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Culture War Roundup for the week of December 19, 2022

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I always have to scratch my head at the idea that Republicans are the party of deep commitment to free speech; did these people not pay attention to the post 9/11 era and Iraq War?

Then I realize that lots of the people commenting were probably learning to count then, and I feel old.

I do get that was a generation ago, but the core Republican coalition in 2000/2004 isn't too dissimilar to the one today. I guess my general tendency is to always side with the losers, who are structurally incentivized to push for a more open public square. In 2004 the losers were Democrats, and in 2022 the losers are Republicans. But deep loyalty to a particular ruling clique isn't a road I'm willing to go down.

did these people not pay attention to the post 9/11 era and Iraq War?

These were a long time ago now: about 10 years, I think.

I remember warning social conservatives back then that they wouldn't like state power if the other side had it.

9/11 was 21 years ago.