Progressives Triumphant

 

Powerline blog is posting about the IRS whistleblower that raises concerns about DOJ interference in the Hunter Biden investigation. That story is well-known to Ricochet readers. What I want to highlight is  Scott Johnson’s comment:

It’s obvious what is going on here. It’s so obvious that they are rubbing our noses in it.

Think about that a moment. In a democratic republic where power ebbs and flows, why would the people in charge act this way? The only answer I can come up with is that they do not fear that they (or their protectors) can be voted out of power and held accountable for misfeasance.

Why do they not fear? Two alternatives come to mind: (1) the voters like what they are doing or are at least indifferent to it, or (2) they have arranged things so there can be no meaningful threat to their power.

If you don’t like what they are doing, then you have to take this triumphant mindset into account if you are going to combat it. And don’t suppose that they haven’t anticipated the combat.

How many of you have thought that it would be great to have a powerful but peaceful demonstration but thought better of it after the January 6 arrests/prosecutions? How many of you would like a smaller demonstration but fear you would be called “alt-right”? How many of you would like to be more vocal on multiple social media platforms but fear you might be “canceled,” be audited by the IRS, or investigated by the FBI? How many wonder if contributions you have made to defense funds, conservatives in need, or political action groups have ended you up on some secret “domestic terrorist” sympathizer database?

We are all vulnerable. The national compact has been broken between citizen and government.

“If you will not fight for the right when you can easily win without bloodshed; if you will not fight when your victory will be sure and not too costly; you may come to the moment when you will have to fight with all the odds against you and only a precarious chance of survival. There may even be a worse case. You may have to fight when there is no hope of victory, because it is better to perish than to live as slaves.” — Winston S. Churchill, The Gathering Storm (The Second World War, #1)

Published in General
This post was promoted to the Main Feed by a Ricochet Editor at the recommendation of Ricochet members. Like this post? Want to comment? Join Ricochet’s community of conservatives and be part of the conversation. Join Ricochet for Free.

There are 9 comments.

Become a member to join the conversation. Or sign in if you're already a member.
  1. Jerry Giordano (Arizona Patriot) Member
    Jerry Giordano (Arizona Patriot)
    @ArizonaPatriot

    I used to like that Churchill quote.

    It is completely contrary to Christian teaching, though.  It’s an alternative, pagan religion.

    • #1
  2. Seawriter Contributor
    Seawriter
    @Seawriter

    Jerry Giordano (Arizona Patrio… (View Comment):

    I used to like that Churchill quote.

    It is completely contrary to Christian teaching, though. It’s an alternative, pagan religion.

    There is nothing in that quote contrary to Orthodox Christian theology. Several Orthodox saints are military leaders who fought to preserve Christianity. This includes the Emperor Constantine.

    • #2
  3. Susan Quinn Contributor
    Susan Quinn
    @SusanQuinn

    I love the quote. It perfectly describes the situation in which we find ourselves. Are we too risk averse? Do we fear for ourselves and our families? Somehow we need to overcome our own resistance and fear and fight for what is right!

    • #3
  4. Rodin Member
    Rodin
    @Rodin

    Seawriter (View Comment):

    Jerry Giordano (Arizona Patrio… (View Comment):

    I used to like that Churchill quote.

    It is completely contrary to Christian teaching, though. It’s an alternative, pagan religion.

    There is nothing in that quote contrary to Orthodox Christian theology. Several Orthodox saints are military leaders who fought to preserve Christianity. This includes the Emperor Constantine.

    What @seawriter said. 

    • #4
  5. Susan Quinn Contributor
    Susan Quinn
    @SusanQuinn

    I also meant to address the two choices you gave us for reasons the Left isn’t afraid. Why should they be? is my answer to #2.

    • #5
  6. Al Sparks Coolidge
    Al Sparks
    @AlSparks

    Rodin:

    Think about that a moment. In a democratic republic where power ebbs and flows, why would the people in charge act this way? The only answer I can come up with is that they do not fear that they (or their protectors) can be voted out of power and held accountable for misfeasance.

    Why do they not fear? Two alternatives come to mind: (1) the voters like what they are doing or are at least indifferent to it, or (2) they have arranged things so there can be no meaningful threat to their power.

    It’s probably more nuanced than that.  They have always been willing to break the law for Democrats than with Republicans.  Before Nixon became president, the IRS did some minor harrasment of him subjecting him to audits.  It was under the Kennedy and Johnson Administrations.  When Nixon became president, he attempted to use the IRS in a similar way, but they balked.

    Republicans are the party of limited government.  Maybe not as limited as we’d like, but there it is.  So federal employees know that even if they don’t get cut, it means that there won’t be as many promotions while Republicans are in power.  They won’t do them any favors.

    As for the present situation, perhaps they do fear the Republicans rather than just resent them.  Maybe they believe their own hyperbole.

    Rodin: How many of you have thought that it would be great to have a powerful but peaceful demonstration but thought better of it after the January 6 arrests/prosecutions? How many of you would like a smaller demonstration but fear you would be called “alt-right”? How many of you would like to be more vocal on multiple social media platforms but fear you might be “canceled,” be audited by the IRS, or investigated by the FBI? How many wonder if contributions you have made to defense funds, conservatives in need, or political action groups have ended you up on some secret “domestic terrorist” sympathizer database?

    I personally have never held a sign or attended a protest.  I don’t believe they are all that effective and a waste of time.  As for my social media posts, I do limit my political posting to right of center sites.  But it’s mostly becasuse with generic Facebook, which is really all I’m on, my Facebook friends aren’t interested in politics.  I did use to post politics there, but I could tell no one there is interested.  So why burden them with it?  Life is more than just politics, and there should be politics free zones in one’s life.

    • #6
  7. Unsk Member
    Unsk
    @Unsk

    Great Post.

    We are quickly slipping into a Police State, with few of us even seeming to care.

    The Totalitarian/Neo-Communist DeepState/Globalist Democrats no longer fear being exposed  because they believe they control all the levers of  power sufficiently to complete the overthrow of our Constitutional Republic and yes they are rubbing our noses in it. 

    • #7
  8. Red Herring Coolidge
    Red Herring
    @EHerring

    Jerry Giordano (Arizona Patrio… (View Comment):

    I used to like that Churchill quote.

    It is completely contrary to Christian teaching, though. It’s an alternative, pagan religion.

    It isn’t contrary to our Biblical values. The Bible is full of people fighting for a better life. All those who died in our revolutionary and civil wars were fighting for our values. Ditto WWI/II. 

    • #8
  9. The Reticulator Member
    The Reticulator
    @TheReticulator

    Red Herring (View Comment):

    Jerry Giordano (Arizona Patrio… (View Comment):

    I used to like that Churchill quote.

    It is completely contrary to Christian teaching, though. It’s an alternative, pagan religion.

    It isn’t contrary to our Biblical values. The Bible is full of people fighting for a better life. All those who died in our revolutionary and civil wars were fighting for our values. Ditto WWI/II.

    I’m not sure what Jerry had in mind with that statement, but I’m pretty sure the guy who supports Putin’s violent war against innocent people isn’t arguing in favor of some sort of biblical-based pacifism.

    • #9
Become a member to join the conversation. Or sign in if you're already a member.