“The world has never had a good definition of the word liberty, and the American people, just now, are much in want of one. We all declare for liberty; but in using the same word we do not all mean the same thing. With some the word liberty may mean for each man to do as he pleases with himself, and the product of his labor; while with others the same word may mean for some men to do as they please with other men, and the product of other men’s labor. Here are two, not only different, but incompatible things, called by the same name, liberty. And it follows that each of the things is, by the respective parties, called by two different and incompatible names, liberty and tyranny. The shepherd drives the wolf from the sheep’s throat, for which the sheep thanks the shepherd as a liberator, while the wolf denounces him for the same act as the destroyer of liberty, especially as the sheep was a black one. Plainly the sheep and the wolf are not agreed upon a definition of the word liberty.”
-- President Abraham Lincoln, April 18, 1864, Baltimore Sanitary Fair
Somewhere in a deep, dark basement, some leftists came up with a new political buzzword, affordability, with the goal of making this a central talking point. However, when one recalls the famous "liberty and tyranny" quote of Abraham Lincoln, we can ascertain that the same word can come to mean two completely incompatible things. Funny, Lincoln's exegesis of the word liberty is prescient and applicable to today.
It was a competing theme between the same two political parties, Republicans, who at the time stood against the horrendous policy of slavery, and Democrats, who were fighting to protect the institution of slavery. Then it was a battle between these two political parties concerning the physical bondage, enslavement, of human beings, Blacks. Today, the same argument exists, except it is centered on the metaphysical economic enslavement of the indomitable human will, spirit, and entrepreneurial determination.
When today's American Marxist left rants about the word "affordability,” they are not speaking of economic empowerment, but rather economic enslavement. They are not seeking to enhance the financial liberty of Americans, but to offer their form of financial tyranny.
One has to ask, where were the leftist talking point basement dwellers during the Biden-Harris administration, aka Obama's third term, when inflation shot up to 9.1 percent? And just so everyone has a measure of relativity, Biden inherited an inflation rate from Donald Trump of 1.4 percent. Any mention of affordability?
Recommended
If the leftists are sincere about the affordability issue, then why are they vehemently supporting tax subsidies for insurance companies to make the "Unaffordable" Care Act, aka Obamacare, affordable? After all, it was Obama who, by way of this Marxist incursion into our healthcare system, eliminated great free-market, affordable policies such as Health Savings Accounts. As well, it was Obamacare that nationalized college student loans and used the gains to support Obamacare. Yet they want to come back and relieve college student loan debt, which the leftists are responsible for ballooning.
When leftists talk about "affordability,” it is wise and discerning not to listen to their delusional and empty rhetoric, but rather to examine their actions. One need only look at Virginia, where the Marxist leftists have control of the legislative and executive branches in the Commonwealth. And with that electoral power, what has been the objective of Abigail Spanberger? Yep, raise taxes. Now, what is "affordable" about raising taxes, the "legal plunder" that French economist Frederic Bastiat addressed in his essay, "The Law"? And this is a consistent theme with the leftist socialist economic model: wealth redistribution, nationalizing economic production, and expansion of a welfare nanny-state. More people aligned with receiving government largesse, hardly a recipe for affordability.
In NYC, Marxist Mayor Zohran Mamdani crows about free buses, and why not? It is a goal of leftists to make owning a car unaffordable. The leftist climate change derangement is only a wealth transfer and redistribution scheme that seeks to undermine the greatest liberty of Americans, freedom of maneuver, and personal liberty of transportation. Remember how the Biden administration, and other leftists, were all about forcing Americans into electric vehicles? These are not representative of affordability, but it is reflective of the tyranny of leftists who wish to destroy our fossil fuels industry. Leftists did not want gasoline to be affordable; they want to force Americans to surrender to their Green New Steal ideology. Heck, just look at California.
Oh, by the way, how interesting that Tesla electric vehicles were fine until Elon Musk saw through the leftist lies and deception, such as "Affordability.”
Leftists love increased regulations that hamper business growth and expansion. This is why businesses are fleeing socialist states for greener pastures in Texas, Florida, Tennessee, and Georgia. However, stupidly, some leftists are relocated with these businesses and end up voting for the same failed policies that they fled. California, New York, Illinois, and other major leftist States are not "affordable,” and the U-Haul rentals departing those States indicate such.
As we progress into this 2026 midterm election cycle, let's try to be more circumspect. When Marxist leftists talk about rent control and affordable housing, they are talking about government tenements and the elimination of private property ownership, one of the ten planks of the Communist Manifesto of Karl Marx. I would have never believed that my own Dad was an accomplice to white supremacy because he owned his own home. Yes, rent control sounds great, but I remember seeing the exact same thing when I visited East Berlin as a young Army Lieutenant in the mid-80s; it sucked. But it was affordable for people to be jammed into substandard housing.
The leftist talking point of affordability is synonymous with tyranny, subjugation, and fiscal subservience. I wish that the Republicans could be a tad better at messaging this contrast. Abraham Lincoln did it so very well. We could all learn a lesson from his analysis and use of metaphors. Marxist leftists are the wolves, seeking to devour the sheep. I will not let that happen because I am an American Guard Dog! And yes, the leftists have aligned themselves with Islamists who, as we are coming to find out, don't like guard dogs.
Steadfast and Loyal.
Editor’s Note: Do you enjoy Townhall’s conservative reporting that takes on the radical Left and woke media? Support our work so that we can continue to bring you the truth.
Join Townhall VIP and use promo code FIGHT to receive 60% off your membership.
Join the conversation as a VIP Member