Tag Archives: talk radio

Is There Hope For Conservatism?

Posted by Tim on

I love Thomas Sowell’s story about how he went from being a devout Marxist to a conservative. It didn’t happen during his economic studies, even after studying under Milton Friedman and George Stigler at the University of Chicago. Rather, it happened years later when Sowell landed a job in government and he realized that government just wasn’t capable of doing all of the things he wanted it to do. The level of incompetence, the amount of red tape, the incredible waste of tax payer dollars; all of this adds up and it just makes you shake your head and really think twice about letting the government get anywhere near your healthcare.

C33301-23But Sowell isn’t alone. There are countless great conservative, libertarian, and classical liberal minds that have gone from one end of the spectrum to the other – John Locke, Friedrich Hayek, and (if I’m not mistaken) even Adam Smith, just to name a few. The transformation these men went through can be inspirational. A man who once thought the only way to achieve prosperity was through authoritarian rule (Locke) is now considered the father of classical liberalism.

Sowell’s story might offer a clue on how to get the message across to those who deem themselves liberal and consistently vote democrat, but occasionally, even if only by accident, agree with conservatives that government is just plain screwed up. If there was only a way to make them realize it! If we could just have them work in government for a month, maybe then they’d realize how messed up it is.

In times past, it was best selling books like Ayn Rand’s Atlas Shrugged that got young people interested in the idea of liberty. Most recently it has been Texas Representative and Presidential Candidate, Ron Paul, who struck a chord with young voters, starting the “Ron Paul Revolution”. Even Milton Friedman’s Free to Choose 10 episode special that ran on PBS in 1980 gave uninformed Americans a basic overview of how the free market works.

Are there new up and coming people that can deliver the message of limited government, individual sovereignty, property rights, and personal liberty? As technology changes, so does the way people accept information. Long interview shows like William Buckley’s Firing Line, just aren’t what its about any more. Unfortunately, the yelling heads on Hannity or O’Reilly are what passes for conservative media. (Not that I have anything personal against Sean Hannity, but he’s no William Buckley or Russel Kirk. Just saying.)

There are other media outlets that are available. Talk radio, often seen as a safe-haven for conservative hosts like Rush Limbaugh and Michael Savage, is a growing medium for information. At a time when FM stations are rebranding, going online, or closing all together, AM radio, “news & talk”, is doing perfectly fine. This is simply because there is a demand for the product. People want to hear what Rush Limbaugh thinks. Not only is talk radio informative and entertaining, but it also offers listeners a chance for their own views and beliefs to be validated. “There are other people out there who feel the same way I do!”

Just as democrats have been trotting out celebrities to make their cause, conservatives should be doing the same. Penn Jillette (of Penn & Teller) is an outspoken libertarian. Other libertarian celebrities include Howard Stern, Drew Carrey, and Denis Leary. Not exactly what young people would think of when they hear “republican”. But this is also part of the problem. Too many people associate the GOP with Bush, McCain, and Romney. (It’s been said before – W Bush has done an enormous amount of harm to the republican party with his wild deficit spending. There’s no excuse for it.) It is up to conservatives to spread the word that the Republican party is the party of small government, lower taxes, and more freedom. This is a message the resonates.

Atlas Shrugged was turned into a 2 part movie. Ron Paul still sells best selling books. Even NBC’s Parks and Recreation pokes fun at the failures of government with the libertarian character, Ron Swanson. Is there hope for the future of liberty minded politics? One can only hope. On one hand, nothing is inevitable until it happens. Any law passed can be repealed. On the other hand, there is such a thing as a point of no return. Some already think we are past that point (Sowell, for instance), while others hold a more optimistic view.

I tend to think that an out of control central banking system, a fiat currency, a growing dependency class, schools ditching American history for “social studies”, and trillion dollar deficits will all lead us down a bad road. Even if things turn around, it will be painful, and it is at those times when politicians vote for the path of least resistance and kick the can down the road. If Americans continue to put their faith in politicians and government, there is no hope.

On the Shoulders of Giants

Posted by Tim on
Walter E Williams

Walter E Williams

I was thrilled to hear a familiar voice guest hosting Rush Limbaugh’s show today. I turned the program on a few minutes late at work. I had been listening to an old Dream Theater album, but turned it off when I realized that I was missing “the fastest 3 hours of radio”. The voice belongs to Walter E Williams, an author and economist. Not long after I started listening, Williams mentioned that the great Thomas Sowell would be making a guest appearance on the show in the 2nd hour. What a treat!

I quickly texted a friend who I know would be interested – the friend who introduced me to Sowell, and economics in general. Of course he’s a busy guy, regularly working 70+ hours a week as an outstanding recording engineer (with a number of songs actually on Billboard’s lists). Its nice when talk radio can flex its muscles and show off a bit. Talk radio isn’t just pundits rambling about the latest controversy. Often times it delves deep into America’s most troubling problems. Today, for instance, Williams talked about the social security debacle; how its going broke and won’t be around for many people in their 20s and 30s.

Williams was great. I hardly ever hear him on the radio, but when I do I listen up. The first time I heard him was when he was promoting his latest book, Race and Economics: How Much Can Be Blamed on Discrimination?, on the Mark Levin Show. The two of them got along wonderful, and you could hear the mutual respect in their voices. Mark is another host who goes beyond typical talk radio. Mark Levin worked in the Reagan administration, operates a law firm, and as such knows quite a bit about law and most importantly, the Constitution. He also regularly makes references to famous political theorists such as John Locke and Montesquieu.

Without a doubt, the talk radio trifecta (Limbaugh, Hannity, and Levin) have helped shape my views of the world. Notable libertarian economists such as Milton Friedman, Henry Hazlitt, and Thomas Sowell have also all influenced me. None of what I know (when it comes to politics or economics) is outside anyone else’s capabilities. Let’s be very clear here – 95% of what I know about history, economics, and the Constitution I learned on my own after my mandatory public education.

But learning for myself wasn’t enough. I found that what I learned I wanted to express to my friends and coworkers. Its weird to just start up a conversation about price controls, Marxism, or the 2nd Amendment. I was willing to take on the challenge, however. While driving to the bars on a Friday night I might turn on Mark Levin’s show (which for me goes from 9pm-12am). Or I might loan out copies of Sowell books. Or, just this last week, I gave out copies of the Constitution and Declaration as gifts for the Fourth of July. That oughta get the conversation going.

I’ve also extended my thoughts to the internet, to this very blog you’re reading right now. My thoughts aren’t just for people who know me personally. I feel I have something to offer people, and its more than likely that I don’t actually know all of them. Whoever you are, I hope you’re enjoying my ramblings as much as I’m enjoying writing them!

Milton Friedman

Milton Friedman

But like many other people, I know I’m standing on the shoulders of giants. Those who I’ve learned from are far more famous and respectable than I can dream to be. The most I can do to pay homage to them is let you know where I get what I’m talking about. Most of my ideas aren’t mine. They’re Thomas Sowell’s, or Milton Friedman’s, or Mark Levin’s. They say I can’t list them all – but I’ll try. Here’s goes – Shelby Steele, John Locke, F.A. Hayek, William Buckley, Wayne LaPierre, Edmund Burke, John Stossel, Ayn Rand, Henry Hazlitt, David & Rush Limbaugh, Mark Steyn, Adam Smith, Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Paine, John Lott, Mark Belling, Sean Hannity, Victor Davis Hanson, Burton Folsom Jr, Walter E Williams, Frederic Bastiat, and Andrew Breitbart. These are the giants whose shoulders I stand on.

Pitbulls Are Not the Problem

Posted by Tim on

I’m a conservative, and I love my talk radio, but sometimes those guys can drive me nuts. I don’t mean with all of the negativity, or the political rhetoric – that’s why I listen to it. But sometimes these guys go off topic about something that they really know nothing about, and say things that completely contradict their so-called “conservatism”. Case in point – this afternoon local Milwaukee host Mark Belling went off on why pitbulls ought to be banned from the city.

This is an issue that I care about. Although I’m not a pitbull owner, I am a dog owner, and my breed is under attack almost as much as pitbulls. I own a 4 year old 95 lb rottweiler. She’s a lovable dog, has never shown aggression towards myself or anyone else, and yet is considered a dangerous dog because of her size and strength. Rotts and Pits tend to have stronger jaws than most other breeds and because of this people take advantage of the animals. People use these dogs as guard dogs, purposely mistreating them to make them aggressive and vicious.

Recently a man was walking his dog when a pitbull tried to attack his dog. He defended his dog but wound up with bad cuts to his arms and legs. The pitbull that attacked him was eventually shot by a police officer. This is a sad situation, and a horrible thing to happen to anyone, but we shouldn’t jump to conclusions. This man was walking in a ghetto-y part of Milwaukee. Chances are that the pitbull that attacked him was trained for fighting or guarding. The reason this dog attacked was because of the training (or lack of training, really) that it received – NOT because pitbull are inherently vicious.

Belling of course jumped on this incident and concluded that ALL pitbulls are vicious little monsters that cannot be trained. According to Belling, pitbulls should be banned from the city of Milwaukee, and if anyone wants to own one they should move to the country. What a horrible response! Needless to say, I’m really disappointed in the stance that he took. What conservative says that the government should decide what kinds of dogs people can and cannot own?

First, to assume that all pitbulls are bad dogs is the equivalent of assuming that all guns are evil. A dog is what its owner makes it. A great dog can be turned vicious if its owner is a moron, the same way a firearm can be turned into a deadly weapon if someone wants to rob a bank. Banning dogs is the same kind of idea of banning certain kinds of guns, based solely on the people who abuse them. There are many responsible pitbull owners who train their dogs and never have any incidents.

If someone claims that pitbulls should be banned based on the fact that most dog bites are from pitbulls, then I’d respond with statistics that show black people commit most violent crimes in Milwaukee. What kind of conclusion should I draw?? I won’t even say it – it’s insane! You can’t judge a dog by its breed any more than you can judge a person by the color of their skin.

Who is to say that banning these dogs would even solve the problem. The only people who would obey the laws would be people who weren’t the bad owners in the first place. Even if the pitbulls were eliminated from the city, idiots who like to fight dogs would just find a different breed to use – Rottweilers, Dobermans, Boxers, or whatever. Banning pitbulls won’t eliminate idiots from existing, and thats the real problem. What we should do is educate people about dogs, how to train them properly, and how to care for them.

Like so many other problems, this stems from broken homes and poor parenting. Kids don’t grow up in a loving household, and therefore they don’t know how to love and care for animals. The solution isn’t to attack the symptom by pushing good dog owners out of the city, or by euthanizing hundreds of good dogs. The solution is to have good homes, responsible parents, working schools, and strong communities. Government should work to help build strong families, which is the building block of a strong nation. Attacking these dogs is only attacking the victim.

Spreading Conservatism

Posted by Tim on

Unintentionally this is almost turning into a series on conservatism. First there was Conservative Self Education, then there was Breeding Conservatism, and now this – Spreading Conservatism. Fair enough. I suppose it’s just a topic I know a lot about, and also a topic I care about. I think “passion” is what they call it.

Being a conservative is great. For me it means that I don’t just vote Republican and tow the party line, but that I also know the issues, have strong beliefs about those issues, and understand why I have those beliefs. It’s not enough to just go into the booth and blindly fill in all the boxes marked Republican. I mean, come on. There are other issues at hand here. For one, not all Republicans are created equal. Some are social conservatives, with liberal stances on fiscal policy. Some are fiscal conservatives, but social liberals. Some are a jumble of all the issues, and some honestly don’t belong in the Republican party at all – we call those RINOs. (Republican In Name Only)

So in the end, being a conservative certainly sets you apart from any old Republican. The differences are important, but what else is important is the attitude a conservative should have towards evangelism. When most people hear the world evangelist they think of Evangelical Christians. It’s similar, just forget the Christian part. An evangelist is someone who “spreads the word”, so to speak. The word could be anything, whether it’s the gospel, or conservatism.

It’s not enough to have beliefs. It’s also crucial to instill those same beliefs in your family, friends, and coworkers. If you truly believe that small government, and greater personal responsibility is whats best for our country, isn’t it also important for our next generation to hold those same beliefs? We as conservatives can’t expect politicians to spread the word for us. Thinking that they should spread the word for us would be kind of hypocritical, would it not? We must do it in our own lives.

But how do we get started? The easiest way to get people on your team is to talk to them. None of us are so sheltered that politics never come up in conversation. The news is something we all talk about, whether it be in a positive or negative light. Next time the subject comes up, explain your beliefs, and explain why you believe them. Be calm, non-abrasive, and friendly. Too many of the conversations we have about politics are straight up arguments. I’ve never thought that the best way to convince someone of your way of thinking was to debate them. In the end, you’ll probably just push them further in the wrong direction, and keep them from ever talking to you about politics again.

Once you have people halfway on your side, don’t just let them go. Continue to drop little seeds of conservatism on them whenever you meet. Say things like, “Did you hear what Obama just did?” Then start a conversation discussing how Obama’s most recent unconstitutional executive order affects all of us. When you’re switching channels, stop on Fox News. I personally always leave the TV on Fox News, so when someone else turns it on – BAM! – Sean Hannity! I do the same thing with the radio. Once the car is turned on it’s immediately letting glorious talk radio permeate through the speakers.

Don’t forget to encourage people to continue their education away from you. Suggest websites to them, forward them links, loan them books, and then let them go for a while on their own. If you’re always looking over their shoulder they’re going to be turned off. Occasionally start small conversations about the news, but don’t come to them every day and ask, “Hey! So, did you read that book I told you to read?!?!” No matter what your belief, you’re going to scare people away by doing stuff like that. People need to come to their own conclusions. Otherwise we end up with a world of mini-mes, just repeating whatever I wrote in my most recent blog post. That’s not what I want. Really.

To restate the original thesis – being conservative is awesome. It stands for freedom, values, personal responsibility, and big guns. It’s a lot of fun being a conservative and we should strive to share the experience with other people. Start a conversation, nurture the beliefs you are trying to develop, and let the person grow on their own.