“Too much capitalism does not mean too many capitalists, but too few capitalists.” — G.K. Chesterton
I read today that the Republicans and President Trump are eager to make their opponents’ “socialism” the big issue of the 2020 campaign. They think that’s a slam-dunk talking point for the modern era.
They might want to look at this poll:
After running a phenomenal campaign in 2016 on the following anti-Establishment themes: America First, halting immigration, ending foreign wars, re-balancing trade deals, jobs for Americans — the Republicans think that hammering socialism and talking up corporate tax cuts are winning issues for 2020. It’s the proverbial losing strategy of Conservatism, Inc.
What can explain the reason that the younger generations are taking on more favorable views of socialism? There are many factors, but consider two. The first is that the younger generations are simply less white. The youngest cohort is now majority minority. Whites are a simple minority. And more often, those younger generations come from Central and South America, where socialism is common. When they cross the border into the US, they don’t suddenly become constitutional conservatives.
But what explains the move for whites? The answer is somewhat simple: less opportunity. The system is simply not working for them and they’ve become disaffected. They come out of college with $150k in loan debt and the only jobs they can find are $10 / hour part-time jobs at Starbucks. They see that Jeff Bezos makes a trillion dollars an hour and they get bitter about their circumstances. They can’t live like Americans did in the 1950s; those days are long gone. There are no factories anymore. Many of the trade jobs are taken by immigrants now. Even many of the white-collar jobs like computer and IT work are taken by immigrants. There’s nothing out there for them. They’re giving up. Buying a home and raising a family is out of reach. Many are just committing suicide.
Of the two popular campaigns in 2016 — Bernie Sanders and Donald Trump — which one better diagnosed the problems and offered realistic solutions? I think Trump’s campaign did. The campaign laid the blame at our “free” trade deals that allowed companies to shut down factories here and build products in China, then ship them back here tariff-free. Our wide-open immigration system has dramatically depressed wages and reduced job opportunities for Americans (increase labor supply and wages go down — it’s just a simple law of economics). If you bring the factories back and eliminate immigration, you can get more, higher-paying jobs in America; and average, working class Americans begin to share more in the wealth and success of the country. Sanders, on the other hand, proposed raising taxes on the rich, free healthcare, and a $15 minimum wage. I don’t see how that even begins to address the fundamental problems.
Unfortunately, because Trump and the Republicans have refused to follow through on doing those things that could re-distribute wealth organically through the free market system, socialism will end up winning out in the end. It’s a certainty. You can’t have the kind of wealth and power disparity that has developed in the US without some kind of revolution following.
Did the organizers of CPAC understand this? It doesn’t look like it. From what I read, the big topics there were Reagan conservatism, the Constitution, and Israel — all of the totally out-of-sync, Boomer-era issues of Conservatism, Inc. I heard they had three panels discussing Israel and one on immigration, and the one related to immigration was about how much conservatives love LEGAL immigration. (You see, to Conservatism, Inc., when the entire nation is being transformed by foreign cultures and its native population is forced onto welfare it’s completely okay as long as it’s done LEGALLY.) Unsurprisingly, the themes on display at CPAC were controlled by those who brought the big money. That’s why Ann Coulter was not invited to speak. They couldn’t have somebody up there criticizing LEGAL immigration.
Here’s the path to victory: Become a nationalist. Forget Democrat and Republican, liberal and conservatism. Focus on America First. Forget about the Israeli lobby and start focusing on the American Worker lobby. Halt immigration and kick out the ones on work visas that are taking American jobs. Bring the manufacturing industry back. Make good-paying jobs for these kids so that when they come out of school they can hit the ground running. That’s how you win them over.
But if you fall back to all the loser issues of the Republican Party establishment — the very ones that Jeb! and Marco Rubio lost with in 2016 — not only will you lose political control, but you will lose the entire country.
“But at least they came here LEGALLY!”