First, I want the same things that I always wanted for this country; limited government, liberty, the rule of law, entrepreneurial culture, and an expanding economy. I came to realize that although libertarians and even conservatives claim to want those things as well, the way they pursue those ends undermines their goals. It's a little like happiness, if you want to be happy, you don't pursue material possessions and partying, which might seem like the road to happiness. Instead, you pursue worthwhile goals, you find your place within your community and in relation to God. Then you find joy, a much deeper emotion, and more happiness.
The key break with conservatives is the realization that all men are not created equal. They may be equal in the eyes of God, or we may value equal treatment before the law for the citizens within our borders. But not all peoples are equally adept at thriving in a society of limited government and advanced technology. But this equalist fantasy pervades conservative thinking. They fantasize that majorities of mestizos, arabs, and blacks can become conservative voters; so they refuse to address a key way that the left defeats conservatives, by importing peoples whose children and great-grandchildren will vote for socialism and less freedom. You can call me racist, but that wouldn't address the truth of my argument. The left lies and says that by increasing the diversity of America, it makes America stronger. In fact, racial diversity harms social cohesion, as many studies have shown. But conservatives eschew truthful arguments for fear of being called racist. In fact, their fear of being called bad names and not receiving approval from their leftist colleagues, acquaintances, and neighbors always puts them on the defensive, so THEY ALWAYS LOSE the culture war. As Andrew Breitbart famously said, politics is downstream of culture. This is why I have abandoned the niceties of policy discussions of tax codes and other mainstream conservative topics. Until we build a social consensus about acceptable norms that are based on the traditions of our European forebears, we are doomed to extinction by a combination of immigration and being out-bred by an imported permanent underclass.
When one considers what the "good life" consists of, it cannot be a life devoted to mere material possession or self-interest. Taking one's place in a community of shared values is a key to long-life happiness. Intact families that produce new generations to carry on our work are the linchpin of this joy. Our shared values based on shared religious conviction that allow us to agree on how to raise children and set their moral compass. By definition, multiculturalism is a direct threat to these shared values. Conservatives have no answer as to how to combat this, because they are unwilling to risk approbation by saying political incorrect things. They are unwilling to say that Islamic belief is incompatible with freedom and democracy; that a mestizo underclass will always vote for socialism; or that blacks are dependent on the good-will of whites in our society.
Further, our lack of cultural cohesion leads to an atomization that also helps the left; atomized people, disconnected from their communities, are susceptible to believing in anything. Further, they can be intimidated and made compliant without the intervening structures of church, community, and strong social organizations to protect them. The belief in unrestricted individualism that underlies contemporary conservative and libertarian thought actually works against their own goals by disconnecting people from community. In my nationalist view, we seek to take our place in our community and do the work that God grants us; we are willing to enforce our community norms, passing down the religion and traditions of our forefathers. Because we also want limited government, we are not asking for government enforcement of our norms; merely non-interference in our right to discriminate and censure those who violate our values. Further, we seek a government that doesn't enshrine in law practices inimical to our religious and cultural convictions; so we oppose gay marriage, and marijuana legalization, as two examples. We recognize that it is a tightrope to walk with respect to government overreach, especially concerning drug use. But the recent spate of legalizations of marijuana just shows that politics is indeed downstream of culture.
The other key reason for my break with conservatives is that conservative politics only "wins" when it benefits globalists, never when they protect average Americans. NAFTA was passed with Republican votes, and without unrestricted immigration, might have been good for America. But conservatives did squat to control the border when Republicans held Congress. The truck driver from Scranton may not follow politics much, but he knows when he is getting screwed. He may not vote for the Democrat because they voted for regulations that make his job harder and more expensive; but he knows that Republicans won't ever roll it back. I'm tired of voting for people who say their policies will help Americans in some abstract way, but whose only victories come when big business is helped. (By the way, the Democrats are even worse about this, but they don't claim to be a conservative party.)
As a practical matter, limited government nationalism mostly will agree with conservatives on many policy matters, and I seek an anti-Marxist alliance with libertarians and conservatives. The difference is emphasis, the willingness to use so called hate-facts, and brave cries of racism from the left. Ending immigration, illegal and otherwise is made the top priority. Allowing Middle Eastern strongmen to enforce the peace to prevent chaos that results in migration crises is another goal. The policies of the nation will be judged on the impact to the nation as a whole. As Trump said, "America First." But ultimately, politics and policy is no longer the goal; I want to change the tone of the culture. The only policy that really matters is immigration, because your culture is highly dependent upon your ancestry.
The key break with conservatives is the realization that all men are not created equal. They may be equal in the eyes of God, or we may value equal treatment before the law for the citizens within our borders. But not all peoples are equally adept at thriving in a society of limited government and advanced technology. But this equalist fantasy pervades conservative thinking. They fantasize that majorities of mestizos, arabs, and blacks can become conservative voters; so they refuse to address a key way that the left defeats conservatives, by importing peoples whose children and great-grandchildren will vote for socialism and less freedom. You can call me racist, but that wouldn't address the truth of my argument. The left lies and says that by increasing the diversity of America, it makes America stronger. In fact, racial diversity harms social cohesion, as many studies have shown. But conservatives eschew truthful arguments for fear of being called racist. In fact, their fear of being called bad names and not receiving approval from their leftist colleagues, acquaintances, and neighbors always puts them on the defensive, so THEY ALWAYS LOSE the culture war. As Andrew Breitbart famously said, politics is downstream of culture. This is why I have abandoned the niceties of policy discussions of tax codes and other mainstream conservative topics. Until we build a social consensus about acceptable norms that are based on the traditions of our European forebears, we are doomed to extinction by a combination of immigration and being out-bred by an imported permanent underclass.
When one considers what the "good life" consists of, it cannot be a life devoted to mere material possession or self-interest. Taking one's place in a community of shared values is a key to long-life happiness. Intact families that produce new generations to carry on our work are the linchpin of this joy. Our shared values based on shared religious conviction that allow us to agree on how to raise children and set their moral compass. By definition, multiculturalism is a direct threat to these shared values. Conservatives have no answer as to how to combat this, because they are unwilling to risk approbation by saying political incorrect things. They are unwilling to say that Islamic belief is incompatible with freedom and democracy; that a mestizo underclass will always vote for socialism; or that blacks are dependent on the good-will of whites in our society.
Further, our lack of cultural cohesion leads to an atomization that also helps the left; atomized people, disconnected from their communities, are susceptible to believing in anything. Further, they can be intimidated and made compliant without the intervening structures of church, community, and strong social organizations to protect them. The belief in unrestricted individualism that underlies contemporary conservative and libertarian thought actually works against their own goals by disconnecting people from community. In my nationalist view, we seek to take our place in our community and do the work that God grants us; we are willing to enforce our community norms, passing down the religion and traditions of our forefathers. Because we also want limited government, we are not asking for government enforcement of our norms; merely non-interference in our right to discriminate and censure those who violate our values. Further, we seek a government that doesn't enshrine in law practices inimical to our religious and cultural convictions; so we oppose gay marriage, and marijuana legalization, as two examples. We recognize that it is a tightrope to walk with respect to government overreach, especially concerning drug use. But the recent spate of legalizations of marijuana just shows that politics is indeed downstream of culture.
The other key reason for my break with conservatives is that conservative politics only "wins" when it benefits globalists, never when they protect average Americans. NAFTA was passed with Republican votes, and without unrestricted immigration, might have been good for America. But conservatives did squat to control the border when Republicans held Congress. The truck driver from Scranton may not follow politics much, but he knows when he is getting screwed. He may not vote for the Democrat because they voted for regulations that make his job harder and more expensive; but he knows that Republicans won't ever roll it back. I'm tired of voting for people who say their policies will help Americans in some abstract way, but whose only victories come when big business is helped. (By the way, the Democrats are even worse about this, but they don't claim to be a conservative party.)
As a practical matter, limited government nationalism mostly will agree with conservatives on many policy matters, and I seek an anti-Marxist alliance with libertarians and conservatives. The difference is emphasis, the willingness to use so called hate-facts, and brave cries of racism from the left. Ending immigration, illegal and otherwise is made the top priority. Allowing Middle Eastern strongmen to enforce the peace to prevent chaos that results in migration crises is another goal. The policies of the nation will be judged on the impact to the nation as a whole. As Trump said, "America First." But ultimately, politics and policy is no longer the goal; I want to change the tone of the culture. The only policy that really matters is immigration, because your culture is highly dependent upon your ancestry.
Just a few of about 100 counter-examples in my life: I have way more in common with a Ivorian immigrant Cursillo brother of mine than I do with the WASP-descendant professors at Berkeley. Dittos for my Hispanic Cursillo brothers from El Centro and Mexicali.
ReplyDeleteWalking through downtown Savannah last week, wearing a Georgia Bulldogs ballcap, I got a laughing "Roll Tide!" from a black security guard. We chatted for a while about SEC football in a way I couldn't with the thoroughly European fashion designers in New York. I'd have happily had him over to watch an LSU game and eat some Jambalaya. I'd avoid the white fashion designers, who no doubt think me racist, like the plague.
Driving in to work a while back, listening to my Jesus music, the black security guard at the gate recognized the song and asked if I was listening to K-LOVE. I told him no, but I knew what it was. We exchanged a fist-bump of brotherhood that I would never have with the totally honky leader of our organization. I'd be glad to go out for drinks and then a Newsboys concert with the black security guard while the thought of socializing with our white leadership isn't so interesting.
The center of my social life is Cursillo, cooking, Southern culture, soccer and blogging. If you're into that, chances are good we can be friends. I can't see that race has anything at all to do with it.
I think you need to go back to the drawing board on this one.
I think culture is his point, not race.
ReplyDeleteI could share the love of food, entertainment, sex or many other human commonalities with someone our nation was at war with. It wouldn't mean that our cultures have the same goals or that humanity is equally benefitted by either culture. Some cultures are better for humanity in the long term.
To that point, consider the end game for humanity... are we all bound to be free, with basically unlimited resources at our disposal throughout the universe? Or is humanity bound to a future where the few enslave the many and war for power grows beyond the planetary scale.