The annoyance with Obama’s speech on the right this week is legion. Lots of very loud complaining – and virtually all of it caused by the fact that the right realizes it’s been played, outflanked – and is now at a decided political disadvantage specifically because of the way Obama has decided to frame the debate.
The buzz, leading up to the speech, was that Obama was going to cave to the cause of conservatism – he too would announce that it was time to rein in entitlements, that this country could no longer afford this type of commitment to its citizens. Many on the left had steeled themselves for this – and then Obama surprised everyone by coming out swinging on behalf of the liberal aesthetic – i.e. declaring that Medicare, Medicare and Social Security are part of what makes America great; by making a moral case for these programs.
Well. The right has its collective panties in a major twist over this, not just because Obama sucker-punched them but because they realize that they now have to defend not just Ryan’s cuts but the ideology behind them on moral grounds.
And they sense they’re going to lose that argument. And it pisses them off.
We’ve long said in this space and in the print edition that the major blind spot of conservatism is its almost religious faith in the notion that the general public is along for the ideological ride. Which is to say that however Ryan couched his plan, the fact is that the right, as a matter of ideology, detests the mere notion of “redistribution.” And Medicare, Medicaid and even Social Security, really, are classic examples of redistribution.
Conservatives hate (and that is indeed the correct term) these programs not just because of their cost, and not even primarily because of their cost – but because the mere existence of the programs offends them ideologically.
But now, we’re gonna put that ideology to the test. We are now going to talk about these programs from a moral perspective, and conservatives find themselves in a position where they are going to have to argue that these programs are immoral.
And that’s the kiss of death, right there.
Oh, your cannier conservatives will never concede this, will even feign OUTRAGE!!! that anyone would dare suggest it. But you know how these guys are – they can’t help themselves. Rush and the rest of his lesser imitators fervently believe in the immorality of “redistribution,” and will continue to pound that party line ad infinitum.
As someone who indeed believes in the moral case for these programs – I couldn’t be more thrilled with that.
Good. Let’s have this debate; let’s go directly to the American people and ask them if they believe Medicare and Medicaid and Social Security are positive, moral forces for good in this society.
What do you think the American people are going to say? Oh, I think you know quite well what the American people are going to say.
And so do conservatives.
And that’s why they’re so pissed off.
Aha.... the poor Taken-Over-By-Loonies GOP.
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