The US mid-terms this year are very important for the future prosperity of America and the world. Think I’m wrong? Persuade me otherwise. The victory of the Republicans is important not only for the effect it will have on power and control, but as a symbol of the perseverance and existence of conservative, “normal” people in the USA and the Western world. This is not to say that one should always vote Republican or that all Democrats are unprincipled (or all Republicans virtuous). Nevertheless, the stark contrasts between the two halves of American society and the need to preserve the Republic that was handed down by the Founders require voters to make a tactical choice to defend themselves and the future of their descendants.

The Democrats in their espousal of leftist causes have drifted away from their roots: 18th and 19th century politicians would not recognise them, nor indeed would early 20th century Democrats. Were some of the latter alive today, they would probably be Republicans or Independents. The threat that this leftism poses is grave and affects the following areas:

  • Education;
  • Civil order;
  • Free speech;
  • Religion;
  • Economic progress;
  • Public health;
  • International security;
  • Freedom of conscience;
  • Integrity of the family; and
  • The sanctity of life.

The consequences of failure in these areas will affect not only America, but the world as a whole. A weak America allows unscrupulous foreign governments to exploit not only their own citizens, but the peoples of other nations. The comforts that we take for granted in the West today are all powered by one means or another and until the day when we are weaned off foreign oil and foreign uranium, policing of the seas will remain an important issue. Should some exploitative nation take the mantle of “World’s Policeman” from America, the oil will still flow, but it will cost us all more – and not only in comfort. The generosity of America and her allies, an imperfect but persevering hegemony, allows us all a greater deal of freedom in our political choices than we might enjoy under the aegis of a tyrannical nation. One has only to look at the history of nations dominated by the USSR to see the consequences of an American eclipse.

Education

Education is, to a great extent, in the hands of the government, Federal and State. Even in non-state schools of various stripes, the requirements of the government are seen in the form of strict curriculum rules. These rules in the hands of an extremist leftist government could compel schools to teach revisionist versions of history, non-gendered versions of biology and psychology, and anti-Christian versions of civics and religious instruction. These musings are no longer the province of the “reds under the beds” brigade; they are no longer the vapours of paranoia. Such controls are introduced by increments – and have already been introduced – until a point when a sufficient mass has accumulated to empower a final push to eliminate all forms of conservative, traditionalist, and classical liberal thought. Teachers who espouse such views will be frightened to speak in classrooms for fear of criminal prosecution or dismissal. In a world dominated by leftists, employment law would be altered to permit “fair dismissal on grounds of hate speech, etc”.

It is not for the teachers that I fear, however – important though their plight is. It is for children and parents. A continuing leftist trend will make it hard for many children to learn to think independently and for parents to support them. Imagine a world where  children are taken from their parents by social services on grounds of religious or political brainwashing. Think it will never happen? In the UK, people who foster children have had their applications scrutinised because of their traditional view about homosexuality (https://www.christianconcern.com/our-concerns/fostering/eunice-and-owen-johns-council-reinstate-application). From such beginnings, worse things can grow.

Education is vitally important: it affects all areas of life. As the state continues to grow, it will continue to erode the possibility of home-schooling one’s children, while opposition to vouchers and interference in Christian faith-schools could blunt their outreach to poorer families. This is not to say that people cannot break from the propaganda: the phrase “taking the red pill” (a reference to The Matrix and Plato’s “Allegory of the Cave” in his Republic) is popular all over the internet. Nevertheless, for people who are not accustomed to thinking for themselves, shifting out of the leftist narrative is difficult. An education system that denies children counterpoints to its ideology will keep many in the dark, and increased censorship on social media and other parts of the internet could make access to independent material harder.

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The brief space of a post prohibits a greater discussion of this matter, but I invite comments and subsequent posts exploring the other areas affected by our current political strife. The mid-terms will not resolve everything in a day, but they are crucial as a step to prevent any more expansions by a hostile state. The work of the President to reduce the “Deep State”, and bureaucracy and legalism in general, requires co-operation from the legislature on some matters. It is important to vote for candidates who will protect the liberties of American citizens.