STOCK MARKET WATCH -- Friday, 11 October 2013

[Demeter]

2. Shutdown: Conservatives’ Revenge Against the “47 Percent”, Pt.1

http://ourfuture.org/20131010/shutdown-conservatives-revenge-against-the-47-percent-pt-1



During the first days of the government shutdown, conservatives were beside themselves with joy. Michele Bachmann (R, MN) told the Washington Post, “It’s exactly what we wanted, and we got it.” Conservative media figures looked forward to “a long siege” that would “ideally” keep the government closed through the 2014 election. It was as if Republicans were relishing revenge against the “47 percent” that Mitt Romney disdained during the 2012 election, and the rest of the American electorate for rejecting the GOP’s agenda.

But conservatives aren’t just rejoicing over the success of their plan to shut down the government. Conservatives are also celebrating the consequences of the shutdown for those hit hardest by it: government workers, and those who rely on the services government agencies and workers provide. Conservatives believe shutting down the government is the right thing to do for the same reason they believed sequestration was the right thing to do. To understand this, one must first understand the conservative worldview as explained by George Lakoff.

Competition is necessary for a moral world; without it, people would not have to develop discipline and so would not become moral beings. Worldly success is an indicator of sufficient moral strength; lack of success suggests lack of sufficient discipline. Dependency is immoral. The undisciplined will be weak and poor, and deservedly so.

In this worldview, the purpose of government is to protect the country by “maximizing military and political strength,” and “promote unimpeded economic activity” so that the “disciplined moral people” and “undisciplined immoral people” get what they deserve. You can tell who the “disciplined moral people are” by their “worldly success.” You can tell who the “undisciplined immoral people” are by their “lack of success.” Basically, the better off are better off because they are better people. The poor are poor because of their poor character. Promoting “unimpeded economic activity” means favoring the “best people” — those who control wealth and power — over those who are unsuccessful because they are morally weak.

Any government which “impedes” economic activity by the “best people,” through regulations designed to protect the consumers, workers, communities, etc., penalizes morality and discipline. Any government activity which protects the “immoral undisciplined people” from the economic consequences of their poor character rewards immorality and discipline. To conservatives, sequestration was a good start, but shutting down the government is even better. Sending government workers home without pay, and cutting off services to low-income Americans is the right thing to do. Plus, it means conservatives can force the country to conform to their worldview, without even having to win an election.

BUT WAIT, THERE'S MORE!


Terrance Heath is the Online Producer at Campaign for America's Future. He has consulted on blogging and social media consultant for a number of organizations and agencies. He is a prominent activist on LGBT and HIV/AIDS issues.