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Posted on 11/03/2013 12:05:28 PM PST by Kaslin
That’s a startling question, to be sure. But it’s a question that haunted me during my recent visit to Australia. There, political conservatism is experiencing a revival of sorts after six years of socialist wilderness.
While in Australia, I kept thinking about a surprising statement made to me by a prominent American conservative leader during the last U.S. election. At that time, he said, “I will not support the Republican candidate. In fact, I hope Obama wins.”
When I couldn’t hide my shock, he went on to explain his perspective: eventually the socialist ideology in our country would over-tip its hand, and then the people would wake up and elect a modern-day Reagan.
Well, now a short time later, socialism has certainly over-tipped its hand. Our debt has spiraled to more than $17 trillion. Twenty percent of our economy—healthcare—is mired in the mud pit of Obamacare. Millions of dollars are spent on the entertainment of public servants. Billions more have been incinerated within expanded bureaucracies of ineptitude and government-funded companies, such as Solyndra. And all of this happened while more and more people dropped out of the workforce and the food stamp program expanded to more than 47 million people.
Now that President Obama’s favorability has plummeted to its lowest levels, and his diehard supporters in the media have given him “Four Pinocchios” for his Obamacare “truthfulness,” I’m wondering if my friend wasn’t prophetic after all.
To be sure, the U.S. electorate has been significantly dumbed down since Reagan’s election in 1980. But nonetheless, what I saw happening in Australia, a country with a center-left majority, could happen here.
In Australia, the socialist government of Julia Gillard began to kill the goose that laid the golden egg—namely the mining industry—by imposing a hefty “carbon tax.” The country then watched as the government—which had run a surplus under the conservative prime minister, John Howard—ran up a $500 billion annual deficit.
The people revolted, and they elected the conservative coalition in a landslide.
The first item on their agenda? Abolishing the carbon tax on the mining companies. And surprise, surprise, the Labor Party is now supporting the conservatives in that effect. One has to assume that the left did not want to become totally irrelevant.
The wisest man who ever lived, King Solomon, once asked: “Why does every generation have to keep on making the same mistakes of the previous generation?” That’s a great question to ponder.
The answer I believe is that human nature is fickle and easily persuaded by silver-tongued snake oil salesmen.
But maybe Obama’s low approval ratings are a sign that folks are finally waking up. Maybe they are finally returning to the sanity of proven policies—low taxes, less government, individual freedom, and above all, respect for human life, born or unborn.
It is a dim hope, but in the end, hope springs eternal.
****....and the American people don’t wake up****
I believe this is the point the author is attempting to make. There will be an awakening...by the next generation. Historically, societies and families experience stages of evolution - material, cultural, religious, political, technological - sometimes subtle, sometimes violent.
The young are more inclined to rebel in order to effect change...based on self-interest - before they become accepting or cowardly or both.
There are millions who voted for Obama and the Rats who will STILL blame Republicans for the Obamacare mess. There is no helping them.
That will not necessarily make them "thankful" that they and their families, for generations, will be paying the price for their inattention to the ideas underlying their Declaration of Independence and Constitution, but it may be the instrument for turning the nation back from the brink of disaster.
Thomas Jefferson:
"We have the greatest opportunity the world has ever seen, as long as we remain honest -- which will be as long as we can keep the attention of our people alive. If they once become inattentive to public affairs, you and I, and Congress and Assemblies, judges and governors would all become wolves."
Jefferson and the other Founders believed that teaching the ideas of liberty to upcoming generations was essential to preparing them for being attentive guardians of their freedom. The same ideology which rules us today is the one that removed the teaching of the founding ideas from the curriculum of the schools: thus, an "inattentive" voter base.
When the "wolves" call the shots, "the People" become the prey!
I think he and the left are attempting one right now.
I see. So your "lose by winning!" crap has been working?
If we'd won, we'd have the Republican party on the hook for advancing everything from cap and trade to nationalized health care and all the attendant tyranny.
The Democrat party is on the hook, thank God.
I’m soooo totally thankful I have to pay 13 dollars for 20 rounds of 5.56 ammunition thanks to the panic he started. /s
I know that is the point he was making. Historically numerous societies have allowed themselves to be subjugated for decades and even centuries. My point was that if 0bama's bold advances towards a brave new world aren't being rejected now it isn't going to be rejected at all.
Sure, and that will be the time when the Jews thank Hitler.
A party that adopts a platform of justifiable minimal vote requirements, such as being able to deal with ballots in English only and having to show photo ID, as well as to recuse the franchise if able-bodied and living on public assistance, would probably impress a lot of Americans.
These are fixable things.
Impressing some of us and winning national elections with it, are two different things today.
JFK knew what he was doing when he first started his immigration push in the 1950s.
Everybody knows the real reason leftists are against any kind of voter ID or requirements. If the left put one 20th as much time policing legitimate votes as they do policing handguns -- well, the left would be out of power.
Thankful when he’s gone.
After RR, the momentum was lost a bit during Bush1s term, then the first 2 years of Billy - but that lead to another 12 years of Republicans controlling Congress/theWH. Then the last two of Bush2 and the first 2 of Oops led to yet another rejection of Dems which will probably be complete as far as taking over Congress completely in 2014 after OFrauda merely manage to atall in 2012 and likely another Repub Prez in 2016 if we are able to put forward sanity instead of the Establishments Romney-like choice
And all of this came after a 40+ year run of Dems which was only really interrupted for the occasional Repub Prez figurehead in front of a Dem congress.
I wouldn't be surprised at all if moving forward we see years and years of Repub control of Congress with only the occasional Dem Prez, honestly
...the only concern I have is will those Repubs benefiting be real Conservatives or go-along-to-get-alongs that will stand by as they help usher in destruction
It begs the question: WHO SHIVES A GIT!
This is reminiscent of the fall of Rome when — with the barbarians at the gates — the citizens raged through the streets demanding more “bread and circuses.”
The difference between then and now is that the effing barbarians are IN the city and occupy positions of power.
It seems that technology has allowed America and the West to compress into a little over 200 years what it took the Romans over 2,000 to accomplish: DESTROY THEMSELVES.
Mr. Jefferson predicted it 2 centuries ago after he and his contemporaries created a system that would produce more wealth for more people than any before it or since:
“Yes, we did produce a near-perfect republic but will they keep it? Or will they, in the enjoyment of plenty lose the memory of freedom? Material abundance WITHOUT CHARACTER IS THE PATH TO DESTRUCTION.”
Amen!
Until then, no.
You assume the GOP would advance the same agenda as Obama, Reid, and Pelosi? Why?
‘If you were lucky enough to catch nonfatal cowpox you were immune to fatal chickenpox.”
You’re thinking of smallpox. Chickenpox isn’t generally fatal.
“You’re thinking of smallpox. Chickenpox isn’t generally fatal.”
You’re right. I got my poxes mixed up.
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