The Headwind Against Conservatism (Part 2)

Politics in America boils down to a battle of ideology between the two major political parties, with injection of new ideas coming from the adjacent smaller political parties. Success depends in large part on the marketing strategies of the parties and their leaders.

As a long-time political observer, I have noted many ways in which the conservative movement struggles to gain speed against a strong headwind of superficial platitudes blowing out of the liberal/progressive side.

Please see Part 1 of this series for a longer intro and the first portion of the list.

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Here’s the 2nd portion of my list:

11. It’s easy for liberals to claim the 2007 crash was caused by “fat cat” Wall Street bankers and lax government regulations. It’s harder for conservatives to explain the root cause traces clear back to Carter’s Community Reinvestment Act, Clinton’s re-charter of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, and the boom in gov’t-encouraged subprime mortgages.

12. It’s easy for liberals to claim government employee labor unions are necessary in America. It’s harder for conservatives to explain the moral depravity behind the practice of collectively bargaining with transitory politicians, then striking against the permanently-captive taxpayers.

13. It’s easy for liberals to entice young adults with their ideology while they’re fresh and unscathed by real life. It’s harder for conservatives to explain that life isn’t a perpetual ice cream cone – that life has vegetables to eat and nasty medicine to swallow too.

14. It’s easy for liberals to claim the Constitution is outdated and must become a living Constitution through judicial re-interpretation. It’s harder for conservatives to explain the Constitution is a contract between citizens and government, intended to stabilize the law and the marketplace.

15. It’s easy for liberals to denigrate conservatives as “clinging to their guns and religion”. It’s harder for conservatives to explain that the rights to bear arms and to worship within a stationary framework of morality are our defense against collectivists who want to “cling” to our paychecks and follow whatever relative morality is the latest fad.

16. It’s easy for liberals to advocate high taxation and spending on improving the general welfare to “prime the pump.” It’s harder for conservatives to explain what greater benefit those same dollars could have achieved if they’d been left to fuel the private economy.

17. It’s easy for liberals to promise “freedom from want.” It’s harder for conservatives to explain that FDR’s “Economic Bill of Rights” was a radical departure from the Founder’s intent in the Constitution.

18. It’s easy for liberals to promise endless entitlement benefits for an ever-growing percentage of Americans. It’s harder for conservatives to explain it’s made possible only by exploding deficits and debt, as we’re selfishly spending our own children’s & grandchildren’s chance at prosperity.

19. It’s easy for liberals to tout well-meaning but ill-thought-out solutions for every societal complaint. It’s harder for conservatives to remind folks the road to hell was paved with good intentions, and we must anticipate the unintended consequences of the 2nd through 5th dominoes too.

20. It’s easy for liberals to claim that subsidy programs like ethanol are good for the economy and the environment. It’s harder for conservatives to explain that corn subsidies disrupt both the energy and food markets, and produce more pollution than that prevented.

21. It’s easy for liberals to market the appeal of their permissive culture. It’s harder for conservatives to explain the long-term demographic benefits of a more principled way of life based on a traditional code of morality and spirituality.

22. It’s easy for liberals to promise they have the best intentions and the best plans to fundamentally transform America. It’s harder for conservatives to explain that the principles of Separation of Powers, and Consent of the Governed are dangerous to ignore if preservation of liberty is the goal.

23. It’s easy for liberals to say “Yes We Can” … instantly gratify you. It’s harder for conservatives to say “No We Can’t” … afford it right now.

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I invite you to pick one or two that stand out in your mind, and leave a comment. If there are any that aren’t clear, let me know and I will clarify using a few more words. For those you agree with, do you have an example or a strategy to share? Or if you have one I didn’t think of, please submit it using the same template: “It’s easy for liberals to…. It’s harder for conservatives to….”

I have more than 40 in all. I will share another set in Part 3.

(photo credit)