I think the OP just spoke with him yesterday and this morning since Buckley told him to post his quotes to make his point. Probably an interesting conversation if you always hear voices.

[mostpost]

And your point is......? Although he does bear a slight resemblance to Errol flynn
That William F Buckley is an elitist who has always had someone else to do the dirty work.

[VigorsTheGrey]

That William F Buckley is an elitist who has always had someone else to do the dirty work.

Yes, he was an elitist, but there always has been, is, and always will be a segment of any society that is. This has been true since ancient times at least.

Our whole political and religious apparatus, whether acknowledged or not, is based on some form of elitism inherent within the system.

In the US, we live in a republic and vote for our representatives who in essence form an elite cadre. Even the "champion of the little guy" Obama cannot evade the charge of elitism, with his 300 rounds of golf and endless vacations at enormous taxpayer expense...ordinary folks go to college often to avoid the "dirty work" themselves of flipping burgers, tending toilets, etc.

I suspect that deep down inside most of us, including perhaps even Mostie, would prefer that others "do the dirty work."

Despite his snobbery, Buckley was transparent in one respect, nobody ever questioned whether he was an elitist or not. He exuded the quality, and made no apologies for being one...there was no apparent internal division, he didn't feel bad about being an elitist, and made no pretense about not being one...

[hcap]

I remember this debate. Vidal vs " Crypto-Nazi "
Both at the top of their form.

/ZY_nq4tfi24

[barn32]

I remember this debate. Vidal vs " Crypto-Nazi "
Both at the top of their form.

/ZY_nq4tfi24"I'll sock you in the goddamn face and you'll stay plastered!...go back to your pornography..."

:lol:

[howardjim]

Gore Vidal expressed regret in using "Nazi", he was thinking "fascist" but faltered in the heat of debate.

Mr. Buckley, whose opinions opposed mine, was nonetheless a perfect gentleman when I reviewed his Stamford, CT wine cellar conditions in 1970 or '71.

He could see, though earnest, I was nervous in his presence. Upon leaving he gave me several South African wines, gifts from his father. They were rare in NYC at the time and bore no importer nor distributor label.

The whole experience was memorable, an imprint for a naïve 25 year old.