In 2305 we discussed the debate between Edmund Burke and Thomas Paine as being the starting point in the debate between what we now call "liberalism" and "conservatism." More recently, the debate between William Buckley and Gore Vidal did the same, and in a manner we might recognize better since they fought from the 60s through the early 2000s. Understanding these two helps us get acquainted with how we got to where we are now.
A recent article in Politico discusses -unfavorably - a current documentary on the debate between the two. It's worth a read.
- Buckley vs. Vidal: The Real Story.