{"id":93744,"date":"2021-12-30T17:16:44","date_gmt":"2021-12-31T00:16:44","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/danpeterson\/?p=93744"},"modified":"2022-01-01T18:37:55","modified_gmt":"2022-01-02T01:37:55","slug":"once-more-on-harry-reid","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/danpeterson\/2021\/12\/once-more-on-harry-reid.html","title":{"rendered":"Once More, on Harry Reid"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<\/head>

\u00a0<\/p>\n

\"Brother<\/a>
The official portrait of then Senator Harry Reid (D-NV)
(Wikimedia Commons public domain photo)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

***<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

Because of a grave defect in prudence and common sense, I\u2019m now going to return to the subject of the late Latter-day Saint Senator and Senate majority leader Harry Reid (D-NV).\u00a0 (See my prior post here<\/a>.)\u00a0 This will provide yet another opportunity for intemperate haters to comment.\u00a0 However, although I\u2019m a generous and forgiving host, I will not tolerate very much of their vitriol.\u00a0 (I\u2019ll partially explain why, below.)<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

First of all, here is a quintet of relevant links that I recommend:<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

LDS Church News<\/em>:\u00a0 \u201cFormer U.S. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid dies at age 82\u201d<\/a><\/p>\n

Deseret News<\/em>:\u00a0\u00a0\u201cOne of the nation\u2019s most powerful politicians was also a steadfast \u2018home teacher\u2019 at church: Harry Reid\u2019s legacy started with his rise from poverty in rural Nevada, eventually becoming the U.S. Senate majority leader.\u201d<\/a><\/p>\n

Deseret News<\/em>:\u00a0 \u201cSen. Mike Lee: Missing my friend, Harry Reid\u201d<\/a><\/p>\n

National Review<\/em>:\u00a0 \u201cEric Holder Misses the Point on Harry Reid\u2019s Legacy\u201d<\/a><\/p>\n

Deseret News<\/em>:\u00a0 \u201cLongtime Nevada Sen. Harry Reid remembered as \u2018the embodiment of the American dream\u2019: The First Presidency of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints<\/a> called Reid \u2018a devoted and capable public servant who was dedicated to his family, his faith, and his country\u2019\u201d<\/a><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

Once again, let me say that, as a serious free market conservative and a federalist, I differed very much politically from Harry Reid.\u00a0 And there were certain things that he did and said \u2014 notably (but not only) his wildly false statement about Mitt Romney\u2019s supposed non-payment of taxes, for which he not only never apologized but of which he actually appeared to be proud<\/em> \u2014 that I found and find reprehensible.<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

And yet I heard very good things about him, as well, from people whom I respect and from some who had plenty of reason to see him negatively yet did not<\/em>.\u00a0 (Please, if you haven\u2019t, take a look at Senator Mike Lee\u2019s comments, to which I provide a link above.)<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

Finally, I want to share a statement that has long appealed to me.\u00a0 It comes from the unfortunately named Quintin Hogg (1907-2001), Baron Hailsham of St Marylebone, <\/b>and specifically from page 10 of his book The Case for Conservatism<\/i> (Penguin, 1947):<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

Conservatives do not believe that political struggle is the most important thing in life. . . .\u00a0 The simplest among them prefer fox-hunting \u2014 the wisest religion.<\/strong><\/span><\/div>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

What exactly did he mean?\u00a0 I don\u2019t think that he was really talking about fox-hunting \u2014 of which, by the way and for the record, I\u2019m neither an enthusiast nor a supporter.\u00a0 Rather, I think, he was saying that genuine conservatives believe that a large part of life, and in many ways the most important part of life, has nothing to do with politics.\u00a0 Real conservatives want to preserve the sanctity of genuinely private life.\u00a0 A common battlecry on the Left has long been that \u201ceverything is political.\u201d\u00a0 To which the proper response, and certainly an authentic conservative response, is that no, it\u2019s not.\u00a0 Faith, friendship, kindness \u2014 these and many other things transcend politics.<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

That\u2019s one of the reasons that I oppose the demonization of Harry Reid for political reasons.<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/body><\/html>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

\u00a0 \u00a0 *** \u00a0 Because of a grave defect in prudence and common sense, I\u2019m now going to return to the subject of the late Latter-day Saint Senator and Senate majority leader Harry Reid (D-NV).\u00a0 (See my prior post here.)\u00a0 This will provide yet another opportunity for intemperate haters to comment.\u00a0 However, although I\u2019m a […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1019,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[27231,8262,8364],"class_list":["post-93744","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized","tag-harry-reid","tag-reid","tag-senator"],"yoast_head":"\nOnce More, on Harry Reid<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"    ***   Because of a grave defect in prudence and common sense, I'm now going to return to the subject of the late Latter-day Saint\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" 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