This Young America
What does the Republican Party have to offer young people?
The core elements of conservatism are the subject of much contention these days, but let's assume for the moment that they are smaller government, lower taxes, and strong national defense. What does sound like to a young, smart person who has the energy and capacity to do something positive with their lives?
It sounds like this: Go get a job and make money. You have material value as a producer and consumer in the economy, but that's about it. If you want to actively improve society it's sweet, but naive. Perhaps you can get involved though your church in some way - but stay away from the government.
And with regard to national defense? [Assume for a moment that the young person is smart enough to understand that we are in danger, and that America shouldn't be blamed first.] Well, unless you are going to join the military - which is very laudable, but there's no conscription - there's not much to be done. Mostly you should keep participating in the economy in the event there's some kind of threat to our security, such as 9/11. Acquire a mortgage, take a vacation, or keep up your spending.
That's what Republicans seem to offer young people. The best energies of youth cannot and should not be directed towards any type of civic impulse to improve their country. Don't ask what you can do for your country - ask how you can make a larger impact on the various ledger entries for the corporations for which you work, and from which you buy. These are the true measure of your worth.
I'm oversimplifying - but I'm afraid, not by much. Why would anybody under the age of 30 be anywhere besides an Obama rally? What's the point of being young if you can't do something selfless, or creative, or compassionate - for the common good or to make the world around you a better place? That's change. And now a politician who speaks up and says - I'm going to try and provide that opportunity, but it's a compact, we need to do this together. Young people (but not only young people) are going to enthusiastically support a leader who aspires to bring that type of structure to our civic lives, and by necessity also ridding our public life of the partisan ideological battles that have come to seem like shackles weighing down a possible better America.
It's correct to claim this dangerously idealistic. But the story of the United States from the very beginning has always been moved forwards and upwards by ideals made dangerous by virtue of the fact they destabilize the status quo.
We are a young country.
posted by Superfly @ 11:19 AM
7 Comments
7 Comments:
Hey. Chris from SC here. Originally from the Cincy area. Born in KY, grew up in IN. Thinking about returning soon.
Anyway, I found your blog googling for "Cincinnati Subway" a week or two ago. Long story, but I think it would be awesome to have a system in Cincy.
This is an excellent post, as the last few I've read have been. You're a fantastic writer.
On to my point, finally. I agree with 98% of your post, but you're leaving out the one candidate who represents the Republican party of which I always considered myself a member, until recently, anyway. Ron Paul. I know you wrote about him last month - I checked it out.
I'd been hearing about him for a few months before I did any research. I looked at all the offerings available and thought, "this just won't do." So, I checked him out. I was amazed. He was everything I remembered about being a Republican.
Say what you want about him, he's at least been able to create interest and hope in this country again. I brought him up to my family in the Cincy area over Christmas. No one had heard much about him, but they were all complaining about certain issues and every single one of them matched up with Dr. Paul's stance. I encouraged them to check him out, to which they replied, "But we're just one person. What difference will WE make?" I told them that I'm just one person, and I told ten people at least while I was there. If each one of them did the same thing, one becomes one hundred.
Sorry for all that. Just wanted to add my $.02. Great posts, I subscribed a couple weeks ago.
Chris
Yes we are a young and optomistic country. A young country encourages growth and immigration. But instead of talking about how to increase legal immigrants, Repubs just want to talk about building a wall.
Ron Paul is anti public transportation, and thus anti-city. I don't know much about him, but libertarians are generally pro-sprawl and want to get out of the UN. They are by their nature, uncompromising, when politics is all-about copromise.
Loved the post. I'll try to read more often.
The perspective is very incomplete, and it if were as described, it would be pretty weak.
First, it presupposes that going out and making money isn't a form of service when done right. Of course that's incorrect. Entrepreneurial ideas have changed the world for the better at least as effectively as politicians have.
It also ignores the fact that the more money one makes, the more potential good a person can do. Judeo-Christian ethics, in fact (the ones so often derided by those who think they have a monopoly on how to change the world for the better) virtually require that you do.
It ignores the fact that churches can and do a great deal of good, and that our tax bills would be frightening if they suddenly disappeared and the government bureaucracy had to pick up the charitable slack.
It ignores the fact that the government's "charitable" impulses have as often as not been counterproductive (e.g., welfare brought on the near destruction of the lower-class African-American family).
I think you may be describing what many of us deride as core elements of "country-club Republicanism." It is not the GOP of Reagan, or Gingrich, or of the current field, Thompson. It is also doomed to fail because of the weaknesses, perceived and real, that you describe.
I think your critique's party dichotomy played better in the 1950s and 1960s. Now I think it could be applied equally to each party. The Dems are just better at appearing (and ONLY appearing) to care more.
@citykin: I doubt that Ron Paul gives a hoot what happens at the state's level. He is, however, opposed to the federal government making decisions it has no business to make.
As for the UN, I believe we have no business participating in what they believe is best for us. I'm all for open communication, but we have to be responsible enough to discuss and compromise on our own.
@BizzyBlog: Agreed. Dr. Paul says EXACTLY the same thing you just said. Remove the government from people's lives, let them make and spend their money and churches (and organizations) can get back to provide the community services they used to offer.
I have to say I'm with bizzyblog on this one. As a young person, a voter, one who has spent some time doing charitable work and one who eagerly anticipates larger scale participation in global affairs. I hope for the government that will give me the freedom to work hard and that will allow my money to work for me. And as a young person with dreams of "making a difference" I firmly believe I can do so through business, consulting, writing and other entrepreneurial activities. I believe my fellow citizens have proven this to be the case (even billy c with his new book Giving seems to agree), with inovative organizations like kiva.org and others like it.
I do agree that the reps need to step up to task of appealing to their younger voters.unfortunately, I will go to the ballots wishing I LOVED a candidate. In fact, I wish this so much that I'm almost ready to switch my loyalties and throw in with Obama. However, what holds me back are a set of core beliefs that tell me I'm better off, and so's my country, if one of my preferred republican candidates won.
"The best energies of youth cannot and should not be directed towards any type of civic impulse to improve their country."
I think you've totally got that wrong, I feel the Republicans absolutely want people making a difference and taking personal responsibility in their communities, instead of pushing it off and expecting the government to do it.
There have been some good comments on this post - which was intended to provoke, by the way.
Portia,
You are a good example, if not a sterling example, of a young person with conservative values who is very actively involved in compassionate and charitable social good.
Chris,
Thanks for the kind words. And I probably should take a close look at Ron Paul. I have some doubts, but that's only based on what I know - and that's another post.
5chw4r7z,
You're unequivocally correct in one part of that statement - Republicans do want personal responsibility instead of people pushing it off on the government. Personal responsibility is a much better way to effect social good than taking the default position that people are helpless, self-inflicted victims.
But I'm a little less convinced that the GOP is really very animated about getting people involved in non-governmental ways that communities can be improved - such as charity or NGOs. How can that be a policy point for someone running for office - when, by definition, government isn't involved? Lower taxes means more church giving?
The larger point is that it's pitifully easy to reduce the conservative mantra to a meaningless, materialist ideology that is unappealing to many (not all) young people. And maybe there needs to be some way that we can participate in civic life that gets past the false dichotomy between full-blown nanny-state socialism and government-can't-do-anything, bare-knuckle market capitalism.
Throwing it out there.
Bizzyblog,
"Entrepreneurial ideas have changed the world for the better at least as effectively as politicians have."
A correct statement, but one that's exceptionally difficult to defend, especially if you are a politician. And it's about the secondary effects of commerce - business people are primarily out to make a buck, and politicians are out there for service. And it still reinforces the point that the options for service-minded young people SEEM to be few if you hew closely to conservative orthodoxy. It's 'get a job and make money'. (And the secondary effects only become possible when you've amassed a huge pile of it.)
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