moneyFYI
Financial Freedom Is Merely Organized Common Sense
A Problem With Politics
It is a thinking flaw to believe things that are familiar to us are somehow better or more right than things that are not so familiar. That’s why famous candidates or ones that show well are easier for us to elect.
The question we must ask ourselves is this. Should we elect candidates who look good, speak well, are charismatic, and who promise things we would like even though they don’t usually expect to deliver them, or should we elect unattractive, unfamiliar candidates who won’t promise anything they do not intend to deliver or cannot deliver because of obvious economic limitations?
Basically, the difference between electing people who are politicians and people who can govern.
So far, style matters more than policies and delivery.
Why conservatives cannot govern.
It comes down to a single factor. Conservatives tend not to promise undeliverables. Liberals on the other hand are less contrained by reality and frequently promise massive programs they have no hope of implementing.
It is like the mechanic that hands you a big bill when you expected a small one. His response, “You can’t be happy all the time. You loved the estimate.”
So conservatives can be positioned to be skinflints with no empathy. And the media tends to do just that.
Education needed
Voters must come to ask what have you done for me, and vote based on the answer.
If that standard is invoked, the Trump presidency has been quite successful even though he appears to be an uncouth barbarian who lies a lot. Certainly, the media has not helped educate the voters. Various out and out misinformation is promoted as absolute truth while accomplishments are buried. Not so different here.
I did notice in the recent election that minority groups who had enjoyed better work opportunities voted for him more than was their history. I think the people are beginning to see the Democrats as the party of the very rich, the very connected like unions, and the very poor. If you don’t fit there, you probably voted for Trump.
The sad reality is that the Democrats need the very poor so they are unlikely to do much to minimize their numbers. From the voter’s perspective, how wrong is that?
Where it goes from here.
I don’t see how the Democrats can avoid self-immolation. They no longer have any commonality in their people. Certainly, previous Democratic administrations did little to nothing for the very poor and being mega-rich is falling out of favour. You could check.
It comes down to one cynical observation. “Politics is the gentle art of getting votes from the poor and campaign funds from the rich by promising to protect each from the other” — Oscar Ameringer
So far the Republicans had neither group to help them and the ones in the middle are not yet concentrated enough to make the difference. Many of them are still voting on style instead of substance.
When the voters recognize politicians in favour of smaller affordable government are their ally, Republicans and other conservatives will form every government. Until then, voters can enjoy the fairy tale that follows, “If elected I promise …..”
Watch for it among minorities first. They have the most to win. So long as they are nothing much beyond votes, and they believe the propaganda, they have no hope of improving their lot. They won’t stay believing for long now they can see the possibilities.
The takeaway
The future will not look like the past.
Be among the first to estimate what will happen and how it affects you. Then work out the the opportunity or the defense.
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I help people understand and manage risk and other financial issues. To help them achieve and exceed their goals, I use tax efficiencies and design advantages—the result: more security, more efficient income, larger and more liquid estates.
Please be in touch if I can help you. don@moneyfyi.com 705-927-4770
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