The implosion of conservatism is a horror show. I watch, aghast, as trusted "conservative" propagandists like Mike Rosen, on Denver's 850 KOA, voice their support of the neoconservative GOP leadership’s complicity in our nation’s slide into Socialism. Mr. Rosen and his peers understand their job is to dupe their loyal republican listeners and viewers into supporting Socialism. They do this by embracing the recent business takeover tactics of the Fed and the US Treasury. It is surreal. These people are now ardent, vocal advocates of Socialism yet they are blinded to their own surrender to liberalism. They talk as if Socialism is equivalent to hell, yet they promote it with every breath. I find the whole spectacle stunning and extremely frightening. It’s like the whole world has gone mad and people can no longer recognize contradictions even when they say them in one sentence.
I know from occasionally listening to the Mike Rosen show that there is a large body of folks who gulp down the dogmatic Neocon propagandist's pabulum and inane "Rosenisms" like they were manna from heaven. Mike is my favorite example of a person who fancies himself a conservative but who is obviously a staunch advocate for the acceptance of Socialism in America.
Rosen often repeats the mantra "party trumps person" which I suspect allows him to self-hypnotize, rendering him unable to recognize that his words are 180 degrees out of phase with the consequences of the policies he advocates. Such a blatant farce would be hilarious under different circumstances but in this case, blatant as it is, it works and people eat it up.
Mike is a prime example of how, in the long run, liberalism always wins. His ends justify his means. I will explain further.
In 1971 when President Nixon totally removed any connection between the dollar and physical gold, he said, "We're all Keynesians now." Keynesian economic policy is a necessary component of Socialism. You cannot hope to create a Socialist nation without Keynesian economic policy and you can't hope to sustain a nation that values individual liberty when it follows Keynesian economic policies.
Good government depends on principles being valued; liberalism depends on principles being discarded. The GOP has discarded every last remaining tidbit of principle by becoming Socialists of the worst kind - those who don't know they are Socialists yet think they are doing the right thing based on faith instead of following their political principles. In effect, the recent actions by our corrupt congress have socialized the risk from bad investments and poor business decisions onto the backs of all American tax payers. What the policy makers and their media propagandists are not forthcoming about is that history shows this burden is likely to grow larger and larger until it crushes the life out of our economy for generations to come. Instead, they use misdirection as they refer to the future profits coming back to the people, all the while knowing that their actions are devaluing the dollar and selling our future at a steep discount. There will be no return for the taxpayer from the details of the bailout plan; there will only be another round of bilking American’s out of their wealth through the consequences of this fiscal policy.
In a Republic, the problems start when politicians realize they can curry favor with voters by PROMISING to give them great gifts. What is actually delivered to the public is a poison pill with sugar coating while the politicians end up with a huge pile of loot, power and influence. The sugary coating is designed to wear off sometime after the politician's career is over. The next generation laughs at the folly of those suffering the poison pill yet they eagerly buy the next one. Americans have very short memories and very little education in how to recognize the inevitable consequences of political policies. Therefore, each new generation is ready to be fooled again into thinking they can spend their way to prosperity or be entitled to the productivity of others, or to get something for nothing, or destroy incentives but still get the same productivity as when the incentives were valuable.
There was a time when conservative Republicans stood up against this kind of moral decrepitude. Not anymore. Since Reagan's first term there has not been a GOP leader who stood up against this immoral attack on the American citizens and America's survival. I doubt there ever will be another such GOP leader. Even Ronald Reagan's resolve was diluted by his liberal economic advisors. By his second term I could no longer support him for his immorality against the individual. (I refer to the immorality embodied in his "borrow and spend" approach to growing big government by mortgaging the prosperity of future generations.)
In light of this lack of conservative leadership, I wish McCain supporters could focus on reasons to vote FOR John McCain rather than whipping up fear over Obama. People who support Obama don't buy the hysterical nonsense espoused by the likes of Hannity and they certainly will not watch Hannity's show. I see fear-based politics as a waste of time because it is only preaching to the choir, not converting new voters. Talking heads in the media make no attempt to talk to people who disagree with them; they only promote fear in those who already agree.
I know a lot of people think the 2008 Presidential election is important. I'm not one of them. I've been told that people need to vote with more reason and less emotion by Republicans who were foaming at the mouth in fear of Obama. TV and radio talk show hosts continuously whipping up fear of Obama doesn’t help anyone to be more pragmatic and less emotional.
Who wins this election will be about as important as whom the captains of the space shuttles Challenger or Columbia were. Our nation along with the entire world has entered economic self-destruct mode and both McCain and Obama agree that it is the right thing to do. How can a conservative Republican voice dissent without handing victory to Obama? He or she can vote with purpose and reason rather than letting "party trump person".
In states where Obama will win without question, no conservative should vote for McCain. Your State’s electoral votes go to Obama no matter what you do so you should make more effective use of your vote than just another moot point for McCain. Why? Because using your vote to increase the loser’s tally conveys only one message: "I support McCain’s version of Socialism."
If you oppose Socialism then you can abstain from voting for anyone or you can vote for a 3rd party candidate. Any third party is fine; it makes no difference which particular 3rd party you vote for. Your vote for a 3rd party conveys only one message: "I do not support McCain’s version of Socialism."
I voted for Chuck Baldwin because of Ron Paul’s endorsement. However, I know that voting for Chuck Baldwin, or Bob Barr, or writing in Ron Paul isn't going to change the future we are facing. I have no illusions of staving off this collapse with a mass election revolution. All I'm hoping to get out of this election is a rough count of how many of my fellow Coloradans are against our current course. I've got to know how badly I'm outnumbered as this nightmare unfolds.
That's why I hope supporters of liberty cease their pointless criticisms of aspects of the Constitution party or Chuck Baldwin personally and rally behind Dr. Paul so we can assess our numbers as chaos descends on America. Chuck isn’t going to win so all the debate over his beliefs or weakness is irrelevant. The most important impact a vote can have is to provide information about your support for the direction the party is taking.
I hope that the election results show that true conservatives do not support the GOP and its presidential candidate and that the people with principles will trump the party instead.
-Jahfre Fire Eater
©2008 Jahfre Fire Eater, all rights reserved. You must have written permission from the author in order to republish this work.
Published: Sunday, November 2, 2008
Last modified: Sunday, November 2, 2008
The views expressed in this article are those of Jahfre Fire Eater only and do not represent the views of Nolan Chart, LLC or its affiliates. Jahfre Fire Eater is solely responsible for the contents of this article and is not an employee or otherwise affiliated with Nolan Chart, LLC in his/her role as a columnist.
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Reader Comments:
Posted By: Eric Dondero
Date: 2008-11-03 03:12:18
Voting for Chuck Baldwin or writing in Ron Paul is a truly wasted vote. If you're not going to vote for McCain/Palin, than at the very least vote for Libertarian Bob Barr who has a real shot of getting millions of votes, and sending a signal to Washington for a lot less government. Baldwin is a nobody. The guy was never even elected dog catcher, and here he is running for President. Paul is anti-Military. He's good on domestic issues, but his foreign policy views - surrender to Islamo-Fascism - are absolutely horrendous. Vote for McCain/Palin. But if you choose to vote 3rd party in a very safe Red Republican State, at least vote for a guy who has a chance - Bob Barr!
Posted By: ken
Date: 2008-11-03 05:23:55
All this is coming out as I predicted.
The real story is Libertarians giving Obama the election.
Unfortunately, the right-wing LNC deliberately set out to destroy the affiliates. About half of the state affiliates are non-functional.
Smith is no LP stalwart. her website included calls for universal healthcae re and attacks on ‘libertarian anarchism,’ which is the conservative-LRC codeword for any position they don’t like based on a voluntary approach. badnarik was the same, and helped introduce barr to the party, so all this is suspect.
Barr is doing in polls as well or worse as Badnarik.
Now Barr has done a radio interview where he calls for women to be executed for abortions, including raped children, apparently. Goodbye, LP women.
Libertarians are voting Obama in this election. Many are saying better a weak ally than a traitor who stabs you in the back. Even the Economist is writing about it, though there is total silence on the LP controlled groups and blogs.
Posted By: Jahfre Fire Eater
Date: 2008-11-03 08:05:56
Thanks for your comments.
Eric, You may think my vote is wasted because I didn't use it to support your goals. However, since I used my vote in the most effective way to advance my own priorities, you have no standing to judge if I wasted it or not. You are welcome to your opinion but it is not based in reality. Please read my article, Don't Waste Your Vote, for a full elaboration on why your assessment of the value of my vote is wrong and illogical.
Also, unless you explain exactly what you mean when you say that Bob Barr "has a chance" you simply sound delusional. Your assertion seems to support my on-going theme that the problem with the LP is that its members are irrational and ignorant of the political system and government under which they live. They spout blind faith and irrational assertions as if they can manifest them through pure force of will. Sorry, your faith and passion only work on one person, you. Your feelings and passion are irrelevant to the real world.
Ken, I haven't met any libertarians who are voting for Obama so I can't confirm or deny your assertion. In any case, I doubt Obama can win and I believe anything "the Libertarians" do will be irrelevant to the outcome.
-Jahfre Fire Eater
Posted By: Charles
Date: 2008-11-03 09:58:50
"Jahfre Fire Eater", I've been advocating third party voting for reasons very similar to what you've addressed. I don't believe that the polls are accurate, and I think Senator Obama will win by a large margin (barring voter machine "interference"). What follows are the comments I posted in a local paper's website: It seems to me that the sheer numbers of citizens who support Senator Obama with such dedicated enthusiasm will preclude a Senator McCain victory. I am not alone in this view; even supporters of Senator McCain have angrily or despondently concluded the same aloud or in writing. The bitter denials of other supporters is telling, I think. If we're correct, and Senator McCain is set to lose by a large margin, those of us who aren't voting for Senator Obama may still produce positive results from this election. You may have read my comments regarding the Democratic and Republican Parties. If so, you know that I believe they have repeatedly failed the citizens of this country. The candidates they promote most vigorously during the primaries are those who will "tow the party line" first and serve our country and its citizens second (or third, et cetera). As a result, we are presented with inferior candidates every election. The Democratic Party knows that most Democrats will vote against the Republican Party even when they dislike who the Democratic candidate is. The same holds true for the Republican Party. The Major Parties have little or no incentive to present us with candidates who are the best for our country and its citizens because they know all of this. This state of affairs will persist until we ourselves change it. How many citizens do you think had Senator McCain as their first choice? How many had him as their second? I have the impression he was not your first choice, and these comments are meant for citizens like you. Here's my main point: If I am correct and Senator McCain is set to lose overwhelmingly, voters are, in a sense, freed. Freed from voting for an individual they didn't support in the first place. Their primary motivation - preventing the Democratic candidate from winning - is removed. Unlike the forced motivation they shouldered previously, they may now vote in accordance with their conscience. The side benefit of this is that the Republican Party will see that X number of their previous supporters did not vote for the Republican candidate. If enough of our fellow citizens were to do this, it would send the Republican Party a clear message. Coupled with letters and/or phone calls after the election demanding superior (more Conservative, et cetera) choices, this effort should yield positive results. Hopefully the Party will be more responsive to the needs of their supporters before the next election, and actually promote a candidate who shares the core beliefs of the Party's platform instead of paying lip service to them.
What are your thoughts?
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These were addressed to an individual who considers herself very conservative, but I knew that similarly minded individuals would read it as well. I received some positive feedback, which is heartening.
Best regards,
Charles
Posted By: rakel
Date: 2008-11-04 12:09:00
“Always vote for principle, though you may vote alone , and you may cherish the sweetest reflection that your vote is never lost.” John Quincy Adams