Posted on 10/25/2019 3:54:26 AM PDT by Kaslin
The rising tide of socialism in America is reaching a critical point as more Americans warm up to the idea of bigger, more intrusive government.
A Gallup poll earlier this year found that 43 percent of Americans say socialism would be a good thing for the country. Other polls show similar findings. The percentages are even higher for women, minorities, and young people.
If we hope to recognize this country 10 years from now, if we want to pass on to our children and grandchildren a nation that’s as least as free and prosperous as the one we inherited, we need to focus our efforts on turning everyday Americans away from the false promises of bigger government. And we need greater education and outreach to do it.
Certainly, one reason for this worrying trend is because average people see problems in this country they want solved, and a flurry of politicians, lobbying groups, and others excitedly offer them more big government in response, with many of their solutions verging on outright socialism. Just look at Medicare-for-All, free college tuition, and the Green New Deal as examples.
What many average Americans fail to see is that conservatives see the same problems they do and want to solve them, too, but just by different means. But how do we convince them that we have better answers?
Fortunately, we have several factors on our side.
First, we have the truth. Socialism has failed in every country, every time it’s been tried. Additionally, here in the United States and in countries that have softer “democratic socialism,” decades of data show that big-government policies continue to fail over and over again. More often than not, they end up hurting the very people they were supposed to help. Welfare in the United States is just one example.
Second, some of the polls showing Americans warming up to socialism also show that, when pressed, respondents didn’t understand what socialism actually involved. While initially they loved the idea of free college tuition, free health care, and the Green New Deal, when they were told even a few details — like what it would cost them in new taxes, how their choices would go away, how bureaucrats in far-off places would be making decisions for them — they quickly turned against the proposals.
Third, new polling by The Heritage Foundation shows that the groups that seem the warmest to bigger government — women, minorities, and young people — actually agree with conservatives on many of our principles as long as we don’t call them “conservative.” Reaching out to these groups and others is where we can turn the tide and find the numbers needed to stand against the statist agenda.
When we asked a mix of conservative, moderate, and liberal young people if they could find something to like about the conservative philosophy, only 39 percent respond positively. But when we left off the conservative label and just asked about principles like smaller government and giving more power to individuals and communities versus creating more government programs, we saw agreement with those principles increase to 63 percent.
When we tested the same thing with the Hispanic community, agreement shot up from 38 percent to 61 percent. For African Americans, it rose from 24 percent to 57 percent.
This tells us that conservatives have the right principles and the right solutions — but we need to do a better job of communicating them.
These Americans want the same things we do — solutions to fight poverty and to ensure clean air and clean water. They want to know how we create higher-paying jobs, how we can deliver more affordable health care, and how we can preserve the freedoms we have without turning over our lives and our paychecks to government.
We are taking seriously the words of George Washington, who said, “The preservation of the sacred fire of liberty, and the destiny of the republican model of government, are … staked on the experiment entrusted to the hands of the American people.”
Indeed, our liberty — our destiny as a free nation — has been entrusted to our hands. The conservative movement must do everything we can to save it. And that means asking new people in new ways to join us
I despise pubic school teachers for what they’ve done to our country.
When you have lost control of your schools, media, and government the Second Amendment is all you have left.
Since the rat 🐀 bastards know this, the 2nd Amendment will be first on their list to overturn. I think they have already pretty much done away with the First Amendment.
Please find a way to start a grassroots movement like the Tea Party.
Our public schools are the closest unit of government to us, and directly affect our precious children.
If we can’t even control our local public school district...
...keep an eye on your rifle. It’s all you have left.
One problem is that the left has continually characterized conservatism as racist, sexist, bigoted, homophobe, etc., and feckless Republicans have done nothing to challenge that. Perhaps if we start giving a brief definition of conservatism every time we talk about it, we can educate people. For instance, say “The conservative—that is, the philosophy of limited government—view is that decreasing regulations gives freedom to small businesses to expand as they see fit.” And so forth.
We need to stop allowing the left to redefine language.
The terminology confuses people. “Conservatives” want a free, dynamic society where people generally have a lot of choices. “Liberals/progressives” want a static society where ruling oligarchs limit what people can do in their lives.
And a better job of IMPLEMENTING them. To do that, we need to stop electing RINOs. Looking at you Mitt.
Of course, the left offers people “free” stuff. Some people don’t understand there are strings attached. They could be reached. Others wouldn’t mind the strings and chains as long as it’s “free.” Such people are unreachable - if you gave them true freedom they would hate you and they would run to the first demagogue who promises them “free” stuff.
I see a root problem with the names.
To Xs & millennials, “conservative” sounds old and stale, but “progressive” sounds new and fresh.
We lost hold after WWII, when everyone just breathed a sigh of relief and focused on their family, job, bbq, beer, sports and TV. Never mind those hippies and college protesters, they’re just kids looking for attention...
“”” only 39 percent respond positively. But when we left off the conservative label and just asked about principles like smaller government and giving more power to individuals and communities versus creating more government programs, we saw agreement with those principles increase to 63 percent. “””
Hollywood and the MSM are also to blame, not to mention 8 years of the previous admin.
We need to take back terms and remember Rush's dictum that "Words mean things."
A Free Market is only possible under a liberal economic philosophy. One where people are at liberty to buy and sell and let the market set the price of things and services. Allowing natural price discovery is a classical liberal idea.
Same for Free Speech. Speaking liberally on any subject or topic is the reason the 1st Amendment is specifically enumerated. 2nd Amendment? The liberal use and ownership of arms.
We should take back the term "Liberal" to mean Classical Liberal - the likes of which were John Locke and Algeron Sidney and Samuel Adams and Thomas Jefferson.
Tell people that you are Liberal and when they think they are speaking to a leftist, speak of Liberty, and when their faces turn purple and their heads explode, challenge the to defend how their statism is in any way "liberal" or how living in a steel cage of laws and regulations that bind every aspect of one's life is in any way "enlightened."
It goes to the heart of true morality. Imagine a person who, from birth, is tethered to a wall in a dungeon. That person will be impoverished of experience - the challenges of reward and temptation and having to choose between right and wrong, let alone act on any of that experience. It is true that the poor soul will never commit a "crime" as he can't act at all, but can he "sin"? Without temptation and free will, he will remain somewhat innocent, but will never know enlightenment. Will never know the enobling effects of remorse and contrition. Will never know the grace of humility born by failures.
The leftists are enticing the young and foolish with promises of a gilded cage, but the results of living in one are the same - the snuffing out of that divine gift of free will.
The gulag is most illiberal.
EVERY PERSON WHO WANTS SOCIALISM SHOULD HAVE TO LIVE IN A SOCIALIST COUNTRY FOR A YEAR!!
When I was working in the NHS in Britain back in the 80’s, my tax bite was 50%. And I was making peanuts as I wasn’t a registered Med Tech in the British system. That is 50%......the lowest tax bracket at the time. And NO ONE escapes taxes. EVERYONE pays taxes in Socialist countries.
Liberals get elected by promising big benefits and by not saying where the money will come from.
Idiot voters vote more benefits for themselves and are too stupid to think about who will pay for them.
I’m done talking to them.
Yes, the left has twisted many words to their benefit. It’s Newspeak.
Kids and young people like things that are the latest, new, modern and certainly not like Grandpa’s, be they things or ideas or words.
We need to make the old and good virtues new again.
Barf. Just keep voting.
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