“Visionary leaders” have arisen at tumultuous times in nations’ histories, each leader sensing opportunity in the crisis of the day. Many of these leaders blamed capitalists for creating class conflict. The leaders then strengthened conflict in order to fuel demand for change. To achieve that change, the visionary ones deemphasized the individual and promoted the “common good,” imposed social and economic restructuring, suppressed opposition and criticism, and forced industry into partnership with government.
Fascism. In its brutal forms, think Hitler, Mussolini, and Islamofascist states such as Syria and Iran. Think Woodrow Wilson and FDR for examples of gentler forms which nevertheless had many of the same devastating effects.
Throughout the rise of even the mildest forms of fascism, we find common traits.
University professors and career politicians, both clueless to the profit engine that drives the world, preach from insular capsules. Professors enjoy tenured protection, while politicians are afforded protective cocoons time after time by bamboozled electorates. These elites seal themselves in anti-reality incubators with fellow theorists, supremely disconnected from truth, and imagining humanity not as humanity is, but as they wish it to be.
“Progressive” politicians of generation after generation pretend that they can determine what’s best for everyone in order to bring about some sort of divine collective state. Picture a celestial plane where everyone is safe, where no one need take responsibility for anything. Caretakers see to all needs. This has become the theme of liberalism. Classic liberalism has evaporated, its domain annexed by many of today’s conservatives and libertarians.
The current American liberal’s worldview holds that industry’s movers and shakers have mostly hurt people. From top echelons on down, enlightened ones look on the spirit of the producer-earner as a curse on society, as though the profit machine’s only effect is to stage a never-ending marathon of selfishness in which “less fortunates” are “unfairly” “left out” and made to feel “less-than.” The less fortunates struggle in frustration to match the intensity, initiative, and intelligence of the hated “more fortunates.” The liberal remedy? Outlaw achievers. Outlaw achievement. Benign mediocrity must reign. Inside the minds of equality zealots ricochets a persistent whine: “It’s not fair for some people to be kept from all the achieving and made to feel bad.”
The equalizers tell coddled subclasses that as “victims,” they can’t succeed without government help. But government help paralyzes initiative. Purveyors of “fairness” slobber uncontrollably, flaunting ginned-up tears and patronizing platitudes, telling themselves that they represent the common good, the public welfare. Sadly, in addition to fooling fellow incurable liberals, these tactics fool the victims whom they target. And enlightened by minuscule practical experience, the equalizers stay clueless as to how to provide practical solutions to solvable problems.
The “victims” fall for the saviors’ overdone humanitarianism, while clearer thinkers know that the sugar daddies and mommies are mere swindlers. Clear thinkers recognize that the do-gooders act not out of kindness-of-heart, but out of self-interest to win the one reward so desperately sought—the almighty feel-good.
Such is the world which progressivism shapes. As British economist John Maynard Keynes said, “In the long run, we are all dead.” Finding feel-good right now, in the current moment, energizes “progressive thinkers.” Condemning “victims” to perpetual victimhood is of little consequence to narcissists.
When clear thinkers point out government interventions’ toxic effects, progressives react with intolerance. Unruly puppets of evil capitalists must not be allowed to challenge progressive wonderfulness. Such insubordination would mess up everything. Under liberalism, there is the constant threat of fairness doctrines, belittlement of opposition by complicit media, and smug political commentary aimed at dismissing said opposition.
When roles are reversed and progressives come under political attack, “intellectuals” comprise the first group to whine and support fellow lefties’ whines. Excited progressives personally attack and acidly label anyone criticizing fellow progressives. Arrogant sages stand in approval of elitist comrades, do-gooders, and public welfare peddlers who spew acid at anyone opposing welfare’s huge spending requirements. Noble cowards snuggle up to like-minded cowards and denigrate the achievers that power the machinery that powers the nation.
There is at least one major threat to the liberal agenda: outrage from workers who wake up and notice long-suppressed realities, buried self-reliance, and an anesthetized sense of accountability for actions and decisions. Tea partiers and other everyday Americans are increasingly expressing outrage against destructive government, against out-of-control plunder and waste of multigenerational wealth. The stench of fear is increasingly leaping from the mouths and fingertips of staunch liberals, manifested in shrill cries from “reporters,” stinking up the media and flavoring the bellyaching of politicians who accuse citizens of “extremism” for voicing mainstream concerns. The fear is eating away at the fascists who now sense a weakening ability to keep the people in line.
Common folk are calmly gathering and being belittled for doing so. Many Americans are wondering how far behind forced suppression and perhaps even violence can be.
Meanwhile, liberal establisment pseudo-intellectuals would never act so crudely as to criticize taxation, wealth redistribution, and general social engineering. Years of liberal-controlled education have bred out every ounce of desire to behave in so bourgeoisie a fashion. Everyday people may eventually see through the progressive hooey, but fascists will always be able to count on “intellectuals.”
Today’s dreamers wear their business ineptness as a badge of honor—acting as though it confers moral and intellectual superiority. The pure ones, untainted by the dirtiness of profit-making, tell high achievers that they should feel noble in working themselves silly to produce profits which rescue less fortunates who are more deserving for having produced no profit.
Carried to fruition, Barack Obama’s policies will terminally burden business, make government the business of America, and bring inevitable economic ruin—a ruin from which recovery would require decades. But such unpleasantness is probably nothing more than a mean-spirited rant from minds that go off half-cocked, paying attention to facts, data, evidence, history.
