Slippery Slope Arguments in History: Some Arguments from the Left

I've often heard people pooh-pooh slippery slope arguments as devices of the political Right, which has puzzled me: People on the Left have made plenty of them as well. Here are three examples that I gathered for my 2003 article, though I'm sure one can find many more since then. I express no view on the merits of the arguments, but I'm just using them to show how ecumenical this mode of argument is:

[1.] Robynn Tysver, Traffic-Camera Bill Hits Bump in the Road, Omaha World-Herald, Feb. 23, 2001, at 9:

Tim Butz of the Nebraska chapter of the ACLU said [the installation of cameras to catch traffic offenders] is a "slippery slope" that infringes on people's rights. "[When] it comes to privacy, what's next?" Butz asked. "Are we going to put cameras in buses, city parks or restrooms?"

[2.] News Conference To Announce Opposition to Late Term Abortion [Ban], FDCH Political Transcripts, Nov. 7, 1995, remarks of Kate Michelman, President, National Abortion Rights Action League):

[This] is the first time that the Congress has used its federal authority to ban and outlaw an established medical procedure…. I know a lot of people use slippery slope arguments et cetera but I think in this case this is an extremely dangerous precedent that could lead the Congress to look at other medical procedures, indeed and in fact in the House, several members of the House made it very clear that in the case of abortion, they intend to introduce legislation that would ban other abortion procedures.

[3.] All Things Considered: Daily Prayer Sessions in Attorney General John Ashcroft's Office (NPR radio broadcast, May 18, 2001):

Laura Murphy, the Washington director of the American Civil Liberties Union, says holding the open prayer meetings in the attorney general's office is a slippery slope.

Comments

[John F. Carr]

On item 1, 20 years later around Boston we do have cameras in city parks and buses. Ticket cameras are only allowed for toll violations despite heavy lobbying from the camera industry over more than 20 years.

[DaivdBehar]

Did traffic cameras reduce crashes. Yes, no, don’t know. If they did not, they are a scam. The government and the companies should have an aggregate claim filed, and repay their scam money. The fines are the fruit of the poisoned tree.

[Syd Henderson]

Hopefully not in restrooms.

[Tom for equal rights]

“[This] is the first time that the Congress has used its federal authority to ban and outlaw an established medical procedure…. I know a lot of people use slippery slope arguments et cetera but I think in this case this is an extremely dangerous precedent that could lead the Congress to look at other medical procedures,”

like possibly banning puberty blockers , and other irreversable surgical treatments pending a search for a better treatment for the mental health issues

[Drewski]

It’s interesting that you think speed cameras are a partisan issue with opposition being a left-wing position. Is there some basis for this belief, or are you just knee-jerking when the ACLU is mentioned? I’ve been under the impression that most opposition comes from affluent suburbanites regardless of party affiliation.

[Eugene Volokh]

Drewski: I was referring to the ideology of the group, not of the issue (“People on the Left have made plenty of them as well” / “Some Arguments from the Left” / not just “devices of the political Right”). And the ACLU is, generally speaking, on the political Left.

[Drewski]

Sure, the ACLU broadly leans left (although the Nebraska ACLU is one of the most conservative chapters), but it’s a legal argument about a nonpartisan issue. To ascribe that as “left” is to essentially ascribe political motive to any legal argument based on the attorney presenting it. Is every open records request you file a “right-wing” argument? If you and the ACLU each file a request, is that now from the left or right?

[Brett Bellmore]

No, I think he’s being reasonable here; He’s talking about arguments *advanced by* leftists, not arguments advanced *in leftist causes*.

Admittedly, these are usually the same thing, but not always.

[Jerry B.]

Glad to see you agree that the ACLU is on the Left.

[Ed Grinberg]

Are they even hiding it these days?

[apedad]

“I’ve often heard people pooh-pooh slippery slope arguments as devices of the political Right, which has puzzled me: People on the Left have made plenty of them as well.”

Well hell, if that’s the case then ANY political party could use slippery slope arguments.

This could be a real slippery slope into chaos.