Comments on: Endorsement http://ryan.freebern.org/2004/10/29/endorsement design.ui.technology.art.interaction.writing.creativity.politics.environment.family Thu, 04 Dec 2008 06:10:49 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.5.1 By: Brian http://ryan.freebern.org/2004/10/29/endorsement#comment-143 Brian Tue, 02 Nov 2004 14:38:16 +0000 http://ryan.freebern.org/2004/10/29/endorsement#comment-143 Matt, Bush is one of Ryan's elected officials. Kerry is not yet. I live in New York. I assess the performance of the New York State legislature and governor with far more care than the Rhode Island legislature and governor (incidentally, the worst leader in NYS is the Democratic Assembly Speaker). I fully expect Ryan to judge Kerry by the same standards as Bush. That's different than saying he'll judge him just as harshly. I don't expect Ryan to be as harsh on Kerry for the simple reason that Kerry's values are much closer to Ryan's than Bush's are. I expect you, Matt, to be harsher on Kerry because his values are further away from yours than Bush's. He's inviting his readers to hold him accountable in the future. To make sure he keeps his promise. Rather than embracing this openness to criticism and debate, you attack him for making the promise in the first place. And incidentally, Matt, if people only set goals that they were sure to reach, no one would achieve very much. Striving is good, even if one doesn't make it all the way. Matt, Bush is one of Ryan’s elected officials. Kerry is not yet. I live in New York. I assess the performance of the New York State legislature and governor with far more care than the Rhode Island legislature and governor (incidentally, the worst leader in NYS is the Democratic Assembly Speaker).

I fully expect Ryan to judge Kerry by the same standards as Bush. That’s different than saying he’ll judge him just as harshly.

I don’t expect Ryan to be as harsh on Kerry for the simple reason that Kerry’s values are much closer to Ryan’s than Bush’s are. I expect you, Matt, to be harsher on Kerry because his values are further away from yours than Bush’s.

He’s inviting his readers to hold him accountable in the future. To make sure he keeps his promise. Rather than embracing this openness to criticism and debate, you attack him for making the promise in the first place.

And incidentally, Matt, if people only set goals that they were sure to reach, no one would achieve very much. Striving is good, even if one doesn’t make it all the way.

]]> By: Ryan Freebern http://ryan.freebern.org/2004/10/29/endorsement#comment-118 Ryan Freebern Sun, 31 Oct 2004 02:30:17 +0000 http://ryan.freebern.org/2004/10/29/endorsement#comment-118 I am not a moral relativist. I will not give Kerry a pass if he does something that I don't approve of. If it's wrong, it's wrong, and I won't hold back my criticism. To suggest that I would do so seems like a rather pointed attack on my integrity, which I find insulting. I'm not making a promise because "it sounds good." In fact, I'm not making a promise at all. I said I'm going to try, and I want help with that. I attack Bush now because he's the one running things, and he's the one screwing up. When Kerry's running things and screws up, I'll attack him. I am not a moral relativist. I will not give Kerry a pass if he does something that I don’t approve of. If it’s wrong, it’s wrong, and I won’t hold back my criticism. To suggest that I would do so seems like a rather pointed attack on my integrity, which I find insulting.

I’m not making a promise because “it sounds good.” In fact, I’m not making a promise at all. I said I’m going to try, and I want help with that. I attack Bush now because he’s the one running things, and he’s the one screwing up. When Kerry’s running things and screws up, I’ll attack him.

]]> By: Matthew Murray http://ryan.freebern.org/2004/10/29/endorsement#comment-116 Matthew Murray Sat, 30 Oct 2004 11:39:30 +0000 http://ryan.freebern.org/2004/10/29/endorsement#comment-116 Well, you can, of course, always count on me, but I have to be honest and say that since it doesn't seem like you've been particularly harsh--or harsh at all, really--on Kerry until this point, why should I believe that that will suddenly change if/when he becomes president? I honestly believe you think you will be just as hard on Kerry, but I really don't think you will. You're going to be willing to forgive him certain things you aren't willing to forgive people you disagree with. That's just the way it goes. I wish it weren't the case, but it is, and it's something--to some degree or another--we all do. But I'd really like to encourage you to not try to make promises you won't keep, just because you think it sounds good to make them. But, regardless of what happens on Tuesday (and we don't seem to believe that the same thing will happen), it's going to be an interesting four years, that's for sure. Well, you can, of course, always count on me, but I have to be honest and say that since it doesn’t seem like you’ve been particularly harsh–or harsh at all, really–on Kerry until this point, why should I believe that that will suddenly change if/when he becomes president? I honestly believe you think you will be just as hard on Kerry, but I really don’t think you will. You’re going to be willing to forgive him certain things you aren’t willing to forgive people you disagree with. That’s just the way it goes. I wish it weren’t the case, but it is, and it’s something–to some degree or another–we all do. But I’d really like to encourage you to not try to make promises you won’t keep, just because you think it sounds good to make them.

But, regardless of what happens on Tuesday (and we don’t seem to believe that the same thing will happen), it’s going to be an interesting four years, that’s for sure.

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