Thought Police Challenge
Monday, October 13, 2003
By Geoff Metcalf
NewsWithViews.com
The erosion of our constitutional republic has been
a function of liberal socialist incrementalism. You can actually graph
the attrition of constitutional principles. The move towards a Hamiltonian
hybrid of socialism has not and could not be an 'event'. It has been (and
continues to be) a 'process'.
Some people think our socialist path began with
FDR. I used to think that the fork in the road was 1913 and the Wilson
administration. Then I came to believe it really started with the Lincoln
administration around 1863. But the reality is the process began almost
with the birth of the nation. Some of the more famous incremental usurpations
include the Alien And Sedition Acts of 1790, the Smith Act of 1940 and
the McCarran Act of 1950, and for sure, the U.S.A. Patriot Act. www.geoffmetcalf.com/wndarchive/24403.html
The Wall Street Journal recently ran two outstanding
pieces which although not related, synthesis a stark reality. Daniel Henniger's
"To Find the Center, Turn Right" http://opinionjournal.com/columnists/dhen
ninger/?id=110004146 and Johnathon V. Last's "War? What War?" http://opinionjournal.com/taste/?id=
110004144
Mr. Henniger suggests the California Recall results
and "Schwarzenegger's election signals a seismic political shift." He
makes some wonderful observations but whereas he says, "As of Tuesday's
reordering in California, I think the definition of political "moderate"
has shifted seismically to the right." I think he is half wrong.
Perception is reality, in politics and most everything
else. The perception of political terms like "moderate", "liberal", and
"conservative" have been codified and managed by a mainstream media and
popular culture mavens. However, the perception was not (and is not) the
reality.
Despite the best/worst efforts of the Jennings/Brokaw/Rather
cabal as enablers for the New York Times/Washington Post/L.A. Times sycophants;
America has eschewed the conventional wisdom propaganda for some time.
The mainstream may NOW just be getting the memo.
Henniger noted, "Back in Washington, where nothing
much ever changes, pundits still cite Nelson Rockefeller (a name with
no meaning to most voters now) as the quintessential Republican "moderate.""
Hell, Louisiana is about to elect a dark skinned Rhodes scholar whose
parents were born in India. Go figure…. He was born the year I went on
active duty (1971).
Despite the Davis/Clinton mantra of the Recall being
a tool of the nefarious "vast right wing conspiracy", 26% of blacks and
41% of Hispanics voted republican in California. Women voted 57% for the
republicans. Right-wing conspiracy? Not Even!
The California results were not a statistical anomaly
but further evidence of a trend that probably was first evidenced with
Rudy Giuliani in 1993. Revisit the Red and Blue map of the 2000 presidential
election and look at the county-by-county graphic representation of the
country. THAT is reality. America IS more "moderate" than either the liberal
democrat extreme OR the conservative republican extreme. THAT is the reality
of governor-elect Schwarzenegger.
The Johnathon V. Last piece was about why Hollyweird
ignores War as a topic for exploitation. He attributes three reasons:
Political Correctness; Global business dynamics; and Politics. But I think
he buried the lead. POLITICS is the primary visceral determinant to why
the Hollywood elite doesn't embrace War on Terrorism films.
They could and would contribute to our national
security goals and still make money. However, the prospect of in anyway
contributing to national success is so overshadowed by the deep-seated,
unbridled antipathy for the administration they cling to their counter
intuitive fear and loathing.
Mr. Last quoted a Hollywood type who said, "Hatred
of Bush is a big factor…It's his (Bush's) war, not their war, and none
of them wants to be seen as toadying to the president."
I have often observed that some people just don't
want to be confused with facts that contradict their preconceived opinions
or prejudices.
Brigades of single issue true believers (gun control/gun
rights, pro-choice/pro-life, big government/small government, et al) get
so wrapped around axles of dogma they become incapable of compromise.
The American Media elite flat out refuses to acknowledge
and accept the abundance of empirical evidence thrown in their face.
America is the classic dialectic. We are not Thesis.
We are not Antithesis. We are, have been, and will be a Synthesis, which
is uniquely American.
Governor-elect Schwarzenegger will not please the
left OR the right. However, if he proves true to his commitment, he will
please and serve the vast majority of "moderate" reasonable constituents.
And we could all be better for it.
Geoff Metcalf is a nationally syndicated radio talk show host for TALK AMERICA and a veteran media performer. He has had an eclectic professional background covering a wide spectrum of radio, television, magazine, and newspapers. A former Green Beret and retired Army officer he is in great demand as a speaker. Visit Geoff’s
Web Site:
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