Excellent, though terrifying post, Peter 👍. This is indeed some terrifying stuff. One could use support for the list of demands as a pass/fail intelligence test - support such childish fantasies and you fail the test!
I fear there is no easy solution for such simplemindedness. Our educational system is like a house with a 30 year infestation of termites - looks OK on the surface, but could crumble into dust at any moment. If only our youth could spend a couple of years working on a farm, in a factory or in a branch of the military our country would be better off. Those type of activities tend to inoculate one from the infection of childish thoughts you’ve so clearly outlined. 🤷♂️🤷♂️
Excellent essay, hope isn’t a plan, so informing the ignorant is our best option to stop the BS. We’ve been on a dangerous path for several decades, more and more “ responsibility” has been taken by the federal and some state governments to provide a safety net for so many people. It used to be an embarrassment for people to get government assistance, we called the welfies where I grew up in rural Northern Michigan. Now, there is little to no shame in being a welfie, it’s commonly accepted by the recipients as a “right” . I’m not giving up on capitalism or the American people just yet. But a civil war would not be completely ruled out in imho.
The Army had a saying - "Hope is not a method." Former Army Chief of Staff Gordon Sullivan (my favorite Chief during my 30 years) wrote the book - and it's a great read.
Time, and time again, I bring up what I think is the root of the problem- the education system. From K-12, to the university system, there has been an infiltration of socialists and communists. It didn’t just happen last night. This has been ongoing since the 40’s, then more aggressively the 80’s, with the advent of the Dept of Ed, and now people are just barely starting to wake up to it. I’ve been ringing this bell for at least 20 years. Nobody cares about anything anymore unless it directly affects them. Well, here we are. Is it too late???
DSA takes advantage of the electoral system where a tiny fraction of registered voters turn out to vote in the primary - 21% of registered voters in Mandani's case. Win a bare plurality in the primary and with a (D) behind your name in the general election, you're in. And of course, Dems constructed the election rules to force that outcome in their favor. So to hear the Dem establishment today wailing about this situation - which they designed themselves - I have no words to comfort them.
So what can the rest of us do? Vote. Vote in EVERY election you can. And yes, do your due diligence before you cast that vote - even for dog catcher. Due diligence on local candidates has never been easier - use AI to bring up the biography and positions on every candidate on the ballot. It's not hard to be an informed voter.
Well said Peter. Sadly even my great state of Nebraska, deep red, is not completely immune from this disease. A young friend of mine shared a post about Bernie Sanders and his proposal to confiscate other's wealth and said, "I always believed in you Bernie", or something like that. I think you're exactly right - keep pointing out the insanity of these proposals. And I think us "normal folk" (those of us without a formal platform/ blog/ political office) need to start speaking up as well. Sure, we may be speaking into an echo chamber, but maybe we end up reaching someone who will then continue the thread
Are they on a roll right now, yes. Will it last, no. Reality will eventually set in. The asshat mayor in NYC is already walking back some of his campaign promises, for now. We will see an era where there will be experimental pockets of socialism around the country mostly centered in deep blue urban areas. It will all fail but the damage that occurs will take decades to recover from. Like a previous poster stated, this has been happening for a long time. And I too blame our educational system.
What a wildly ambitious platform without the problematic corresponding need to provide a plan for getting there or any idea of the consequences of accomplishing their goals. The stupidity, arrogance, and lack of critical thinking skills would be comical if they were not deadly serious and experiencing success with the disenchanted.
Excellent, though terrifying post, Peter 👍. This is indeed some terrifying stuff. One could use support for the list of demands as a pass/fail intelligence test - support such childish fantasies and you fail the test!
I fear there is no easy solution for such simplemindedness. Our educational system is like a house with a 30 year infestation of termites - looks OK on the surface, but could crumble into dust at any moment. If only our youth could spend a couple of years working on a farm, in a factory or in a branch of the military our country would be better off. Those type of activities tend to inoculate one from the infection of childish thoughts you’ve so clearly outlined. 🤷♂️🤷♂️
Excellent essay, hope isn’t a plan, so informing the ignorant is our best option to stop the BS. We’ve been on a dangerous path for several decades, more and more “ responsibility” has been taken by the federal and some state governments to provide a safety net for so many people. It used to be an embarrassment for people to get government assistance, we called the welfies where I grew up in rural Northern Michigan. Now, there is little to no shame in being a welfie, it’s commonly accepted by the recipients as a “right” . I’m not giving up on capitalism or the American people just yet. But a civil war would not be completely ruled out in imho.
The Army had a saying - "Hope is not a method." Former Army Chief of Staff Gordon Sullivan (my favorite Chief during my 30 years) wrote the book - and it's a great read.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/076790060X?lv=shuf&channelId=520&plpRedirect=mhFallback
Thanks!
Time, and time again, I bring up what I think is the root of the problem- the education system. From K-12, to the university system, there has been an infiltration of socialists and communists. It didn’t just happen last night. This has been ongoing since the 40’s, then more aggressively the 80’s, with the advent of the Dept of Ed, and now people are just barely starting to wake up to it. I’ve been ringing this bell for at least 20 years. Nobody cares about anything anymore unless it directly affects them. Well, here we are. Is it too late???
DSA takes advantage of the electoral system where a tiny fraction of registered voters turn out to vote in the primary - 21% of registered voters in Mandani's case. Win a bare plurality in the primary and with a (D) behind your name in the general election, you're in. And of course, Dems constructed the election rules to force that outcome in their favor. So to hear the Dem establishment today wailing about this situation - which they designed themselves - I have no words to comfort them.
So what can the rest of us do? Vote. Vote in EVERY election you can. And yes, do your due diligence before you cast that vote - even for dog catcher. Due diligence on local candidates has never been easier - use AI to bring up the biography and positions on every candidate on the ballot. It's not hard to be an informed voter.
Well said Peter. Sadly even my great state of Nebraska, deep red, is not completely immune from this disease. A young friend of mine shared a post about Bernie Sanders and his proposal to confiscate other's wealth and said, "I always believed in you Bernie", or something like that. I think you're exactly right - keep pointing out the insanity of these proposals. And I think us "normal folk" (those of us without a formal platform/ blog/ political office) need to start speaking up as well. Sure, we may be speaking into an echo chamber, but maybe we end up reaching someone who will then continue the thread
A slow rolling disaster that is picking up speed.
The useful idiots are always the downfall. They don’t understand the reflection in the mirror.
Are they on a roll right now, yes. Will it last, no. Reality will eventually set in. The asshat mayor in NYC is already walking back some of his campaign promises, for now. We will see an era where there will be experimental pockets of socialism around the country mostly centered in deep blue urban areas. It will all fail but the damage that occurs will take decades to recover from. Like a previous poster stated, this has been happening for a long time. And I too blame our educational system.
What a wildly ambitious platform without the problematic corresponding need to provide a plan for getting there or any idea of the consequences of accomplishing their goals. The stupidity, arrogance, and lack of critical thinking skills would be comical if they were not deadly serious and experiencing success with the disenchanted.
Other People's Money!
This is a one case where the love is for...other people's money!!!!