Conservative Comebacks to Liberal Lies

Conservative Comebacks to Liberal Lies
By Jamie Glazov
FrontPageMagazine.com | October 23, 2006

Frontpage Interview’s guest today is Gregg Jackson, co-host of Pundit Review Radio, heard on Boston’s talk station, WRKO. He is a contributing editor at PunditReview.com, a 2005 Weblog Award Finalist in the Best Media/Journalist Blog category. He is the author of the new book Conservative Comebacks to Liberal Lies: Issue by Issue Responses to the Most Common Claims of the Left from A to Z.

Jackson: I wrote the book "Conservative Comebacks to Liberal Lies" because I love my country and felt as though somebody needed to compile a documented list of responses to the most common lies of the Left on the most prominent social, cultural, and political issues of the day. I believe we have a growing number of "domestic insurgents" who are doing everything in their power to destroy the most sacred American values and institutions which have made our country so great in an effort to reshape our nation into their own secular-Socialist utopia.

FP: Your book exposes myriad lies of the Left. You demonstrate that the Left lies and that it does so consciously. Why does the Left lie?

Jackson: Liberals lie about who they are and what they believe in because, although they claim to be representative of "mainstream" America, there is very little that the modern day Democrats have in common with them.

FP: Just a second. When you say that modern day Democrats have little in common with liberals, how does this square with the fact that the radical Left has taken a hold of the Democratic Party? Surely it is pretty clear what the John Kerrys, Ted Kennedys and Hillary Clintons stand for, no?

Jackson: I said that the modern day Democrat Party claims to represent mainstream "average working Americans." The fact is that the Democrat Party today is run by the liberal wing, Dean, Pelosi, Kennedy, etc. As I show in my book, however, liberals have very little in common with average Americans. Polling consistently shows that Americans support income and capital gains tax cuts and abolishment of the death tax.. Most Americans are either 100% pro-life or favor restrictive limits including bans on late-term abortion and parental notification laws. Most Americans favor having more individual choice with regard to healthcare, education, and their personal retirement. Most Americans oppose same sex marriage. The overwhelming majority of Americans support the USA Patriot Act. Liberals are on the other side of all these important issues. When liberal Democrats talk about how they represent "mainstream" Americans, I would like to know to whom they are referring.

Jackson: The liberal lies are dangerous because ideas have consequences and influence how people think and act. In a healthy and vibrant democracy which depends on the free flow of truthful information, the lies of the left corrode civil society.

Jackson: I cover close to 300 different lies of the left in the book. The top 3 most dangerous lies in my opinion are that the "Bush tax cuts benefited the rich," "Bush lied us into war," and "it is uncertain as to when human life begins."

The left constantly repeats the slogan that "the Bush tax cuts benefited the rich" when in actuality the Bush tax cuts have soaked the rich. Revenues to the Treasury have increased every year since the tax cuts went into effect in 2003 and have reduced the deficit- the exact opposite of what liberal politicians originally predicted.

In spite of all this positive economic data the liberals continue to claim that the next Great Depression is right around the corner. The fact that the leftist politicians and their allies in the media continue to perpetuate this myth is dangerous in my opinion for a few reasons. First, by constantly claiming that tax cuts only benefit the "rich," the class warriors on the left create an unhealthy atmosphere of envy by pitting the "haves" verse the "have-nots." They also perpetuate the false notion that the government has a responsibility to redistribute wealth acting as an arbiter of economic "fairness." The essence of our great nation I believe is rooted in our entrepreneurial spirit. People come to America to make a better life and have the opportunity of someday becoming as rich as Ted Kennedy and George Sorros. When you penalize the most successful and productive you diminish the incentive to take risks which decreases the chances that the least advantaged in our society will be able to achieve the proverbial "American Dream." Every time socialism has been tried it has always resulted in economic stagnation and lower standards of living. Essentially liberal Democrats aspire toward emulating the very same European socialist system that has resulted in weak growth, high unemployment, and high inflation throughout much of Europe today.

There is absolutely no reason that Americans should trust liberal Democrats with the economy. Yet about half the country trusts Democrats to more effectively manage the economy than Republicans. If conservatives want to bequeath robust free market capitalism to the next generation it is vital that conservatives be able to defend across the board tax cuts and clearly articulate why they work.

The fact that liberals continue to perpetuate the Big Lie that "Bush Lied" despite all the evidence to the contrary, in my opinion is inexcusable. Virtually every leading Democrat from Biden to Gore to Clinton all agreed Saddam had WMDs and that force was necessary to disarm him. This lie of the Left is dangerous because when one of the two major political parties in our country is constantly criticizing the Commander and Chief and accusing him of lying and abusing enemy detainees, their public statements are ultimately disseminated around the world as media propaganda which further enflames and emboldens the "Arab street."

The Jihadists see this discord as a divide that they can manipulate. The Left is fully invested in our defeat in Iraq. The stakes could not be any higher. If we lose in Iraq- which would most certainly happen if we cut and run as the Democrats are advocating- the Jihadists around the world will only strengthen their resolve. We know that they prey on weakness and submission. We cannot allow this to happen. The fact that liberals in our country are indirectly aiding and abetting the enemy is outright treasonous in many regards. Conservatives need to be constantly reminding Americans how damaging to our national security the lie that "Bush Lied" is.

The last of the three "big liberal lies" is the false claim that, "when life begins is a philosophical religious issue." The truth is that it is a biological scientific fact that human life begins at conception. The new human creation is a defined sex and is alive, complete and growing. The new developing baby has the same 46 chromosomes he or she will have until death. Even Bernard Nathenson, a former abortionist and president of NARAL who has performed over 75,000 abortions admitted : "There is no longer serious doubt in my mind that human life exists from the very onset of pregnancy."

The reason that this lie is so detrimental is that since Roe, the government has abnegated its central responsibility to protect individual life. Human life begins at conception and government does not have the authority to deprive any individual citizen no matter what stage of life without their consent regardless of whether it is "legal" or not. The fact that our government has sat idly by for over 30 years while 40 million developing babies in the womb have been slaughtered is a black mark on our nation that should make each American ashamed.

FP: You are absolutely dead on that the Left is fully invested in our defeat in Iraq. What do you think explains the Left’s romance with our Islamist enemy? The Left has always carried itself as if it is the ally of women, gays and minorities, and now it is in a romance with the most gay-hating, women-hating and minority-hating force on the face of the earth. What gives?

Jackson: Simply put, they hate George Bush more than they hate radical Islamists. But it goes deeper than that. The heart and soul of today's liberal Democrat Party are the same 60s radicals who now hold prominent positions in the media, on college campuses, in the courts and government. They preach the same anti-American vitriol they spewed in the 60s. Nothing has fundamentally changed. They just dress a little nicer.

Many on the Left share the Islamist view that American capitalism and hegemonic military in particular are the root causes of economic inequality, human suffering, and political unrest around the world.

On another level, many liberals tend to empathize with the perceived "plight" of the Islamists. Cindy Sheehan referred to the terrorists who killed her son Casey as "freedom fighters." She is not alone in her perception that America is the real terrorist in the world and the greatest threat to civilization. Senator Kerry said that our military were "terrorizing women and children" in Iraq. Senator Durbin compared our military to Nazis. Try as they might, the liberals just can't contain their disdain for America and the US military.

Liberals see victims in virtually every area of society. Because they are so suffused with guilt, they think that if only we would be nicer to the Islamists, give the Palestinians their own state, give Arab nations more money, and so on, that we could better achieve peace with them. But we all know that the vast majority of the terrorists are well educated and financially well off. They seek to destroy Western Civilization because our Western values of liberty and freedom for all human beings are fundamentally incompatible with Islam in general and Sharia Law in particular. The failure of liberals to recognize and acknowledge moral absolutes such as good and evil is what essentially makes liberalism so dangerous to me. The radical Jihadists who saw off people's heads and fly jet airliners through buildings full of innocent civilians can't be negotiated with. The only way to rid the world of these fanatical barbarians is to aggressively cut off their funding, track their movements and communications and kill as many of them as possible.

These same groups, the feminists, gays and liberals who despise George Bush and support the Islamic fundamentalists are the first people who would be slaughtered in a radical Islamic society. Rosie, a proud lesbian, claiming that radical Christianity is as big a threat as radical Islam, is mind-numbing stupidity. The left is morally bankrupt and intellectually dishonest.

As I say in my book, don't judge the left by what they say. Judge them on the actual positions they take.

FP: Give some suggestions in terms of what you think are the best techniques for debating with liberals.

Jackson: I recommend the following acronym FACE when debating with liberals. F stands for facts. Lady Thatcher once said, "first win the debate then the election." Conservatives need to be razor sharp on the major issues of our time. That is one of the reasons I wrote my book so that conservatives could educate themselves on the requisite facts to substantiate their conservative arguments.

But, when arguing with a liberal, conservatives should Ask questions. (This is the A in FACCE). In order to fully engage a liberal in conversation you will get further by asking what I call "high value questions." I try to do it on my radio show all the time. When a liberal calls in like one did the other day and said, "We are spending too much money on the war and should use that money to feed the poor." I asked that gentleman how much we were spending in Iraq and he had no idea. I then said to him, "you claim we are spending too much money in Iraq and don't have any idea how much we are spending?" That pretty much ended the conversation. But the point is that often times you can make your point more effectively by placing the onus on the liberal with whom you are speaking to defend their claim than you can if you ram your facts down your liberal friend's throat. Asking solid targeted questions places the burden of proof on the liberal and allows you to control the conversation.

So C is for Control and Composure, crucial when debating with liberals. Since they rarely have the facts on their side they will meander all over the place and throw up as much excrement against the wall as possible with the hope that something will stick. The really adroit liberals can go from "Bush lied" to "Republicans are racists" to "Global warming is going to kill us all" in a matter of seconds. That is why good debaters effectively control the tone and direction of the conversation. The best way to do that is to focus the conversation on one point at a time and whenever your liberal friend attempts to sidetrack the conversation that you regain control and say something to the effect of: "We can get to that issue next but first let's finish talking about the supposed separation of church and state you say exists in the Constitution."

Composure is a crucial element that liberals lack when confronted by the facts. The start getting verbally abusive and elevate their voice in an attempt to get you upset. And you will if you allow them to. When I get a loud mouth liberal on the show I say, "Try elevating the substance of your argument instead of the decibel level of your voice." The main thing is to remember that if you can stay composed while the liberal "loses it" you have won the debate especially if there is an audience. Breath!

Finally, the E in FACE stands for Ego. We conservatives should remember that regardless of how "right" we may be on any given issue that no individual-regardless of political affiliation- wants to look stupid. Everybody has an ego. So recognize that you don't have to win every argument or debate. Reagan was perhaps the best at being able to disagree without being disagreeable. At the end of the day, I think that Conservatives should emulate Reagan in this regard. Have passion and enthusiasm but stay humble.

FP: How come you are not a liberal? Tell us a bit about your own personal journey and what led you to your stance against the Left.

Jackson: I was at one time in my life a liberal, prior to graduating from ultra-liberal Colby College and moving to San Francisco, I had a "live and let live" attitude about life. Having attended many multiculturalism, feminism and diversity training workshops during college, I developed a lot of liberal notions about the world.

After living in San Francisco and being in the working world for a few years in the early 90s however, my liberal notions about the world started to change. For starters I was astounded how much money was taken out of my paycheck each week. Mayor Willie Brown and his ultra-liberal Board of Supervisors ran San Francisco at the time. The streets were filthy from all the urine and excrement from the unwashed panhandling bums who littered the sidewalks. Lewd gay-trans-bi-sexual "pride" parades were commonplace without any regard for families and children who may be downtown shopping while the men and women with whips and chains sauntered by. I saw firsthand how "progressive" liberalism contaminates civil society. Needless to say, I became increasingly frustrated and dismayed at the lack of law, order, and morality.

Then one day I heard Michael Savage on the radio and I was immediately hooked. He was verbalizing all the things I was thinking. I listened daily for the full 4 hours if possible and became a frequent caller. Savage lit the "fire" and from there I read everything I could get my hands on. Suicide of the West by James Burnham was one of the first books that I read that really helped me solidify my conservative views. I then began reading the Wall St. Journal Op/Ed page every day and have done so since 1995.

I ended up leading the pro-Bush rallies through the streets of San Francisco during the 2000 "re-count" fiasco when Gore attempted to steal the election. As an organizer and leader of those rallies I came to realize that I was really passionate about politics and conservatism in general. After 9-11, I decided to write "Conservative Comebacks to Liberal Lies." The rest is history.

I am living the dream that God placed in my heart co-hosting a weekly radio show called "Pundit Review Radio" on WRKO in Boston and promoting my new book which I hope helps protect and defend conservative ideas and institutions under inexorable attack from the left.

Jackson: It was my sincere honor and privilege. God Bless you and all your readers.

I actually shut down a no-smoking nazi this week using this vague method. She works part-time as a cocktail waitress and was saying she couldn't wait until her restaurant went non-smoking because of the health hazard. I pointed out that slavery is long-gone, and no one can force her to work in these so-called hazardous conditions; it is her choice. Then I asked her to define what a public place is, and asked if the city should be paying for the taxes and maintenance of her place of work, since it is a "public place". She got all frustrated and said she just thinks smoking is gross, and I pointed out that she was talking about "feelings and opinion", and I was talking about "laws and constitutionality". She then said she couldn't talk about it anymore because she would get too mad. I inwardly gloated.

It sounds familiar. Most us were idealistic liberals when we were young. It seemed natural to be for progress, equality and peace. But we got in touch in life, we grew up fast. Life made us conservative. The reason young people are liberal is they have the luxury of being wrong. Those of us who are older know what will happen if we make mistakes we might regret later. Gregg Jackson is right in that liberalism is based on lies. It cannot stand contact with the truth and an encounter with reality leaves it gasping for air. We shouldn't worry about liberals as much as liberals ought to worry about us.

"Show me just what Mohammed brought that was new, and there you will find things only evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached." -Manuel II Paleologus

"I love my country and felt as though somebody needed to compile a documented list of responses to the most common lies of the Left on the most prominent social, cultural, and political issues of the day."

We need more conservatives stepping up now and taking on this task, instead of solely pointing out the rightful indiscretions of our own side.

Because conservatives are morally consistent in holding our own people accountable for wrongdoing (whether corruption, over-spending, sex scandals, lax border security) we risk allowing A FAR MORE DANGEROUS FOE - LIBERAL DEMOCRATS to control this nation's future.

That is dreadfully frightening!!

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