Using language

If you're a liberal, socialist or communist you don't need to read this.  You already know what I am about to say.  You do this all the time.

This message is for conservatives.

We conservatives need to start using language more effectively. 

Consider.  What does the word progressive denote?  Let's skip the dictionary definition.  In political parlance this means someone of the left.  The left has taken a positive word and made it their own.  So policies that increase the encroachment of the state into our lives are said to be progressive.  Policies that infringe more and more on the liberties of people are promoted by progressives.  And, if you oppose such a policy, then you are a reactionary.  You are not forward thinking, you are a throwback to the bad old times.  You don't want the state reading all of your e-mails and listening to your calls?  What have you got to hide?  The state has to do this because the state is your sole protector!

Consider also.  What is a racist?  Or perhaps more accurately, what makes someone eligible to be called a racist? 

Today, you are a racist if you are white and are non-Muslim and you dare to question anyone who isn't white or Muslim.  You are racist if you say that the abomination that is female genital mutilation, which is widely practised in some countries, is wrong.  You are a racist because those countries happen to be Muslim. 

You are a racist if you say that Obamacare is a disaster because its chief architect happens to be non-white.  You might not mention Obama's colour when disparaging Obamacare.  You might try and be clever and restrict your comments to the shortcomings of the internet sign-up process but that won't save you! 

You are racist if you dare to question why the organs of the federal state descend upon Cliven Bundy's Nevada ranch, armed to the teeth, over an unpaid tax bill of $1M but let the hate-monger Al Sharpton prowl the networks spouting his anti-white bile, while owing the IRS somewhere north of $1.7M.

Leftists and liberals close down arguments by throwing labels at  people, watching them stick and then refusing to debate with a racist or a homophobe or a misogynist  or whatever.  In the UK and in the USA, you are a racist if you want to even try and talk about immigration.  Somehow great swathes of the population, who have legitimate concerns, are labeled racists and, quite naturally shrink back from the debate because, who wants to be called a racist?

Who wants to be associated with the Klu Klux Klan or the Nazi party both of which pushed truly racist - as in racial purity type - policies.  Interestingly, the KKK were established by the Democrats (party of the left) in the USA and the name Nazi comes from National Socialists, also of the left!

While we are in a historic moment, think also about how galling it must be for American Republicans to be lectured on racism and called racists by Democrats.  The emancipation of slaves in America,  came about because of a Republican President with the support of the Republican party and against the overwhelming and unanimous opposition of the Democrat party!

I could go on citing numerous examples of where the left ignores its historical association with failed and wrong policies and now takes the moral high ground but that isn't the purpose of this post.

I think it is time that we started 'flipping' the words and change the terms of debate. 

So for example,  anyone that promotes stifling debate on immigration - inflows in the UK and amnesty in the USA, is called a reactionary and a racist and is someone that wants to push a reactionary and racist policy.  Anyone that wants to talk about these issues is progressive.  They want to be seen as thinking of the future.

Low taxes and smallest possible  government - that is progressive!  Ever higher state involvement in all aspects of life? That is regressive and illiberal! 

I hope you get my drift. 

From now on, please start throwing those labels right back at the left.  Al Sharpton, Jesse Jackson, President Obama, Jay Carney, the Democrat Party or CAIR in the USA and the Labour party, the BBC, UNITE union, the EU and the Lib Dems  in the UK - all rabid racists.  Reactionaries, every single one of them. 
 
In the 'twittersphere' one see lots of tweets from American conservatives concerned at Obama's attack on the 2nd Amendment (right to bear arms).  Some have already got my message.  They post pictures of weapons and to the statement - 'ban guns' - the response is 'it's because I'm black, isn't it!'   I just love how banning guns can be shown to be racist!  More please.


 

America's problem

More accurately, the problem with conservatives in America.

As a Brit looking in from the outside, it seems to me that America is on a dangerous path and the fault really lies with American conservatives.

I don't blame President Obama and his socialist fellow travelers - Pelosi, Clinton, Biden, Reid, Blasio, etc. - they are only following the agenda that all socialists follow.  Their programme is running according to schedule and form.  Students of post-WWII European history will see the familiar pattern of subversion from within.  Take over educational/teacher training colleges, promote public service (sic) unionization, push minority issues even against the overwhelming wishes of the majority, promote policies that facilitate the breakdown of 'traditional' families and values, make previously abnormal behaviour the new norm and over-favour such, over-arching this, push the 'state' into every nook and cranny of daily life with either some kind of welfare or regulation or law.

So, why blame the American Right?  Well frankly because of the lack of focus.

Look at the recent shenanigans around the US budget.  The deal that was worked out - a bi-partisan solution, we are told - sees an infinitesimally  small reduction in overall spending but some of this falls on military veterans.  To my mind this breaks a covenant that the US has had with its service personnel - you go and fight for us and we will take care of you.  So we have Republican presidential hopeful (surely not still?) Rep. Paul Ryan, assisted by Republican Speaker John Boehner, pushing a bill that punishes military retirees.  Think back 30 years or so and consider if any sordid backroom deal, whose members included Republicans, would have had this as part of the package. 

Frankly speaking, the Democrats really don't need to push their agenda too aggressively, when their supposed opponents do such a good job on their behalf.  And why do Ryan, Boehner et al do the Democrats job for them?  Because they do not serve America, in spite of their oaths.  They serve themselves.  It is all about re-election and accumulating personal power and wealth.

WARNING TO REPUBLICANS - In any Bi-Partisan agreement you and your supporters (and your country) are being fooled.  Bi-Partisanship is part of the process by which the socialists incrementally achieve their goals.  They use this to move the discussion in their desired direction and keep on doing so.  When you meet someone 'half-way' on something, then they are closer to their goal and you further from yours!

Think about the recent government shutdown - who won that?  The Democrats did.  Obama didn't give an inch and the Republicans folded.  In saying Republicans I refer to the elected Republicans.  I don't believe that Republicans in the country supported Boehner's capitulation nor do they support Ryan's shabby 'deal'.

So back to focus.

What are the 'hot' issues for Republicans, just now?  Phil Robertson, of Duck Dynasty fame, is certainly up there and the homosexual lobby have taken a knock back on this one but they and their bigoted types, will be back!  Hillary Clinton's abdication of responsibility for the deaths of 4 Americans in Benghazi, is there as well.  Obamacare, with its almost daily new failures, is the gift that keeps on giving (consider that more people lost insurance coverage on 1/1/14 than managed to get the more expensive Obamacare cover and you will see what I mean).

What doesn't seem to be hot?  How about, the economy?  As in jobs, as in money in people's pockets.  How is this not the issue that unites the American 'right' and provides the single focus on which the 'right' can campaign?  $ Billions have been pumped into the economy but unemployment remains high.  Those 'shovel ready' projects weren't as 'shovel ready' as people were led to believe.

In my darker, conspiracy-theory moments, I keep wondering if the Obama administration isn't quite pleased that they have these different mini 'scandals' going on as the opposition is spread thin and their inept handling of these issues and the economy is masked because the 'fire' from Republicans is not concentrated.

So, to borrow the phrase from Bill Clinton, 'it's the economy, stupid!'  Republicans shouldn't allow themselves to get side-tracked by these other issues - yes, I do know they are important but if Republicans don't get the numbers elected to Congress then all of the commentary and tweeting and rallies will not change things, one bit.

At the same time, Republicans need to hold candidates to account and select and elect real Republicans.  

Real Republicans?  So no RINOs (Republicans in name only).    From my perspective, those of the Tea Party persuasion most closely fit the bill.  Candidates that understand that you cannot treat with leftist Democrats.  That understand that the political spectrum must be shifted significantly to the right, just  in order to recover the advances that have been made by the socialists in recent years.

I am afraid that I include the G.W Bush era in the left-sliding times.  Former President Bush was 'right' on foreign issues but was not focused enough on US domestic issues and so allowed the leftist slide, that started under his father and accelerated under Clinton, to continue. 

So my message for American conservatives is focus on a single issue that affects all Americans - the economy - don't follow the path taken by the UK Conservatives where pandering to minority groups, in an effort to appear more 'reasonable' has led them to promote same-sex marriage and continue to allow the 'state' to grow and to be dictated to by unelected European Commissioners (or commissars, is perhaps more accurate).

Remember, once the true 'right' have power, then you can pursue the impeachment of Obama and the imprisonment of Hillary Clinton and Eric Holder and the repeal of the hated Obamacare, until then the single most important task on which to focus, is getting the right people, selected and then elected.