Liberals should recognize that conservative ideology fortified by pride is impenetrable to fact and logic. Liberal heroes have laid siege to the shining city on the hill during a long war. Liberally biased proven reality has a pitiful record when tested against conservative pride and loyalty. Our statistics and charts have failed time and time again when battling conservative ramparts. On economic issues, millions of conservatives continue to vote for other peoples profits.
The honorable knight, Sir Krugman speaks of the strength of these walls:
For two months, thanks to the botched rollout, their delusions seemed confirmed by reality. Now that things are getting better, however, you can already see the rage building. It’s not supposed to be this way — therefore it can’t be this way. If, as now seems highly likely, Obamacare has more or less achieved its enrollment goals by 2015, and costs remain reasonable, that won’t be accepted — there will be furious claims that it’s all a lie.
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On both the healthcare and inflation fronts, what you have to conclude is that there are a large number of people who find reality — the reality that governments are actually pretty good at providing health insurance, that fiat money can be a useful tool of economic management rather than the road to socialist disaster — just unacceptable. I think that in both cases it has to do with the underlying desire to see market outcomes as moral imperatives.
Time has come to consider alternative strategies.
The American Way
Every American has the opportunity to make investments in the free market and has the right to maximize his return on that investment regardless of the type of investment. He or she can maximize the return, through teamwork, to ensure his team has the best market position. No matter how rich or poor, the invisible hand lifts all people equally. The solution to income inequality lies in the heart of The American Way.
More below the sunset cloud ...
Everybody knows The American Way because it's truth has been proclaimed for decades. Generations have grown and retired knowing the truth of The American Way. Consider this informative piece from the Chamber of Commerce dating back to 1954.
The short version:
Freedoms create investments.
Investments create profits.
Profits create increasing productivity that benefits everyone.
Modern Use
Celebration of The American Way continues today. Consider some quotes from the last presidential campaign. From Mitt Romney's acceptance speech:
I have a plan to create 12 million new jobs. It has 5 steps.
First, by 2020, North America will be energy independent by taking full advantage of our oil and coal and gas and nuclear and renewables.
Second, we will give our fellow citizens the skills they need for the jobs of today and the careers of tomorrow. When it comes to the school your child will attend, every parent should have a choice, and every child should have a chance.
Third, we will make trade work for America by forging new trade agreements. And when nations cheat in trade, there will be unmistakable consequences.
Fourth, to assure every entrepreneur and every job creator that their investments in America will not vanish as have those in Greece, we will cut the deficit and put America on track to a balanced budget.
And fifth, we will champion SMALL businesses, America's engine of job growth. That means reducing taxes on business, not raising them. It means simplifying and modernizing the regulations that hurt small business the most. And it means that we must rein in the skyrocketing cost of healthcare
by repealing and replacing Obamacare.
All emphasis provided by this author.
The famous 47% video:
There are 47 percent of the people who will vote for the president no matter what. All right, there are 47 percent who are with him, who are dependent upon government, who believe that they are victims, who believe that government has a responsibility to care for them, who believe that they are entitled to health care, to food, to housing, to you name it.
Or Newt Gingrich:
“...pay local students to take care of the school. The kids would actually do work; they'd have cash; they'd have pride in the schools. They'd begin the process of rising."
So, clearly the The American Way is still how conservative economics sells today, but it has never been applied equally to all investments.
The Gift
In the spirit of liberal generosity, give the true conservatives that you know the gift of equality in a way they can take to heart. The vast majority of conservatives do not maximize all of their investments. To be a consistent conservative, one must consider all investments whether they are Stocks, Bonds, Bank Deposits, Education, Skilled Labor, Taxes, or Time then maximize the total return. Public schools are, of course, an investment, but presently no conservative would admit to the truth of the matter. All of these are limited and valuable commodities in the free market. Unfortunately, conservatives presently value the returns of financial investments over all other returns for no apparent reason.
Profits bad, Profits good
Representative Paul Ryan campaigned by arguing that a majority of Americans would profit from a Democratic victory.
Right now about 60 percent of the American people get more benefits in dollar value from the federal government than they pay back in taxes. So we're going to a majority of takers versus makers.
Rep. Ryan thinks profitable people are bad except when
profitable people are good...
Don't raise taxes on small businesses, because they're our job creators.
Paul Ryan can not decide if profits are good or bad. He needs a gift.
Conservatives know the value of maximizing profit in theory, but most prominent conservatives are loath to encourage everyone to maximize their profits. Many conservatives will be grateful to have an ally to explain how they can apply their ideology to their own life. So, if you know a conservative collecting Social Security, Unemployment benefits, or Medicare disability, then explain to him or her how to increase their personal profit margin by collecting those benefits to maximize their personal profit. And if you know a conservative union member considering if he or she will support the union, then explain how team work in the free market can create a dominant market position and boost negotiating power. They deserve personal profit; it's The American Way.
Rational actors must follow their own logic. Message discipline can not deny the free market value of labor, education, and tax breaks. Conservative ideology demands pride in maximizing profits. The inescapable conclusion of conservatism whenever all investments are considered equally is vote Democratic.
They'll never guess what's inside.
Allow your humble author to propose a gift on Obamacare in the spirit of holiday giving:
My friend, despite our arguments in the past, I've been rethinking my perspective. So many people are taking government healthcare that it is time to go back and ask the question, “What has made America so great?” I must admit that there is truth in conservative thinking. Everyone needs to learn the American Way is to maximize their profit in the free-market exactly like the biggest companies in this country, GM, Apple, Boeing, Wal-Mart, AT&T, etc. They maximize income and minimize expenditures. This one simple idea is the foundation of conservative truth.
So, I've decided to pay more attention to profits and expenditures in my life. I went to Healthcare.gov and carefully weighed cost and benefits for my family. Obamacare maximizes the profits of my family, so I support it. Those who preach about freedoms and death panels ignore the conservative foundations. Anyone who demands that I sacrifice my profits for some abstract “freedom for everyone” is a socialist bent on destroying the free market. And if I submit to their demands then the socialists win. I don't want freedoms that I can't use; I want cold, hard cash just like all those too big to fail companies. You don't see them turning down government money! If anyone is too big to fail, then I am too big to fail too. What makes America so great is that I can follow the same logic as the biggest corporation in the country. Obamacare maximizes my profits. Period.
Conclusion
If liberals understand The American Way and greet it with open arms, then the majority of true conservatives will learn to live a consistently conservative life. When successful, they may learn the extent of its truth. So, give a truthy gift to a conservative today. Profits to the people!