Something Doesn't Add Up

BRYCE ON POLITICS

The Democrats' perspective of our country.

Click for AUDIO VERSION.

As I watch the televised news, and listen to Democrats, particularly the younger generation, be it on college campuses, the streets, or protesting in the halls of Congress, I am struck by their naivety in terms of our government, our history, and the concept of earning a living. I look at them, and cannot believe what I am witnessing. It simply doesn't add up. To illustrate...

Democrats, both young and old, seem to believe our country is a Democracy, when it really is a Republic, something they simply fail to grasp. No doubt they would be surprised to learn there is no country in the world based on democracy, least of all ours. As a result, they do not comprehend the necessity of such things as the Electoral College. They understand popularity contests, probably from watching too many reality shows, but they do not know how to achieve fair parity between urban and rural America.

Young Democrats naively believe socialism is a better economic system than capitalism. The fact socialism has consistently failed over the years, and around the world is immaterial to them. They claim they want "fairness for all" (translation: a redistribution of the wealth), yet capitalism puts everyone on the same footing and says, "Go!" whereby some will win, some will come in second or third, and some will fail. It all depends on the effort we exert, but we recognize nobody is going to give us anything for nothing, unless of course, socialism is allowed to supersede capitalism.

Young Democrats naively believe they have the right to do anything they want. Actually, their rights and freedoms are ultimately defined by the U.S. Constitution and Bill of Rights, something few have read. Sure, they have the right to ask questions and seek the truth, but they do not have the right to run amok and cause anarchy.

They seem to believe all presidential candidates are required by law to reveal their tax records, when in reality, they do not. They believe the public is entitled to an un-redacted version of the Mueller report, which they are not, nor is the Congress for that matter. They further believe the reports of an emergency at the southern border are fabricated and the president has no right to declare a "National Emergency" to quell the problem. The Supreme Court will likely rule in favor of the president on this one.

Young Democrats believe they are entitled to just about everything, be it housing, food, communications, education, transportation, and health care. The concept of earning their way through life is foreign to them, thus promoting the concept of entitlements.

So, how did this come about? First, public education has failed miserably in teaching history, government, economics, and citizenship. This has deteriorated to the point our youth have become dangerous as they are grossly misinformed. I knew more by 5th grade years ago than the average High School graduate knows today.

Blame should also be placed on parents for failing to teach such subjects, as well as the concepts of work ethic, responsibility, and moral values. Finally, we have to point a finger at the media for misleading people and distorting reality.

What then can be done to solve this problem? If everyone understood some basics, I am convinced the rhetoric would be less visceral. Instead of respectful discussion, they have taken to boisterous, uncouth, and bullying behavior to sway people, which only impresses themselves, not the other party they are trying to convince. In fact, it causes the other party to embrace the opposing viewpoint. The Democrats have traded in reason and persuasion for programmable talking points. For example, they insist President Trump is a pathological liar. In contrast, I have yet to see anyone of authority in the Democrat party answer a question directly, and regularly catch them misinforming the public. Yet, when this is pointed out, it is dismissed out of hand and I am vilified.

What to do? Education is the key. Since they couldn't learn it from Public Education, their Parents, or the Media, they have to learn it on their own. First, there is the U.S. Constitution itself, which can be found on the Internet for free. This should be read individually and discussed in groups to determine the rationale for the various parts of the document. To assist in this regards, may I suggest...

"The 5000 Year Leap: A Miracle that Changed the World," by W. Cleon Skousen. This is an easy read, and explains the various parts of the Constitution. It sells for about $12-$20, and is available from Barnes and Noble, and Amazon. This makes an excellent holiday gift suitable for students in High School and College. In my humble opinion, all young people should be given a copy of this book, as it describes the mechanics of our government. Think of it as a crash course in Civics.

“Elementary Catechism of the Constitution of the United States” (1828) by Arthur J. Stansbury–for many years, school children learned this catechism. It is just as relevant today as it was nearly 200 years ago. It is available free of charge as a PDF file on the Internet.

I have difficulty relating to the young Democrats of today, let alone sparring with them. I tend to look at them as aliens with three eyes, speaking a strange tongue I do not comprehend, all because they are uninformed about how our government works. This helps to explain the fissure between left and right in this country. It's not just that they do not understand how the government works, they simply couldn't care less.

Maybe what is really needed is to have citizens pass a certification test in order to vote. I can dream can't I?

Keep the Faith!

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Copyright © 2019 by Tim Bryce. All rights reserved.