Capitalism in America is under attack. The left is pushing hard towards socialism. A year and a half out from the 2020 election and the front-runner for the democratic nomination is an out-and-out socialist, Bernie Sanders.
There are a lot of reasons why progressives have turned their back on Capitalism. From corporate pollution or greed to the exploitation of the poor. On and on, just go check AOC’s twitter feed.
Conservatives often respond by telling liberals about how Capitalism works. That regulations stymie growth, jobs at fast food restaurants aren’t careers, etc.
For as long as anyone can remember, we’ve all held the belief that all Americans shared the same belief in Capitalism. “The American Dream”, right? So conservatives just figure these young progressives are confused, and of course, they’ll eventually figure it out.
I’m not so sure they will. There are a few things interwoven into their belief system that isn’t going to change anytime soon.
1. When AOC introduced her Green New Deal, we laughed at the idea of paying people who “don’t want to work”. But that’s not something to laugh about if you lean to the left. There are people out there who want to live a nomadic life, or be one with nature and feel restricted by Capitalism to do so. These hippies are out there, no matter how few, and progressives want to respect their life choices by giving them money so they don’t have to take a job of some sort.
2. Climate change is a way of life for the far left. All their actions are at some point run through the lens of whether or not it is bad for the environment. They cringe to see people waste things or not respect global warming’s threats. By the same token, they see social justice as the avenue towards the utopia they want to create on Earth. By enacting socialism, they can pretty much force everyone to conform to their demands with regards to climate change and social justice. They’ve been trying to do that as best they can, but money talks a little louder and they know it.
3. China’s race towards 5G is a little frightening. And many on the left see their out-pacing of America in this regard as reason why our economic system is no longer relevant. It is their view that while America waits for companies like Verizon and AT&T to develop the technology, China’s government is leading the way. They don’t like the federal government’s hands off approach to the free market, because in this case it presents a national security threat.
I love the benefits of Capitalism, and I think it’s what has made America the greatest country in the history of the world. But I’d be sticking my head in the sand if I didn’t take seriously those from the other point of view who passionately support socialism. Instead of thinking we are going to educate all liberals on Capitalism, we should really be educating ourselves on why they have become socialist, and prepare for the battle ahead.
Maroon and White Blog 