Friends, as always, Margaret Thatcher shows us the way. She understood the power of free markets, and the stultification of socialism and central planning. The Left, however, is not incapable of subtlety. Sometimes they present their essentially statist, socialist agenda in competitive, capitalist terms. In other words, they make room for private enterprise...so long as the government and an omniscient bureaucracy get to make all the key decisions.
Check out my latest article, which showcases an example of how the Left uses capitalist rhetoric to advance their own narrow, and fundamentally anti-capitalist, agenda. Oh, and they aren't averse to making a few bucks along the way either. That needn't surprise you -- there was never a more stratified, acquisitive society than that of Stalinist Russia!
https://townhall.com/columnists/nicholaswaddy/2019/06/09/forget-big-oil-and-big-tech--now-liberals-are-going-afterbig-paper-n2547806
And once you've admired that gem of wisdom, please read this article too. It's an excellent analysis of the grossly irresponsible claims made by Democrats (like Stacey Abrams) that Republicans are "stealing" elections.
https://www.nationalreview.com/2019/06/stacey-abrams-stolen-election-myth-endures-democratic-party/
Dr. Waddy: Well said!And an ever so well selected exemplar of free market resolution against leftist presumption than the great Margaret Thatcher, can hardly be imagined. How courageous and prescient she was!She saved the "Sceptered Isle".
ReplyDeleteOh, any doubt that the left would employ ANY tactic it thinks workable flies in the face of their expressed beliefs and their sociopathic conduct in power. Marx bade them free themselves from any concern about existing standards for creditable behavior and they have enthusiastically embraced this perceived license, with predictably horrid consequences. The American left polices this sanction in our elementary and secondary schools, with substantial penalties for dissenters, and the consequence is the dreamy radicalization of far too many of our children. So many of them are convinced thereby that our country is FUNDAMENTALLY flawed and worthy neither of veneration or support. This is the bitter fruit of the seduction of the silly liberal faction of the boomer generation by the murderous radical left.
Hear hear -- Mrs. Thatcher was the best of the best! Funny that one of the first and greatest female democratic leaders in the West was one who cared not a fig for feminism or proving the merits of her sex. She loved liberty and she loved Britain. That was enough.
ReplyDeleteThe hypocrisy of the Left -- its naive anti-capitalism combined with its submission to and empowerment of leftist billionaires -- is, as always, breathtaking. As you say, their motto is: "Whatever it takes."
Dr. Waddy: Abrams article: It would be instructive to see established in the curricula of the American academy, courses in "Understanding leftist Thinking". The continuing Abrams situation would be a fascinating case study usable in the 100 level course.Abrams is a black woman;the Georgia governorship was hers the day she declared her candidacy. She has been denied it; by definition an injustice has taken place. Maybe I will suggest that SUNY New Paltz pioneer the offering of this course, since it exemplifies this kind of thinking. But what department should provide it: philosophy, history, poli sci, Political Correctness (or else)? Oh my, the devil is in the details, surely not in the concept.
ReplyDeleteJack, since all the departments you name are equally "woke" and beholden to leftist ideology, it hardly matters which one offers the course. Since classes will be cancelled regardless in favor of the latest march and/or sit-in, well, the question seems entirely "academic". You're right, though -- the study of the leftist mind is potentially very rewarding. To be fair to the lefties, though, they aren't alone in constructing their own mental universe and ignoring unwelcome facts -- they just happen to be very good at it. World champs, even.
ReplyDeleteDr. Waddy: But, in my opinion, here is the difference between our convictions and theirs: Ours are based on consideration of the past, for which empirical evidence is readily available. But their's is founded in speculation of what the future "guarantees". Since empirical evidence of the future is yet impossible to avail, they are conveniently free of its intellectual requirements.
ReplyDeleteWe Conservatives contemplate the past, for which there is objective perception - evidence - and compare and contrast it with the present in order to understand whether progress in human well being can be reasonably perceived. But the left uses as its standard an untried future the perception of which is vulnerable to any flight of fancy. Their folly in this was tragically proven in the 20th century.
Good point, Jack. Utopianism is inherently speculative. You and I, by contrast, live in the real world, and we study its patterns and laws to optimize human well-being. Speaking of which, it's amazing how HARD we have to work just to convince people NOT to jettison the accumulated wisdom of civilization, isn't it? It seems like conservatism should be recommended by common sense, no? I suppose common sense must not be as common as we thought...
ReplyDeleteDr. Waddy: It takes an education in history and a love for our culture enhanced by enjoyment of literature, music and architecture and, understandably, most people just don't have that background.They are too busy leading productive lives. We know how precious and so very threatened our centuries established heritage is but we cannot expect them to embrace it. What then? How do we defend it? I think we must do it by discrediting those who disdain it by portraying them as the iconoclastic, presumptuous and anarchic (until they prevail, at which time very, very definite GOVERNMENT will obtain, with a vengeance!) totalitarians they surely are.
ReplyDeleteYou may be right, Jack, but it's a sad commentary on human nature. I suppose we never know what we have until we've lost it -- so we have to induce our fellow citizens to IMAGINE what that loss would be like...
ReplyDelete