cparker15

“So little time left. The Right’s political and intellectual leaders believe they are engaged in a noble war for the “soul,” the identity, the very existence of the nation. If the stakes are so high, if the other side is out to destroy all that is good about America and not only tear the nation’s moral fabric apart, but erase the natural order in the process, moderation, restraint, and patience are not an option. There is therefore no line they don’t feel justified to cross. Where does America go from here? “Normal” politics is not an adequate response to the kind of challenge the country now faces. In fact, a return to pre-Trump “normalcy” is not even desirable, as it would merely restore a deeply dysfunctional, deficient system that gave rise to this mess in the first place. America needs transformative change. But as we are locked into an existential struggle, is it even remotely realistic to hope for a democratic leap? What are the actual chances of transformational progress in a society so fundamentally divided?”

“A scoundrel’s worst fear is a society without property—for without it, he will only get the respect he deserves. Without money, people are valued for what they contribute to others’ lives, not for what they can bribe others to do. Without profit, every effort must be its own reward, so there is no incentive for meaningless or destructive activity. The things that really matter in life— passion, camaraderie, generosity—are available in abundance. It takes legions of police and property surveyors to impose the scarcity that traps us in this rat race.”