Hi, Bill, this is Mr. Lulu.
You created a very well written and insightful post.
It has often been said that a second marriage is “the triumph of hope over experience.” The same can be said of Leftist thinking, writ large. The most mind-numbing stupidity of their thinking is this: What they’re advocating has all been tried before its NEVER WORKED! Yet, they persist.
I can understand how, in the absence of evidence, a Leftist could come up with a theory and believe it would work. What I can’t understand is how a Leftist can still believe that his theory would work when its already been tried... and failed... repeatedly... and even recently.
Unfortunately, we have done a very poor job in confronting people on the Left with these simple truths. As often as possible, we have to ask people on the Left “Can you give me an example of where what you’re advocating has worked?” After we do that, we have to be stone silent, and wait for the answer. Of course, there isn’t any. This silence is worth many lectures because at least is has a chance of beginning an adult dialogue... about what works.
If we want to be successful, we have to start with first principles, and in a kind, non-confrontational way just ask Leftist simple questions. When I have done this, usually after an extended silence, the usual result is that the Leftist will change the subject, start yelling, engage in pejoratives, etc. It makes them very uncomfortable. Don’t take the bait. Just ask again, gently. Maybe this method will start them thinking.
On a slightly different topic, I believe we need to have a dialogue about the best way to change Leftists into Conservatives. It’s a really important topic.
The real difficulty is that when politics becomes infantalized, tribalized like this, we end up hoping for "leaders" where there are so very few, all of whom have feet of clay, and we forget that what we need, what is required for the running of a society under a representative government, is representatives, not leaders who pretend to know better than we, not dictators, not tyrants, not Daddies and Mommies. Representatives. If it can't work like that it doesn't work at all.
They want leaders. They want tyrants, they want Mommies and Daddies who will give them the fruits of the state expropriated from those who still can produce them. And when those are gone, they want revenge on their real betters. That is, to me, a frighteningly toxic formulation of present-day politics, and I wish it weren't a true one.
Still, where there is an America left, hanging on by our collective toenails, there is hope. With that I shall wish you and your mate a very happy new year!
Au contraire.
My sis, the social worker, the bleeding heart liberal -- an, thus, the Willing Tool of the Megomaniacal Left -- simply refuses to address questions that conflict with her progressive faith. There is no silence. Instead, there is "I don't want to talk about that" or there is a change of subject or there is a counter-charge of the "Your side does it, too" nature.
But she will never, ever engage in a conversation that might challenge her liberal religion. She is impervious in that regard.
In that respect, I believe she employs the same defense mechanisms that most Willing Tools employ. Substantive conversations are simply not to be had with a liberal.
I believe the radical socialist left keeps trying their failed policies because it benefits the elite of them and them alone, not the masses of poor and middle class they purport to be wanting to help. The elite get power, they get wealth and they get control. But the rest of the population languishes and stays in poverty and stagnation because, like you said, their policies have failed again and again in every instance it has been tried throughout the history of the world.
This is why the low information voters are important to their success. They have to appeal to people who aren't informed, don't know history, have little or no self-determination, believe the "hope and change" crap spewed by these socialists and generally have mush for brains. This is the reason I think Obama, when he is out campaigning for himself or his liberal party, spends so much time at high schools and college and university venues talking to young people. They will believe his drivel and cheer him on to further his agenda. Only when these liberally-indocrinated students get out in the real world do they find out that what the liberal politicians spew is not what the private sector workplace needs or accepts. This is also why they want their "free stuff" from, in this case, Obama's "stash". Free housing, free education, forgiven student loans, free phones, free EBT cards, free healthcare, free whatever they can get and have been taught is their "right" and society (translation the people who pay the taxes for the big government to redistribute the wealth) owes to them. The are told they are "entitled". They fail to realize or are just in denial, that someone has to pay for all of this, quote, "free stuff".
Americans are not the only ones who have fallen for this leftist crap again with Obama and his fellow socialist/communist travelers. I see that Greece is ready to elect a far-left radical socialist because they are tired of the austerity and belt-tightening they are experiencing and needed to try and correct the previous socialist left political party's mistakes. People don't like their government freebies and largesse taken away from them.
http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/dec/29/syriza-leading-polls-future-begun-alexis-tsipras-greece