Conservatives, right wingers, republicans, and whatever else they want to call themselves think of themselves as champions of freedom and small government. They come out in droves to set the classic socialists straight.  Yet, there is not one demonstrative conservative or free market initiative in the world today. The notion seems to be that if enough Americans are of the right frame of mind the wind of God will blow the country onto the right track without anyone having to lift a finger. Of course that is giving everyone too much credit.

Conservative talk radio show hosts shamelessly exploit the situation by keeping endless dialog going. Never in 1000 years, on talk radio will you ever hear a direct appeal to close a government agency or repeal a law.

People do what makes their lives turn out best. Most small government conservatives get more in government benefits than are received by the poor and downtrodden. So, who is going to want laws repealed that support them financially? In the minds of the patriots as they like to call themselves, “Free markets are for my benefit but in my personal life I must be protected from free market competition.”

The essence of the groups which identify as conservative generally comes from government in such a big way, they are not about to shoot themselves in the foot by actually reining in government.

There are two basic choices in an economy. There is the free market concept and then there is economics by force. All groups with which folks identify opt for economics by force. Prior to about 600 years ago, economics by force was all there was. All of the enormous economic growth the world has experienced during that time came from the emergence of freedom for the individual. As it is, the proponents of freedom in the United States are opting for economics by force just as are the classic socialists the criticize. The conservative movement is thwarted when all who identify with it want to have it arranged so that they personally have the option of using economics of force while everyone else is bound by laws of competition.

Even if 100% of the population agrees intellectually that establishing a free market economy is the best path, it is never going to happen as long as the same folks derive their essence out of government programs. Many conservatives work in government agencies that need to be closed. They see themselves as doing something critical and that reining in government needs to start somewhere else.

This is a genuine dilemma. What does a person believe? True belief turns into action. The way we spend our time and energy is a good picture of what we really believed.

It is not the left wing and the confessed socialists who are destroying the country. At least they can be managed. Who is destroying the country? It is the very folks who claim to be trying to save it. That is because they are currently doing more of what they are afraid the classic socialists will do already, than the classic socialists themselves could ever do.

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