Greg Anrig
Author of The Conservatives Have No Clothes: Why Right-Wing Ideas Keep Failing
Works by Greg Anrig
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Although the book was published in 2007, it tells a story that is important for today. it looks closely at the many things conservatives have promoted as successful examples of their ideology in practice and finds that they have in reality been major failures. The analysis of these examples is invaluable.
Anrig's basic points are as follows:
The Conservative goal:
To enable the wealthiest segment of society to become ever more wealthy through (1) the elimination of government regulations that restrict the ability to maximize profits; (2) the elimination of taxes and the public programs those taxes fund; and (3) the marginalization of government altogether.
The Conservative Dilemma:
How can this be accomplished in a one person/one vote democracy if the wealthiest segment of society constitutes a show more small minority of voters?
The Conservative Solution:
1. Identify a legitimate public problem (terrorism, failing schools, etc.).
2. Redefine the problem in a way that will (a) take the public's attention away from the true roots of the problem and the possibility of true remedies and (b) point toward "remedies" that will benefit the wealthiest members of society .
These "remedies" always involve weakening or eliminating the role of government on domestic issues, strengthening corporate/military/industrial power, and/or weakening civil liberties and legal protection of the general public and/or environment.
The Conservative response when their "remedies" fail:
1. Tell the "Big Lie:" "The remedy IS working."
2. Keep repeating that although the remedy hasn't worked yet, it will work eventually.
3. Sigh with exasperation and state that the remedy would have worked if only the liberals would not have been such obstructionists.
4. Roll your eyes and state that there is only so much that government can do -- "People have to be the solution."
It's really worth reading this book to see how this conservative strategy is utilized time after time, from Katrina, to Iraq, to the public school system, etc.
. show less
The Conservative goal:
To enable the wealthiest segment of society to become ever more wealthy through (1) the elimination of government regulations that restrict the ability to maximize profits; (2) the elimination of taxes and the public programs those taxes fund; and (3) the marginalization of government altogether.
The Conservative Dilemma:
How can this be accomplished in a one person/one vote democracy if the wealthiest segment of society constitutes a show more small minority of voters?
The Conservative Solution:
1. Identify a legitimate public problem (terrorism, failing schools, etc.).
2. Redefine the problem in a way that will (a) take the public's attention away from the true roots of the problem and the possibility of true remedies and (b) point toward "remedies" that will benefit the wealthiest members of society .
These "remedies" always involve weakening or eliminating the role of government on domestic issues, strengthening corporate/military/industrial power, and/or weakening civil liberties and legal protection of the general public and/or environment.
The Conservative response when their "remedies" fail:
1. Tell the "Big Lie:" "The remedy IS working."
2. Keep repeating that although the remedy hasn't worked yet, it will work eventually.
3. Sigh with exasperation and state that the remedy would have worked if only the liberals would not have been such obstructionists.
4. Roll your eyes and state that there is only so much that government can do -- "People have to be the solution."
It's really worth reading this book to see how this conservative strategy is utilized time after time, from Katrina, to Iraq, to the public school system, etc.
. show less
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