#143 - Do Liberals Hold the Moral High Ground?

Open to Debate

Education, Society & Culture, News, Government, Politics

4.5 • 2.1K Ratings

🗓️ 13 December 2017

⏱️ 51 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

Motion: Liberals hold the moral high ground. Do conservative or liberal philosophies lead to more just outcomes? Opposing moral philosophies have long fueled debate about America’s policy goals and national identity. For conservatives, morality is grounded in ideals such as patriotism, including a respect for order and authority; fairness and liberty in the sense that an individual’s actions yield just rewards, or consequences; and reverence for the sanctity of religious and moral tradition. Liberals place moral emphasis on caring: for the poor, the disadvantaged, and the marginalized; on fairness in the sense of redressing both historic wrongs and current inequalities of outcome; and on generosity extending beyond the bounds of nations or cultures. In today’s divisive political arena, which side best embodies the nation’s most cherished virtues? Morally speaking, is the left right? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcript

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0:00.0	We all know that politics so often becomes a dirty game.
0:05.0	There is the corrupting influence of money.
0:07.0	There is the going negative.
0:09.0	There are the broken promises, the selling out, the betrayal, the hypocrisy.
0:12.0	And yet, at the same time, we have to recognize that politics also usually involves ideals.
0:18.0	That people choose what side they're on in the faiths, that they are standing with the side that stands for the good.
0:25.0	The more virtuous.
0:26.0	The more virtuous they decide, driven by ideals whose outcomes will prove most beneficial to society.
0:31.0	That is why you and I and all of us choose the side we're on.
0:34.0	We think that we are standing with the righteous.
0:36.0	Well, we have decided tonight to test one side of that equation because we think it has the makings of a great debate.
0:43.0	Let's go for it.
0:44.0	Yes or no to this statement.
0:46.0	Liberals hold the moral high ground.
0:49.0	A debate from Intelligent Squared U.S.
0:51.0	I'm John Donovan and I stand between two teams of two experts on the topic passionate from their positions who will argue for and against the motion.
0:59.0	As always, our debate goes in three rounds and then our live audience here in New York votes to choose the winner and only one side wins.
1:07.0	Our motion is Liberals hold the moral high ground.
1:10.0	Let's meet the team arguing first for the motion starting with Ladies and Humpzeman, Howard Dean.
1:15.0	Howard, welcome. You are the former chairman of the Democratic National Committee.
1:23.0	You are a six term governor of Vermont.
1:26.0	We want to put a question to you.
	...

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