By Graham Glover –
Why is it that I find her so attractive? Is it the rebellious side of me or is there something about her that is inherently good? For the life of me I can’t figure out why she is so darn appealing! I try to stay away, but she keeps drawing me back in, time and time again. My gut tells me to stay away. My head tells me it’s a mistake of epic proportions. And yet I continue to find the idea of dating liberalism intriguing. I know it’s a mistake. I know she’ll betray me. The moment I get serious with her, she’ll cheat on me. Liberalism always cheats. It’s in her nature. Nothing is forever with liberalism. So why is it that I can’t get her out of my mind?
And herein lies my problem with liberalism. She’s the best looking thing around. On the surface, she’s lights out. She’s a grand-slam home run. She is definitely a looker.
But once you get past what looks good, once you really see who she is deep inside, you are bound to be disappointed with liberalism. Ultimately, liberalism has no core. She offers nothing eternal. She holds to no timeless truth. What is good, moral, and just to liberalism is ever evolving. She has some great ideas (probably the best) and is clearly noble in her intent (I believe she has a sincere heart). But liberalism lacks responsibility – on multiple fronts. And this is a big problem if our relationship is ever to go beyond flirting.
Like her adversary, conservatism, I’m not sure liberalism knows what she stands for anymore. She seems to stand for everything – which means she stands for nothing. At the end of the day though, I’ve got three big problems with liberalism, problems so big I’m not sure this relationship will ever amount to anything.
First and foremost among liberalism’s problems is her embrace of cultural relativism. This embrace means you never know what she truly believes (assuming she believes something). I mean, how can you know what someone believes when that belief is constantly evolving? Liberalism will tell you what they think is moral, but when you ask them why, and what informs their understanding of the good, the answer you get today will likely be different than what you get next year. Sometimes this isn’t a big deal. Not everything in politics stays the same (a point conservatives would be wise to remember). But the core of what defines you – the essence of your belief system – has to be something. Anything. Cultural relativism, however, says truth can never be known. What’s good for today’s generation may not be good for the next. This sort of libertinism may be fine for some, but it is hardly the sort of thing that makes for a moral society or a state that has any desire to last.
Second, liberalism puts way too much blame (even if it’s all for show) on the rich. I’m a firm believer in the progressive tax code. Talks of a flat tax or a national sales tax in lieu of income taxes are nothing but a guise to offer sanctuary for the wealthiest of the wealthy. Liberalism’s insistence that they rich pay proportionally more are fair, equitable, and an absolute necessity to maintain a healthy democratic republic. But liberalism, at least in its public rhetoric, vilifies the wealthy way too much. It’s almost as if liberalism believes all that ills our society is the result of the super-rich. This sort of blame game is the same type of discrimination liberalism accuses conservatism on with respect to race, gender, and sexual orientation. Private industry, despite its sometimes ill-gotten gains, is the engine that has made America the wealthiest nation in the world. Those who own these industries, as well as those who profit from them, are the ones who give the middle and lower income classes the means to earn a living and keep the very government which liberalism adores the revenue operational.
Last, but certainly not least, liberalism is completely naïve to the evils that threaten our nation and the world. Look, America is not without reproach. We have problems. Lots of them. Some of our citizens are rotten. Some of our actions as a nation and a people are reprehensible. But despite our wrongs, there is an evil present in today’s world that detests everything that liberalism upholds. This evil loathes the idea and the existence of America. This evil hates liberty. It has no desire for people to be free. If you don’t abide by its law you are a heretic who should be executed. Any rational political actor knows that we will be at war with this evil for generations. To think we can negotiate with this evil is the epitome of naiveté. To suggest we ought not fight this evil is ignorance in every sense of the word. Liberalism, though, shies from any talk of combatting this evil with the full force of American justice. Liberalism, because it sees people as inherently good, cannot comprehend that this evil exists and is spreading. People are sinners who need the very laws that God has ordained its government to enforce. Liberalism too often forgets this.
She sure does look good – liberalism. There’s a lot that appears to be great about her. I wouldn’t mind going out for a night on the town with her. But this girl has a lot of growing up to do if I’m ever going to seriously consider dating her, because once you get past her good looks I’m scared about what I see. It’s not a pretty sight. I know it and so do you.
