Aisle Quote by Jonah Goldberg
“The mainstream perception that conservatives are close-minded and dogmatic while liberals are open-minded and free-thinking has it almost exactly backward. Liberal dogma is settled: The government should do good, where it can, whenever it can. That is President Obama's idea of pragmatism and bipartisanship: He's open to all ideas, from either side of the aisle, about how best to expand government and get the state more involved in our lives.”
About This Quote
Source Essay: The Conservative Mind, 2020
The claim that conservatives are closed-minded and liberals open-minded is reversed; liberalism often demands expansive government intervention.
In simple terms: Liberalism can be dogmatic about government roles.
Question assumptions about political openness.
Themes
Mood
Type
When to use this quote
- public discourse
- policy analysis
- media commentary
Key Concepts
Questions to Reflect On
- What evidence challenges the stereotype of liberal openness?
- How do policy goals shape perceived openness?
Overgeneralizing both sides can oversimplify complex views.