What is happening in America? Socialist candidates are winning primaries.
The Democratic Party's big tent is so big, it's frightening even some progressives about the crazy people they let inside. They've spent so much time uniting behind hating Trump that they've let what they stand for morph into the extremes that dsausa.org is now busy promoting. There's no property, no business or home ownership, no police or ICE, no Senate or President, and "free" healthcare. This works until they run out of other people's money! The Democratic Party is struggling to get funds from confused, angry donors. It's facing an internal war on how to define what they even stand for. But how did we get here?
First, socialism is just the next step in a plan unleashed in the 1960s War on Poverty! Jeremy Boreing, in an intriguing interview with Arnold Gold for PragerU, shares an insight on America's road to socialism: "In the absence of the welfare state, and until the 1960s, the welfare state did not exist, America was unique among the countries of the world in that the government did not take care of you. You had unlimited opportunity to make something of yourself, but there was no one who was going to help you along the way. It is sort of the idea that America is rugged individualism. A lot of what drew people to America is that you could make something of yourself."
This is not to say that Americans didn't give or get help. In tough times, their family, faith communities, neighbors, and charities were there to help them get back on their feet. It wasn't an entitlement; it was that people cared and were willing to help. Except in extreme situations, those receiving help were expected to get back on their own feet and resume taking care of themselves.
As a result, the kind of people who were drawn to this country were people who wanted to be Americans. They wanted what this country afforded, an opportunity not a promise. They came to work their way to achieving their own American Dream. Success was earned. America was a meritocracy.
Jeremy Boreing noted the change in immigration: "In the second half of 20th century and more recently, the motivation is entirely different. People know that if you get here, the government gives. And if the government gives, then your incentive is not in coming here and do. Your incentive is to come here and get. That is going to draw an increasing number of people who are a different kind of people. Not the kind of people who wants to become American, but a person who wants something from America."
Welcome to the crisis that exploded during Joe Biden's administration. They opened the border to millions of people who came here to get. To them, America had literally become the land of "the free."
President Trump won a second term running on closing the border, deporting the illegal aliens who came in, and ensuring that benefits went only to citizens. Unfortunately, the number of illegal aliens involved and the community uproar over deporting them have proved to be very difficult. Americans hate seeing people ripped from their communities even when they're guilty of crimes.
America is facing what some have called "suicide by empathy." The people we "care" to let in don't share our values. They want the free benefits. They want nothing to do with self-sufficiency and hard work. They feel entitled and are attracted by the socialists running for office. Promise them free everything, and you have their support.
Mass illegal migration has resulted in an influx of people from the least successful systems in the world coming into the most successful system in history. They don't want to embrace our culture, our creedal values, or even our country. They wave the flags from where they've come. They're here to take, not to work. They want it now!
One of the reasons Trump is hated is because he is the tough-love parent who finally says "NO!" His administration is saying: "Enough is enough!" "NO free lunch!" "The fraud has to stop!" and "The gravy train comes to an end!"
Donald Trump is attempting to bring back what made America great-hard work, freedom to pursue happiness, and critical small business growth. He wants to cut the deep state and shrink entitlements. He wants to eliminate fraud and secure fair elections. That's a nightmare for illegal aliens and dependent citizens who have been milking America's riches.
As he often does, Victor Davis Hanson has a way of distilling truths that help us understand our age. In his column, " President Trump Sparked the Counterrevolution to End the Destruction of America," he captures the heart of Trump's mission. Making America great again involves stopping the natural expansion of the welfare state that has fostered this new rise of socialism.
Socialism would bring an end to the American story. We already tax the rich; the top 50 percent of wage earners pay 97 percent of the federal bill. He notes that since America started the search for the "Great Society," government has taken in taxes and distributed over 20 trillion dollars to end poverty. If you haven't noticed, poverty is still here.
Victor Davis Hanson gives Donald Trump a compliment that ought to earn him greater mid-term majorities in the House and Senate in November. He writes: "Donald Trump is not a revolutionary. He's a counterrevolutionary. And what is he trying to do? He's trying to undo the entire half-century progressive project within four years. That's an impossible task. And yet he's trying to do it. He's the first authentic counterrevolutionary since Andrew Jackson." May it continue with election victories in November!
Terry Paulson is a PhD psychologist, professional speaker, and author of The Optimism Advantage, Sweden's Gentle Giant, and his new political novel, The Summit. Contact him at terry@terrypaulson.com
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