Following the US Presidential Election, the media, on both sides of the Atlantic is rushing to advise the Republicans that they need to change. If I was a Republican, I would wonder why people, who are most definitely not my ally (Fox News being the exception), would be giving me friendly advice - what's in it for them?
Maybe I would also think, okay so we didn't win but did we massively lose? The answer there is clearly no.
I would also look at say the UK and consider the fate of the nominally right of centre Conservative party. They lost elections, badly, to the left leaning, statist Labour party. The advice they received was 'you are seen as being too right wing' and 'you are the nasty party'. So they changed their policies, they moved further to the centre. Much further than many of their traditional supporters liked or wanted but these people still came out and backed them in elections.
The result? The UK has a coalition government that is supposedly led by a centre-right Conservative party. Supposedly? Well yes, look at the agenda of the UK government - 40 years ago that would have been a dream for the socialists and would be unrecognizable to a Conservative from that era. In short, the Conservatives have 'sold their soul' for no real political gain. They are in bed with the Liberal Democrats who know that they are a minority party and know that they always will be and so they act like one, all the time. Their whole policy in government is to push their agenda and frustrate and block any truly Conservative policies.
Recent polls suggest that the Lib Dems have now slipped into fourth place in the UK and are now trailing the anti-EU UKIP party. The platform of UKIP is the most natural territory of the Conservative Party but the ' modernizers' that have David Cameron's ear shy away from showing any courage on Europe and instead think that pussyfooting around and making empty threats is going to impress either our European partners or the UK public.
So, my advice to American Republicans is hold true to your principles and beliefs. Resist the siren calls from the leftist media - their motives at least, are clear. Remember that there is still an incredibly high number of Americans who value free enterprise, pride in country, faith and other Republican values. Remember also, on November 6, 2012, America elected a President that doesn't have a plan, one that is facing the 'fiscal cliff' without a clue how to solve it or address America's fiscal debt and deficit or to define America's role in the world.
If you ditch and run from your principles, simply for supposed electoral gain, on what do you stand?
Maybe I would also think, okay so we didn't win but did we massively lose? The answer there is clearly no.
I would also look at say the UK and consider the fate of the nominally right of centre Conservative party. They lost elections, badly, to the left leaning, statist Labour party. The advice they received was 'you are seen as being too right wing' and 'you are the nasty party'. So they changed their policies, they moved further to the centre. Much further than many of their traditional supporters liked or wanted but these people still came out and backed them in elections.
The result? The UK has a coalition government that is supposedly led by a centre-right Conservative party. Supposedly? Well yes, look at the agenda of the UK government - 40 years ago that would have been a dream for the socialists and would be unrecognizable to a Conservative from that era. In short, the Conservatives have 'sold their soul' for no real political gain. They are in bed with the Liberal Democrats who know that they are a minority party and know that they always will be and so they act like one, all the time. Their whole policy in government is to push their agenda and frustrate and block any truly Conservative policies.
Recent polls suggest that the Lib Dems have now slipped into fourth place in the UK and are now trailing the anti-EU UKIP party. The platform of UKIP is the most natural territory of the Conservative Party but the ' modernizers' that have David Cameron's ear shy away from showing any courage on Europe and instead think that pussyfooting around and making empty threats is going to impress either our European partners or the UK public.
So, my advice to American Republicans is hold true to your principles and beliefs. Resist the siren calls from the leftist media - their motives at least, are clear. Remember that there is still an incredibly high number of Americans who value free enterprise, pride in country, faith and other Republican values. Remember also, on November 6, 2012, America elected a President that doesn't have a plan, one that is facing the 'fiscal cliff' without a clue how to solve it or address America's fiscal debt and deficit or to define America's role in the world.
If you ditch and run from your principles, simply for supposed electoral gain, on what do you stand?
Nial Ferguson presented this year's BBC Reith Lecture and in a roundabout way addressed your point above. I realise that the BBC isn't your favourite media outlet but you can't acuse the BBC of bias by providing this prominent right wing commentator a platform to air his political and economic views.
ReplyDeleteIn his lectures he makes an interesting point that the electorate in advanced economies have become so reliant on government for welfare and employment that they have a vested interest in voting for the left of centre. Why would a governmet official vote for a right wing party that vows to reduce the size of government? Why would someone reliant on welface like someone on a low income wage or on a pension vote they didn't save for vote for a right wing party that advocates reducing government spending and potentially reducing their income.
He also highlights how left wing parties have a more attractive, aspiration brand of policies. Just look at how Obama got Jay-Z to attend his rallies. As he says, it's much cooler to be a socialist gunning for the people than a conservative which espouses more materialistic values.
Ferguson highlights how the younger generation are less likely to vote than the baby boomers but if they were more aware of the profligacy of the current generation, they'd be more likely to vote for right wing parties who are keener to address the debt burden that will be passed to next generation who are too young to have a vote. He calls the intergeneration contract.
Ferguson's solution to this is to revise the way governments publish their accounts. He's believes the current method of government accounting is fraudulent and an overhaul is needed. Instead governments should follow similar accounting principles that commercial organisations are forced to follow (GAAP). This would make government finances more transparent and enable to full extent of government finances to be visible by all.
The consequences of continuing the current path is that the debt burden will eventually cause governments to make drastic cuts at the worst possible moment and potentially lose it's sovereignty as is happening in Greece.
So if you can bear to listen to one of my lot, you'll be sure his views resonate with yours.
Ferguson is right and so, I suppose (and reluctantly) are you, John. Good to hear from you.
DeleteThe so called payroll vote is an important factor as is the idiocy of the young who either don't bother to vote or if they do, vote for the cool, right-on party, which is espousing the more 'liberal' policies.
It's funny though ( and in a bad way) that youth just don't see that the 'adults' of today are writing cheques for them to cash, in the future. If they did they would surely vote right. Maybe though it's that they are looking elsewhere - so abandoning the old economies and moving overseas and so they won't actually have to pick-up the tab. Of course not all will move or have the inclination etc., but the high flyers and graduates are moving and will continue to do so - and they would normally be the biggest contributors, tax-wise.
Oh, and as for the BBC - Nothing I could say could address the mess that they are - they are beyond parody - comment would be cruel and akin to kicking someone when they are down - not a pleasant sight and certainly 'not cricket'. So I will refrain in the hope that the scales will finally fall from peoples' eyes and the TV Tax will be removed.