Are we about to experience a revolutionary renewal of Truth, Justice and the American Way? Or must we now retire our global scepter, and settle in to our new place amongst the pantheon of imperial has-beens? If you’re one of Obama’s hired hands or dedicated followers, it’s obviously the latter. If you’re Mr. Lips, it appears to be the former.
Today, the articles at American Thinker start off with one by Brad Lips that is titled, “Cheer-up, America! The Case for American Optimism.” Mr. Lips is the CEO of the Atlas Economic Research Foundation, and his prescription for what ails the country goes something like this:
How do we get from here to there [“your best days are ahead”]? This will require bold ideas and savvy strategy. Here are a few that I think would make a difference:
- Tax and entitlement reform: Throughout his Presidency, Obama has made it impossible for business owners to predict their future tax liabilities. . .Businesses will hire again when tax rates are set for the long-term. . .Similarly, responsible budget-cutting and entitlement reform will earn a sigh of relief from credit markets.
- Monetary reform that removes the punch bowl from the Fed: Our government has misused its authority over the dollar. It’s supposed to protect that value of the dollar, not debase it to accommodate government over-spending. . .
- Spending caps and setting priorities: Cutting back the federal leviathan will take time and discipline, but we need to begin by setting spending caps, creating sunset dates for all federal programs. . .
[snip]
Slaying the Big Government Goliath will require growing and strengthening the freedom movement’s “army of Davids” — ordinary citizens who are connected to limited government think tanks and advocacy groups — all using the new media to inform the public and mobilize effective political engagement. It’s folly to put faith in a political leader; real change will be driven by changing the incentive structure for politicians across the spectrum. We do that by increasing public pressure for limited-government reforms.
Our early progress towards this end is the single most important reason for optimism.
A majority of Americans are awakening to the notion that there is a battle of ideas to be won, which transcends any particular electoral battle. As we’ve seen, there is reason to believe the defenders of big government are seeing their power structures melt away. If we stay committed at the grassroots and keep developing the sector of civil society, that’s dedicated to limited government principles, the political victories — and a return to the American success story — certainly will follow.
Don’t let this moment of maximum pessimism cloud your vision of the path ahead. Cheer up, America! It’s time to go long on the U.S. of A.
Our best days are ahead of us? “Our early progress. . .”? As long as “we stay committed at the grassroots”? Remain “dedicated to limited government principles”? Then “political victories — and a return to the American success story — certainly will follow”?
Who’s he trying to kid? We’re not in the midst of a political pep rally. And we certainly don’t need another national cheer leading squad. That’s what we got with Obama & Company. Nevertheless, “It’s time to go long on the U.S. of A.”!
Balderdash! Or, if you prefer, substitute some other, more expressive expletive.
What we are experiencing is our greatest national existential crisis since the Civil War. Our problems aren’t just political in nature. They’re also cultural as well as spiritual.
Our system of education – from kindergarten through university – has, to a large extent, been converted into one giant, socialist diversity and political correctness propaganda mill.
Our legal system has been stripped of nearly all its former principled common law restraint. You are no longer a citizen. You are a subject of the American Imperial Legal System. ‘Compliance’, not ‘justice’, is its motto. To paraphrase the Borg, “Don’t you realize? You’ve already been assimilated!”
As a nation, we’ve permitted ourselves to be seduced and corrupted by mammon, self-indulgence and feel good-ism. The object of our admiration and hero worship is moneyed celebrity, that clan of over-paid performers which includes practitioners of the political arts.
We demand to be fed and entertained. “Panem et circenses” was the phrase coined some time back. Good thing the Romans didn’t have 500 cable channels or their empire would probably not have lasted as long as it did. At least they were blessed by the fact that the vast majority still had to work for a living which kept the frequency of riots and demonstrations down to a tolerable level. Even so, there came a time when stepping out for some adventure with the Imperial Legions was no longer what it used to be. Better to stick around for the weekend orgy of one’s sexual preference.
So, who’s going to do all this heavy political lifting and toting that Mr. Lips assures will see us through our dark hours? Mr. Brokaw’s “Greatest Generation” is not all that many years away from extinction. Thus, our generational best days wouldn’t seem to be ahead of us. It’s certainly not the crowd occupying Wall Street.
Et tu?
Ciao,
Dennis