We are a nation with two major political parties. It is wired into the system, into our culture and into the laws. And one of the parties is doomed. It is the perfect time for a sound, rational, mature Libertarian party to rise up and replace the GOP. But I don't see how that could ever work. Karl Marx wrote about taking from those of ability to give to those in need. What I've seen is that the our two parties differ in the idea of providing support 'to those in need.' The Democrats are very big on support and the GOP says, "Me too... but not so much." For the GOP that has proven to be a losing position. You can't out spend the big spending progressives. The democrats are very comfortable with big government, and the GOP has, again, just said, "But not quite THAT big." The progressives have been playing identity politics. It isn't anything new. They pulled it, as well, from Karl Marx whose factionalized politics began with his class warfare. Progressives just modified it to make racial and gender discrimination a built-in part of politics. They expanded it with the Cultural Marxism that drives identity politics. Now, suddenly, the GOP raises its head and sees that Hispanics might vote en-bloc and make it impossible for the GOP to win future contests. The demographics have changed and the GOP is startled and scared. Well, they shouldn't have tried to play identity politics. It is just another, "Me too, but not so much" position and again, a losing position. When they try to play identity politics, they sanction that as the standard for political organizing. The GOP hasn't learned. They are now scrambling around saying we need to change who we are so we will be more attractive to the different racial, ethnic, and gender groups - like they scrambled around saying that they too cared about the needy. Wrong! You can't out do progressives in identity politics. It is another losing approach. Now, with the GOP's conservative base shattered by failing to share a common principle, the party finds itself in orbit around a demagogic appeal for populism and nationalism and pragmatism - but without shedding the losing positions of "Me too" support for the needy and "Me too" support for identity politics. The GOP finds itself supporting a welfare state (but not too big), that organizes along identity political lines (but not too much), and trumpets (pun intended) a populist nationalism. This is the joining of three losing approaches. There is only one game plan that permits a win against progressives: 1. Expose the lies, and the hidden, underlying goals and ends. They are making gains the same way a con-man makes gains.... by fooling the marks. 2. Define the war as individual liberty versus government control. Stand for individuals having the right to make their own choices, which means a free market which is capitalism (which requires small government, small taxes, and an end to the regulatory state). Those must be at the core of the approach and they have to be fought for explicitly and passionately. 3. Take the moral high ground. We, the individuals, hold our individual rights as unalienable moral rights. The only just powers that governments have are those that are required to defend individual rights. Any other power is a form of unjust government aggression. The progressives "social justice" is a sham used to confuse while consolidating unjust and centralized power. Redistribution is theft disguised as 'doing good'. Individuals have a complete and total right to pursue their own happiness and are an end in themselves. ---------- Even if Trump were to follow through on a massive reduction in taxes and regulations, to drain the swamp of corruption, and appoint great Supreme Court justices, historically, it would only be a short delay in the progressives march towards a full implementation of socialism. Trump's presidency will come to an end, and successful or not, it will have been about him and not rational principles that are embodied in a political party and thus continue after him. When Trump leaves office the progressives will have moved at least 4 years farther into the young voters fresh from PC universities and with candidates that are not the flawed Hillary. The only cure is an education of the population of the elements of that game plan. (Edited by Steve Wolfer on 11/10, 3:45pm)
| 
