http://cptv.vo.llnwd.net/o2/ypmwebcontent/Chion/Colin%20McEnroe%20Show%2007-18-2011.mp3
I wasn't sure I understood the main idea of today's show... Until I talk to Bill Curry. That doesn't happen very often. I mean, I talk to Curry pretty much every day, but I usually don't end up feeling less confused.
But here's what he helped me see:
The United States of America is based on a series of notions about reasonable people and about reason and pragmatism being such powerful forces that they can overthrow established power (the British empire) and/or baser impulses, like greed and the hunger for power.
But to have that work, we have to have structures in place that facilitate the good kind of argument -- the kind that leads us to the truth.
The remaining model for this is our court system, in which there are still very strict rules about how we can argue.
President Obama has bet his entire style of governance on the notion of reasonable argument. And somehow, it doesn't seem to be working. We might find out why not during today's show.
Leave your comments below, e-mail colin@wnpr.org or Tweet us @wnprcolin.
