Glenn Beck, Progressives And Me

by Ronald J. Pestritto - September 15th, 2010 - Wall Street Journal

Whatever I or anyone else thinks about Mr. Beck's programming or political views, on one central historical issue he is correct: The progressive movement did indeed repudiate the principles of individual liberty and limited government that were the basis of the American republic.

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... in his 1887 essay, "Socialism and Democracy," Wilson considered the socialist principle—"that all idea of limitation of public authority by individual rights be put out of view"—to be entirely consistent with democratic principles: "In fundamental theory socialism and democracy are almost if not quite one and the same. They both rest at bottom upon the absolute right of the community to determine its own destiny and that of its members... "

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Theodore Roosevelt... in his famous "New Nationalism" speech of 1910... said it was necessary that there be "a far more active governmental interference" with the economy. "It is not enough," he said, that a fortune was "gained without doing damage to the community. We should permit it to be gained only so long as the gaining represents benefit to the community."

To achieve their ends, progressives understood that the original constitutional limits on the scope of the federal government had to be breached.

The subtle differences between socialism, progressivism, liberalism, fascism, communism, marxism, are all degrees of tyranny that make little real difference to those whose freedoms are destroyed to benefit the "greater society." Every enthusiastic supporter of these 'isms' see only the ideological greatness of their Utopian dream. In every case they remain indifferent to the costs to individuals. They also remain stubbornly indifferent to the reality that their Utopias are never an improvement over the free society that the founding fathers created here in America.

Freedom under capitalism and free enterprise provides so much more wealth that ultimately even the poor are better off in absolute terms than under the evil tyranny of the 'isms'. However no system can ever provide enough wealth that those on the bottom stop envying those who are better off. Hatred of the middle class, hidden under the pretense it is hatred of the rich, always drives the public dialog. The Utopia of these tyrannies also requires, as it has in every country in which it has been tried, a bloodbath to purge from the nation's gene pool those who are determined to live free.

The resistance of the Tea Party movement to the growing tyranny in our nation enrages those on the left for that reason. They see their Utopian dream slipping away as people reject their beliefs. The left is either going to win or they will demand that those who oppose them are purged. I would not presume to believe America will be any different from prior experience. History rarely fails to provide the lessons that predict the future, even when people refuse to believe the evidence.