What you're really up against

Recently a friend of mine called, very upset at something he had just read. In the newest Superman comic, the Man of Steel will allegedly renounce his American citizenship. So much for Truth, Justice and the American Way. He was also irked by the fact that while we put moratoriums on drilling for oil in the U.S., we have actually proposed subsidizing drilling in Brazil, and a number of other policies and trends that seem to be leading to the decline of the U.S.. Has the world gone mad?

As I explained to him, when you understand the game plan, it all makes perfect sense. I used to think the differences between free market capitalists and Progressives was simply a disagreement in how to reach a common goal; a better quality of life for everyone. I have come to learn that this is not the case. Progressives believe that the world would be a better place if the production and distribution of its resources were overseen by an elite group of our best and brightest (as determined by Progressives) rather than by the cumulative effect of individuals making decisions on their own. The world being a better place, in their minds, is not contingent on improving anyone's quality of life. It's all about fairness and sustainability. If everyone lives in squalor, that's okay, as long as it's fair and sustainable.

In fact, worrying about the happiness of any one individual, especially yourself, is not only frowned upon, it's heresy. One should derive satisfaction and fulfillment only from the knowledge that you have served the collective well. Praise is heaped on those who demonstrate the least concern for their own well being. After all, the self is irrelevant. Unfairness must be wiped out wherever it is found. Evidence of unfairness is when one person has more success or more material goods or is generally happier than another. Obviously the fact that one person is less successful than another is clear evidence that they are disadvantaged. The playing field must be leveled. This is not done by providing opportunities for the latter, but by removing "advantages" from the former.

Top priority is given to the well being of the planet, the environment, wildlife, "society", culture. You are not even on the list. One big stumbling block is the image of the United States of America. The country was founded on the idea that the state exists solely for the protection of the individual. That the state is accountable to the individual. That the individual trumps the mob. This is all counter to Progressive thinking. The fact that a country based on such beliefs became and remains the world's top super power is a problem. That's what the Progressive movement is currently trying to rectify. Statements that countries like China and India may overtake the United States in terms of world economic power are not dire predictions to Progressives, they are goals, and short-term goals at that.

The next time you start scratching your head when policies enacted in the name of fixing a problem obviously just make it worse, remember this post. The premise that we all have the same goals in mind, just different opinions on how to get there, is a false one. Worse yet, those working for central control will not advocate for it honestly or out loud. But their actions speak volumes.