The political movement that is transforming our country
Our free enterprise system will be neither free nor enterprising.
By Vaughn Cordle, CFA / Oct 1, 2023
Today, we are witnessing the influence of a sophisticated ‘woke’ culture rooted in Marxist principles and characterized by identity politics. This culture has driven political policies that many Americans view as destructive. To comprehend the economic implications of these policies, it’s crucial to consider fiscal and monetary policies, especially their impact on future living standards.
Historically, ‘woke’ meant social awareness of injustice. Wokeness became a movement of awareness of unfairness in the treatment of others. A wonderful benefit to society.
However, the progressive left has weaponized and transformed wokeness into “wokeism,” a pejorative term, representing a political movement employed to gain/maintain power and redistribute wealth to their political constituents, notably within the Democratic Party. This includes public sector unions, the extensive administrative state and its employees, and the African-American community, collectively referred to as ‘the swamp.’ The swamp financially contributes to and politically promotes the administrative state, which it must do to survive and thrive. Our country is now ruled by the elite and their constituents. And the wealth gap between the haves and have-nots has widened to unsustainable levels.
“But this is beside the constitutional point. One of the causes of our current political distemper is that Congress has increasingly abdicated its powers to the federal bureaucracy. This leaves citizens vulnerable to regulators insulated from accountability. The Justices can send Congress and regulators a message by ruling that the CFPB is government by the unaccountable that compromises liberty.” WSJ’s Editorial Board’s Opinion titled High Noon for the CFPB at the Supreme Court
Wokeism is a system of thought and behavior characterized by intolerance, policing the speech of others, and establishing one’s superiority by smearing and demonizing others. Wokeism benefits the intolerant and the illiberal mind that seeks to gain and maintain power. They do so through the concentration of power and influence in government.
Every movement is susceptible to becoming the thing it despises. Nietzsche said it best:
“Whoever fights monsters should see to it that in the process he does not become a monster.”
Power theory teaches us that every government develops a subsystem that initially makes rules that are good for the citizens it serves, but eventually, those that govern make rules that are good for those who govern. Hence, today we have a massive bureaucratic state that protects and awards itself, and its many constituencies, via excessive regulations and the redistribution of wealth. It is the middle class that must bear the high cost of inefficiency and governing incompetence that naturally follows. Meritocracy is replaced by mediocracy and the administrative state and ‘swamp’ expands exponentially. Left unchecked, it will smother and eventually destroy the free enterprise capitalism system upon which our nation’s wealth depends.
The environmental policies outlined in Biden’s New Green Deal have also raised concerns. This initiative, resembling a Trojan horse, channels substantial taxpayer (deficit spending) funds to Democratic donors with environmental interests and marginalized communities. The catchphrase ‘environmental (equity) justice’ is invoked to justify these redistributions.
A comprehensive understanding of how markets operate and proficiency in the language of economics and finance are essential to see the bigger picture. The political left has redefined terms and concepts to create confusion, while simultaneously controlling narratives that dominate social media. Mainstream media further amplifies the Democratic Party’s political messaging, emphasizing the idea that controlling the narrative equates to controlling the people.
As George Orwell’s “1984” aptly illustrates, language control influences thought. A limited vocabulary and censorship restrict both the extent and content of thought.
At its core, the current landscape represents a cultural battle between free-market capitalism on one side and socialist and Marxist ideologies on the other. The progressives have been effective in winning the marketing and cultural wars, albeit often with a sense of animosity and a determination to seize power regardless of the cost.
To clarify these complex issues, it is essential to address several key questions in straightforward terms:
What does the left mean when it speaks of ‘transforming’ America?
Are progressive policies well-thought-out, or do their advocates overlook the potential harm to our country and our way of life?
Does President Biden prioritize short-term gains over the long-term consequences of his policies?
Why does the Democratic Party, and the Biden administration in particular, permit millions of immigrants to enter our country illegally?
By examining these questions, we can foster a clearer understanding of the current political landscape and its complex multifaceted implications.
Vaughn, Your conclusion was much milder than I was expecting.
I've seen numerous postings elsewhere suggesting a more serious situation.
- A LinkedIn posting of mountains in China covered with solar panels10,590 acres covered providing on 1000 MW (when the sun is shining). Many responders expressed nuclear would be a much better solution than covering mountains with solar panels if one wants reliability and availability.
- Paul Krugman's recent newsletter saying interest on the debt is getting to be a problem. Really? Why so late to the discussion, Paul?
- The behavior of the deep state of late, more focused on self-preservation (as you have stated) than their service functions to the taxpayers. While I tend to agree with the likes of Gaetz I also recognize that no significant changes are possible with a knee-jerk reaction; we must be focused on a long, steady change which will be difficult given the Democrats.
In this environment, I'm doubtful there will be the necessary realization by a sufficient number of voters that serious change must occur.
Regardless, keep writing. I enjoy your views.