The Moderating Effects of Ideology

 

Our founding fathers did not seek independence from their English overlords because they viewed themselves as radicals intent on destroying an unjust system of English oppression. No, our founding fathers viewed themselves as Englishmen, who were not being treated as true Englishmen, with property rights, a say in their governance, a system of laws and not men, and other English principles going back to the Magna Carta. And they had a point.

Martin Luther King Jr. was not a radical seeking to destroy an unjust system of American oppressive culture. No, he viewed American blacks as an important part of American culture, who were not being treated as the true American citizens that they are. And he had a point.

Modern American conservatives do not see themselves as radicals who seek to destroy the increasing control of leftism over centralized control structures in American government. No, they admire the American system of government, and seek only to return it to its underlying principles. And they have a point.

I’m mystified by my leftist friends who fear conservatives in positions of power. I wonder what they think might happen? What do they consider to be the motivations of American conservatives? Think of the evil conservative thoughts that must control their evil conservative minds: “Ha Ha! Once you allow us to get into power, we will … leave you alone!!! Ha Ha Haaaa!” * evil music plays in the background *

The recent viciousness of the politics of the Democrat party have led even the traditionally, and understandably, polite and laisse-faire Republican party to elect an aggressive firebrand like Donald Trump to the presidency over the more typical Scott Walker or Jeb Bush.

But still, the underlying ideology of the Republican party is based on the founding concepts of America – the rule of law, property rights, individual liberty, limited government, and so on. You may not agree with that ideology, but there is an ideology there. And when Republicans gain power, they make an effort (usually, pretty much) to work toward their ideological goals.

Because of this, when Republicans run for office, they are somewhat constrained by their ultimate goals. Their voters are voting for an idea, not necessarily that particular officeholder. So Republican politicians are typically more restrained in their rhetoric, and less dependent on a cult of personality than their Democrat counterparts.

It makes no sense to use violence or deception to give people more of their rights back to them, thus limiting the power of the politician that just won the election. So Republican politicians are naturally more restrained in their approach to politics. Ben Sasse is different from AOC. Makes sense.

Here is the part that bothers me:

I look at various representatives of the Democrat party. Such as CNN, gay/transsexual activists, The New York Times, Black Lives Matter, unions, Antifa, environmentalists, Marxists, the educational establishment, the Democrat party itself, and so on and so forth. I attempt to discern an overriding ideology to their various messages.

Good luck.

The only overriding ideology I can find is the quest for power. Cold, bloody, power. Help us achieve control, and you’ll get a seat at the table of power. Unionized Harley-riding deer hunters don’t have to agree with lesbian environmentalists. Their ultimate goals are irrelevant. This is not about ideology. It’s about power. They can work together, to achieve control.

They’ll work out the details later.

The reason this bothers me so much, is that without an underlying ideology, what limits are there on your behavior? If your only motivation is power, and your only ethic is the destruction of your enemies, that what will you not do to achieve power?

You attack your enemy at their weak points. You attack their families. Chase them out of restaurants. Publicly ridicule their children. Kick them out of colleges.

Meanwhile, you protect your flanks from attacks by hiding behind helpless children as your representatives. Or using slogans that cannot be questioned, like “Black Lives Matter,” or “Antifa” (Anti-fascism).

You have no interest in treating your opposition with respect and dignity. You have no interest in representing your point of view honestly and openly. You have no interest in debating policy or ideology.

You have no interest in anything but power.

So what will you not do? And when will you stop doing it? Where are your limits? Robespierre and residents of Portland are unsure.

And once you achieve power, what will you not do then? What are the limits on your behavior? What ideology or ethic must you consider when conducting your day to day business?

There is a big difference between Martin Luther King’s civil rights protests of the 1960s and the Black Lives Matter protests today. And that difference is ideology. Rev. King believed in something. He believed in his God, and he believed in his country. And thus, there were limits on his behavior.

The Black Lives Matter movement seems to believe in nothing, other than taking whatever they can get from whoever they can steal from. Thus, their behavior is less restrained. It’s all about power. Their symbol is the raised fist. They mean it. And that’s all they mean. It’s about power.

How can the more ideological, and thus more restrained, Republican party effectively combat the advances of less restrained leftists?

I never thought I’d say this, but thank God for Donald Trump.

These are strange times.


“The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing.” – Edmund Burke


“Don’t just do something – stand there.” – Calvin Coolidge and others


“We’re screwed.” – Dr. Bastiat


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  1. Percival Thatcher
    Percival
    @Percival

    Stad (View Comment):

    Hang On (View Comment):
    That ideology is of positive rights. Conservative ideology is of negative rights.

    You mean rights “of the government”, correct?

    They expressed the Bill of Rights in negative terms. “Congress shall pass no law …” The idea was to keep them where they belong; out of everybody’s business. 

    • #31
  2. Henry Castaigne Member
    Henry Castaigne
    @HenryCastaigne

    EODmom (View Comment):
    It mystifies me why so many otherwise intelligent people are so reluctant to accept this clearly presented quest at face value. They rationalize something that is determined to do them absolute harm and pretend they don’t really mean it. They mean it. They want to eliminate the American way of life, all it has accomplished and all evidence that it ever existed. As readily and as viciously as the Taliban eradicated Buddhist, Greek and Christian sculptures. They mean it. 

    These are the same people who lump all of Christianity with the Spanish Inquisition and people selling oil on t.v. They don’t understand that humans are the source of evil and bigotry. According to them, you get rid of traditions then human evil will go away. It could be capitalism or religion or the nuclear family but once we get rid of all those pesky traditions, everything will be great. There is something corrupt in the human heart that loves this because we keep on going back to it. 

    • #32
  3. Charlotte Member
    Charlotte
    @Charlotte

    Kephalithos (View Comment):

    I hear a lot of squishy-middle-left people saying things like, “Well, I don’t like wokeness either, but the real threat is white nationalism!” and it mystifies me. It’s not as if my doctor’s office is sending me white nationalist propaganda. Instead, it’s telling me that I must dismantle capitalism. It’s not as if the local schools are teaching students the minutiae of Aryan race theory. Instead, they’re teaching students that American society is inherently unjust and must be made anew. It’s not as if the stores I shop at and the television shows I watch are bombarding me with repackaged Nazism. Instead, they’re encouraging me to apologize for atrocities for which I bear no responsibility. Who has the cultural high ground? The white nationalists? Give me a break.

    In the last decade, a new quasi-religious ideology — complete with its own catechism and rituals — has swept through the American elite. Adherence to the ideology is the price of membership in said elite. Most elites adopt this ideology halfheartedly, but that’s beside the point. Halfhearted Bolshevism is still deadly.

    All I want, as a would-be elite who happens to be a conservative, is the right to roll my eyes at the nonsense and find a jolly band of curmudgeons to commiserate with. I don’t care whether some disturbed nitwit decides to reinvent himself as a woman. I’m not the least bit interested in throwing him in jail, or shipping him off to a reeducation camp, or whatever. I’m more than happy to live and let live. But that’s not good enough. Instead, I must treat him as an object of worship. I must utter the prescribed incantations. I must jettison my own conception of metaphysics and adopt his. I must affirm his newly chosen identity.

    Just wanted to quote this superb comment so I could enjoy it anew. 

    It’s no longer an option not to care about transgenderism (or whatever). You have to love it.

    • #33
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