This most recent election reinforced the perception of how belligerent both sides can be in defense of the positions they hold dear. Although, in general, I find the Democrat party faithful far nastier (with the exception of Trump’s assertions and name calling) than the general responses from conservatives. Conservatives do not generally hold sit downs, or rally and protest events. I have watched, on many forms of media, Liberal Democrat protests and rallies with some of the most hateful words on their signs I can remember. Aside from the members of, almost statistically unmeasurable in numbers, Neo-Nazi/racists groups, (that conservatives find as repugnant as any other rational human being) do you see conservatives violently opposing these rallies and protests? No, we just don’t.
And the most hateful posts I have seen on the web usually come from Liberal Democrats. As if they are just so intensely frustrated because they feel powerless. Which is a silly notion, they have all the power in the world in the officials they elect in fair and honest elections. With few exceptions, aside from the shenanigans clearly and constantly going on in Dade and Broward counties in Florida, the electoral system in this country just works. Again, not perfect, but the best in the world.
During the first two years of the Obama Administration, Liberal Democrats had all the power controlling the White House and Congress. In fact, over the past hundred years or so, Liberal Democrats have held majorities in Congress with very few, short-lived exceptions. And with this power they have enacted many social/wealth transfer programs, i.e., to name just a few: Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, AFDC, TANF, many stemming from the “New Frontier” (Kennedy) and the “Great Society” (Johnson) programs of the 1960s. Most recently, with this immense power, the Liberal Democrat Congress and the Socialist Democrat President Barack Obama, added another enormous social program, the Affordable Care Act, AKA Obamacare. With it reportedly came the largest tax increase in American history. This apparently angered many of the less liberal Democrats, enough of them, as well as energizing recalcitrant conservatives, that the result of President Obama’s first mid-term election, the Liberal Democrats lost control of congress; by an embarrassing margin. This resulted in government in gridlock for the remaining six years of Obama’s two terms in office.
Six years later, Liberal Democrats took the next presidential election for granted; Secretary Clinton will win against Trump. But its presidential candidate labeled many working-class Democrats “deplorables”. A monumental political miscalculation. The “deplorables” apparently liked many things they heard from Mr. Trump; some of it rather rough in language and wholly un-statesmen-like. I believe this stylized approach from candidate Trump humanized him with many angry working-class Americans. In his own well calculated fashion, he spoke to their desire for a leader who understands their needs. Someone who was willing to openly state that NAFTA, among other trade agreements, basically screwed the working class. That the trade policies of the past (Clinton, Bush, Obama) enabled the corporate decisions that sent their jobs to China, India, Korea, Mexico, et al.
Incredulous about Secretary Clinton’s loss, Liberal Democrats are still, two years later, white-hot infuriated. I think many Americans are stunned by the venom and the hate speech openly shared by Liberal Democrat representatives. They find repugnant liberal leaning mainstream media taking rudeness to new unimaginable heights in a Presidential press conference. Even some Silicon Valley self-serving narcissists proclaiming plans to take California and secede from the union to form an independent state. What do conservatives do? Well, they say would you please stop that, and then go about their business.
Yet conservatives find Trump a fascinating character for which they have both love and hate. They love he stands up to the nastiest of rhetoric and responds in kind, this is a new and startling phenomenon for most conservatives. They love he is fighting to empower corporations to bring jobs back to America and that his pro-growth economic policies will bring more opportunity for more Americans. They love he is fighting open borders and the absolute certainty those open borders will allow in those that threaten the safety of American families. They love his ardent support for military superiority and the comfort that brings. Conversely, they hate that his style is often so un-statesmen-like and they hate that more isn’t being done to bend the cost of government to a lower trajectory.
Finally, relative to the earlier messages about mainstream media’s left leanings, I want to share with you a prime example in this piece from the editorial page of the Richmond Times Dispatch (the Thursday April 19, 2018 edition). I believe it perfectly exemplifies the bunker mentality most conservatives have adopted relative to the fusillade of misleading rhetoric and out-right lie “missiles” being launched by the left leaning mainstream media at conservative causes and individuals who remain unafraid to share their beliefs.
Tolerance
Condé nasty
“Did you see the recent story about the protests that have besieged the offices of National Review after the conservative magazine published an article fretting that the growth of halal restaurants in Manhattan felt like a ‘creepy Muslim infiltration’?”
“Neither did we. That’s because National Review didn’t run such a piece. But you can be sure that if it had a social media firestorm would have erupted. Presenting an entire faith group as a subversive threat to the community is not exactly broad-minded.”
“Much less outrage has greeted the effete bigots at the New Yorker, however, after it recently ran a 1400-word lament about the ‘creepy’ spread of Chik-fil-a in Manhattan. As one Tweet from the magazine’s official Twitter feed summarized: ‘Chik-fil-a’s arrival in New York City feels like an infiltration, in no small part because of its pervasive Christian traditionalism.’”
“A few conservative organs quickly pointed out the obvious: If the magazine had said the same thing about Muslims or Jews – even those opposing gay marriage, as Chik-fil-a president Dan Cathy does — it would have been greeted with scathing condemnation, and rightfully so. But mainstream media have ignored the odious attack, and the magazine has offered neither a retraction nor an apology. Apparently its fine to lambaste certain out-groups in New York. You just have to pick the right one.”
Hence the creation of this blog, to engender civil political dialogue. Or, just rant about something that you need to vent about; just, please, no hate speak nor personal attacks. Although I share the Left’s position on some social issues, this is the place I wish to confront the contradictory behavior of the Left. Liberal Democrats wish to be identified as the political force for openness and inclusion; except where it comes to conservatives. Apparently, conservatives have NO redeeming qualities. This is personally hurtful to me, quite frankly, because I am making a real, meaningful effort to find my own openness to the causes Liberals care about.
The Willow 