Where is modern civilization heading?

As a society are we heading in the same direction as the ancient Romans? If so the question becomes.......

Are our leaders fiddling while civilization burns?

While we ponder the question I will post my personal thoughts on this blog. Often I will focus on current events that catch my interest, however I am not and do not pretend to be a news organization. I'm simply a guy with his own thoughts on issues that I believe affect our country and society.

Be forewarned, I have been accused of being a right wing thinker and if that is offensive please move on. Remember, this is my blog and my opinions, and unlike many facets of our already over-governed modern society they are not being forced on anyone.


However, please feel free to leave your comments, good, bad or indifferent, after all this is a free society we live in (at least for now).

Tuesday, May 15, 2012

Those of us on the right simply have to communicate better

I have never made any bones about the fact that I lean to the right in my political beliefs. Does that mean I believe that all things right are "right" (no pun intended, but it is an ironic use of words)?

Two entirely different directions take by
people often with the best of intentions
Of course not, I am not so naive as to believe the Conservative mindset can do no wrong, nor am I so ignorant to imagine that the Liberal train of thought is never right (that almost seems like an oxymoron). Although, what I do find of interest is that at times the personal commitment to a course of action by some on the Left is almost fanatical, (does the term "Occupy" come to mind?). If you have ever had the painful experience of attempting to have a rational discussion on a topic such as Health Care or Old Age Security with a committed "die-hard" Liberal or NDP voter you will know exactly what I am referring to. Unless you are willing to discuss increased public funding your opinions are generally met with disdain and any hope of your using a well thought out logical platform in an effort to get your viewpoint across is pointless. Any attempt on your part to suggest the merits of increased efficiency or private sector involvement in the health care system will almost certainly get you labeled as a heartless right wing fanatic that places profits before people.

Why? Well, what I have noticed over the years is that the Right and the Left approach political debates and discussion in completely different manners and from starting points that tend to be light years apart. The foundations that each side relies on when debating are simply put, like night and day.

The Right generally comes armed with facts, figures, statistics, examples, you name it they have done their home work and are are ready to prove their point in the harsh light of the day. Often they will turn to terms such as increased efficiency, user fees, or private sector involvement as avenues to explore with the goal of delivering a more affordable solution. No brainer, right? One would think so, but that is generally not the case.(again no pun intended, but the word "right" just makes so much sense so often, doesn't it)

The Left, in many cases will simply set the facts aside in favor of a formula that leads right (oops, did it again) to the support of the majority. So what is this magic formula?

Simple, Moral Outrage and Emotion. Time and time again we see this strategy used  by the Left with tremendous success. A recent example can be found in the United States and the election of their current President, Barack Obama. Here is a man who won the Oval office on a campaign based on  "Hope and Change", that's right (seems you can't get away from that word), no long term strategy, no commitment to anything solid, no experience other than as a junior senator, and mostly just rhetoric. But well thought out, emotional rhetoric with the right amount of moral outrage thrown in for good measure. Did it work, well he's got the big chair doesn't he. Unfortunately, the only "Hope and Change" he is inspiring this time around is "Hope" that the other guy wins and there is a "Change" in the Oval Office.

Why does the Left depend so much on this strategy? Simple, it works. The reality is that for many of us emotional decisions far outweigh logical ones, even to the point of putting the very things we hold dear in danger. So faced all too often with facts that they can't dispute, the professional Left's course of action is simple, ignore the facts and tug on the heart strings.

So just for fun, lets play Right versus Left

Right
: The cost of health care currently takes upwards of 40% of the provincial budget, the single biggest line item and it continues to grow with no end in sight, the numbers show that it will not be sustainable in it's current form if costs are not reined in. In order to ensure that we can maintain the current coverage to those that need it we need to find better ways to deliver it and find a way to end some of the abuse and inefficiency inherent in the current system.

Left
Rebuttal: So you would cut funding and deny health care to those in need? Providing health care to all is the most basic of government responsibilities and we must fight any attempt by special interests and the private sector to place profits before people. People are already dying waiting for hospital beds, the elderly are being denied critical care, and children are being robbed of their future. This government is callous and cold hearted and needs to be replaced with one that puts people first. A society is judged on how it treats it most destitute and impoverished, we can't let the 1% win. Kumbaya my Lord, kumbaya, Oh Lord, kumbaya
At this point individuals in wheelchairs are brought out, or someone relates a story they heard from a friend of a friend of their cousin about a individual who died waiting for surgery because they could not afford private treatment, leaving a family of eight children behind to be thrown out on the street in the middle of winter (I even feel that story tugging at my cold icy right-wing heartstrings and a tear running down my cheek). The end result is that the discussion generally grinds to a halt and all facts are ignored.

Another recent example is one that is again taking place south of the border and relates to health care. The American governments mandate for employers to provide birth control to their employee's, seems like a minor issue right? (oops, hard habit to break). Well not really, particularly if you are the Catholic Church whose beliefs are not exactly in line with advocating or providing  birth control. So when the Right raises this intrusion on religious beliefs by the government and points to the Constitution and the fact that it is not within the governments power to mandate such action, how does the Left respond. You guessed it with moral outrage and emotion by accusing the Right of engaging in a "war on women", after all this is an issue of "women's health". Notice, that both these accusations never mention birth control, but rely on inciting an angry response to the indignation being heaped upon the fairer sex. Naturally, a good portion of the public are outraged, how can the Right be so callous, uncaring, and launch an attack on women like this? In the turmoil everyone forgets about the original infringement on religious freedom, or that the federal government once again overstepped it powers as granted by it's own Constitution. So much for the facts....

So, as a group if those of us that lean to the right (what can I say right is right, so often) want to make others understand the need for smaller government, less taxation, and a curtailing of entitlement programs we have to learn to communicate better. We too need to tug at the emotional heartstrings, while sticking to the facts. Trust me, it can be done and in doing so we will be able to convince some who are currently sitting on the fence and are at times won over by the emotional pleas, after the facts are on our side.

On a last note, I am certain that someone or other with a Left leaning persuasion will read this and go on an emotional tirade, a full blown rant and accuse me of insinuating that the Left is made up of fools with no common sense, who are incapable of understanding logic and facts, who lie to serve their own ends, etc, etc, etc,. Unfortunately nothing could be further from the truth, however such an outburst will prove my point regarding their "weapon" of choice when debating facts. So bring it on......

2 comments:

  1. Unfortunately nothing could be further from the truth, however such an outburst will prove my point regarding their "weapon" of choice when debating facts. So bring it on......

    The thing is that most of the "Facts" the Right tries to prove arguments with are "Revised" or "Fabricated" to fit the argument they wish to prove and if you provide your own facts, (Facts known and acknowedged by the rest of the Civilized World, the Right goes on a tirade and accuses the Left of "Getting Your Facts From Leftist Sources." It is difficult to win any kind of point with the Right because they use only a faux logic of their own invention that has nothing to do with reality at all. This was not always the case. In the days of Reagan, there were Real Conservatives who could reason and compromise and work across the aisle. They have long since been replaced by something else.

    ReplyDelete
  2. So my challenge to you is disprove my facts. I am happy to have a discussion about any of the fact I use when I write, who knows maybe you will find some that are wrong.

    However simply suggesting that "most" of the facts the Right uses are "Revised" or "Fabricated" does nothing to support your statements. It is simply your subjective (and obviously biased) view. In fact you are well on the way to proving my point of how the Left seems to have an aversion to facts and relies so heavily on accusations and emotion.

    ReplyDelete

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