High Plains Populism

James Madison wrote that, “If tyranny and oppression come to this land, it will come in the guise of fighting a foreign enemy.” Today this statement no longer seems like a remote risk for the “free world.” Indeed, we are witnessing an escalation of attacks against the foundational values which, not so long ago, we were taking for granted: freedom to travel, free speech, the right to bear arms, etc. Of course, the popular resistance to these infringements is also escalating.

“War: oligarchy’s great silencer.”  By Akrainer, ZeroHedge, 9/28/23.

We are certainly guilty of egregious dabbling in war with Russia but this and recent other military misadventures don’t account for the the assault on our rights that we see every day.  Assault on the taxpayer to be sure and, in general, Akrainer is correct that full-tilt war has historically justified egregious violation of rights.  But we’re not there just now.  Not for lack of trying, let it be said.

Rather, the full-bore attack on our foundational values is coming from our corrupt globalist, immigration-besotted, culturally-depraved, borderless political class.  They have labored long and hard for decades to bring this country and all Western nations to their knees and banish any notion of popular sovereignty or constitutional observance.  The depravity of uncontrolled, mass third-world migrant invasion, deindustrialization, lunatic spending, monetary debasement, and judicial and prosecutorial oppression does not have its roots in any war hysteria.  If you hear anyone talk about “our democracy” now, know that that person is not your friend, war or no war.

There’s this idea that somehow the main threat to our happiness is from religious people. That’s absurd. The main threat to our happiness is from people who think they’re God.

~ Tucker Carlson.

Even I have not said anything this stupid:

“Standing with our allies against Russian aggression isn’t charity. In fact — it’s a direct investment in replenishing America’s arsenal with American weapons built by American workers. Expanding our defense industrial base puts America in a stronger position to out-compete China.”

~ Sen. Mitch McConnell.^<1>

Amen to that, Mitch.  We should ramp up weapons production so we can “out-compete” China and put their weapons production efforts in the dust.  That’s what America is all about.  Weapons production. 

That’s what all economic activity is all about actually.  Use up the weapons and ammo you’ve already paid for.  Blow it up in a reckless, lunatic war.  Pay more money to replace weapons and ammo destroyed.    

And . . . give additional money to Ukraine to (1) pay Ukrainian civil servants’ salaries and pension, (2) enrich corrupt Ukrainian politicians and generals, and (3) pay bribes to U.S. politicians.  Talk about return on the dollar!

It’s good I’ve got Mitch to sort this out for me.  I now understand that when I bought my car a while back the wisest thing for me to do after two years would have been for me to blow it up and help the auto makers and unions by buying another car.

Notes.
^<1>“NATO Chief Openly Admits Russia Invaded Ukraine Because Of NATO Expansion.”  By Caitlin Johnstone, ZeroHedge, 9/11/23.

The title of this post comes from Mark Steyn.  The complete quote is: “America is dying before your eyes. Why pretend that’s normal?”^<1>

Forty-six per cent of registered voters think that “the real problem is that the system no longer provides for any meaningful course correction,” he notes.  Whether it’s the open borders, off-shoring, politicians in thrall to foreign nations, or casual foreign military adventure you can bet the political class don’t give a tinker’s dam about what the sovereign people think.  Sovereign how exactly?

It would be one thing if the political class truly had the interests of the nation and its founding citizens close to their hearts, but it does not.  What isn’t lunatic — debt, spending, war, unfunded liabilities, inflation, bubbles, malinvestment, stock buybacks, and endless currency debasement — is positively malevolent — climate change, electric vehicles, the wild growth of non-governmental subverters, 15-minute cities, poisonous “vaccines,” bogus pandemics, homomania, defunding police, mass third-world immigration, CBDCs, prosecutorial nonfeasance, politicized courts, feminist treachery, casual abortion, surgical mutilation of children, extinguishment of parental rights, censorship, surveillance, corrupt federal security agencies, corrupt elections, tolerance of dark money, constitutional destruction, protection of AntiFa, media dishonesty, cultural debasement, destruction of government education, and through-the-roof arrogance.

Such laundry lists are effortlessly composed from memory, such is the astonishing extent of the century-long assault on this grand experiment in self-government. 

The notion that I had after Western Civ. 101 in college of a gradual upward drift to greater and greater enlightenment, efficiency, comfort, wealth, security, and health has proved to be wildly naive.  In the space of 30 years the U.S. has headed straight into the arms of plutocracy, invisible government, unbelievable public corruption, cultural decay, and a contemptible, feeble surrender to the very worst of people intent on our destruction and subjugation.

Notes.
^<1>“The Real New Normal.”  By Mark Steyn, Steyn on America, 9/8/23.