Paleo-conservative Leaders Have No Viable Solutions
An excellent constitutionalist whose columns I enjoy reading very much, recently described three things that paleo-conservatives can do to help fix America. Well, I have to say that none of the three will work if indeed we define success as actually fixing government in America. None of the three will actually change government anywhere in this country.
I'm writing about this not to attack the good intentions of the other author, but rather to point out that no one in nationwide paleo-conservative circles actually has a plan for success other than Christian Exodus. We are the ONLY project or organization that can actually succeed as America hurtles at light speed into fascist socialism. Here are the three solutions offered by this other well-meaning patriot:
First, for education to be the solution we'd have to re-educate Americans faster than the tens of thousands of public schools: elementary, middle and high schools, junior colleges and universities. And I don't mean re-educate Americans at a faster rate, we'd actually have to re-educate in greater numbers. This is a total impossibility. No matter how many people we talk to, how many websites or newspapers or radio stations or television shows or universities or Christian schools or think tanks or institutes we launch we will NEVER pump out greater numbers of paleo-conservatives than the billion dollar government institutions. According to the National Center for Education Statistics there were 48.2 million students enrolled in public elementary or secondary schools in 2002 as compared to only 6.4 million in private schools nationwide. Keep in mind that even most private school students end up useless cogs in the corporatist systems loyal to the fascist government now ruling us. So unless someone has a plan to move 30+ millions of those government school children to greatly improved private schools don't bore me with malarkey about education being a solution to our country's problems. To date there is no such possibility at the national level despite the good efforts of Separation of School & State. A slightly more plausible plan is that of Exodus Mandate in the State of South Carolina to eliminate all government schools statewide. But the best possibility in the near term is for Christian Exodus to gain control of a county and eliminate government schools there. Attempting to re-educate Americans nationwide will never make up the ground necessary to reacquire limited government founded upon Christian principles.
The second proposed solution is the creation of a viable third party at the national level. Let me give four examples to prove that this is no solution whatsoever: the States' Rights Party, the Reform Party, the Libertarian Party, and the Constitution Party. Despite being well funded the first two-examples were relevant for only a short time, because they did not focus on local politics but rather on national, and to win at the national level was impossible for them. The 3rd example still fails to make any in-roads at the national level even after several decades of existence. Its most famous politician today, Congressman Ron Paul, runs as a Republican so that he can actually win in his Texas district. Consequently, the Libertarian Party has now adopted the same strategy as Christian Exodus in the form of the Free State Project. The FSP enjoys the endorsement of 11 State Libertarian parties. If only the Constitution Party were so wise as to endorse Christian Exodus. But alas the 4th example recently imploded over debate about abortion and most 100% pro-life States are now disaffiliating from the national party. So while the fledgling Constitution Party disintegrates at the national level, what have some of its leaders now called for? A new 3rd party of all things; this one smaller than the last Constitution Party! I can't understand such foolishness.
I must clarify that I am for the establishment and building of alternative political parties... at the local and State levels. I will help build the Constitution Party of South Carolina. I will pay my dues to it, and I will recruit members. And as we get Constitutionalists elected to local office, and then the General Assembly, and then Statewide offices, the voters of South Carolina will have a real alternative to the Republicrats. But I'll not send my money, nor give of my time, to build a national 3rd party where all efforts since and including 1860 have proven fruitless wastes of resources. Nor am I deluded enough to believe that item #1 above, the re-education of Americans, will be successful enough to make a national paleo-conservative party electable. Under no circumstances will Christian constitutionalists ever be a majority in America. But we might be able to become a majority of activists in one small State like South Carolina. The crux of the matter is whether to invest in saving our State, or to waste our time and resources trying to redeem the unredeemable.
Lastly regarding supposed solution #3, I heartily agree that we should select pastors with an unwavering commitment to preach the truth regardless of whether it tickles the ears of their congregations. Pastors who squarely challenge unrighteousness and call upon their flock to actively engage our culture are far and few between, and we should support the few who do with our attendance, time and tithes. However, this will not actually change government at any level anywhere in our country. This solution really amounts to nothing more than the employment of item #1: education. That's what pastors do. They educate their churches. They teach. Supporting a pastor and his church amounts to being an educational influence in your community. So there's really no difference between solution #1 and solution #3, the latter simply being one platform from which to implement the former.
I have just taken the best answers that a brilliant constitutionalist leader had to offer to the question "what can we do", and have demonstrated that they're wholly ineffectual at changing government in America. In fact this is the sad truth about the paleo-conservative movement in America: its leaders have no real solutions. If you continue to follow their lead, you'll spend the rest of your life identifying how America has gone wrong, complaining until you're blue in the face about it, and doing nothing that will actually stop it.
I have a better plan. Stop spending time reading paleo-conservative blogs and websites (like this one) and get over to some job websites. Find yourself employment in one of these counties in South Carolina: Spartanburg, Greenville, Anderson, Pickens, Lexington or Dorchester. Then move your family there and get busy working with us to elect constitutionalists to county council, county sheriff, and State Assembly. Then we'll eliminate property taxes, abortion, government schools, illegal immigration, and implement a specie-backed currency (such as outlined at www.goldmoneybill.com) all at the county level. That's what I'm doing, and that's an action plan for real success! Join us at www.ChristianExodus.org.
I'm writing about this not to attack the good intentions of the other author, but rather to point out that no one in nationwide paleo-conservative circles actually has a plan for success other than Christian Exodus. We are the ONLY project or organization that can actually succeed as America hurtles at light speed into fascist socialism. Here are the three solutions offered by this other well-meaning patriot:
- Educate your neighbors
- Join a 3rd party
- Change your pastor
First, for education to be the solution we'd have to re-educate Americans faster than the tens of thousands of public schools: elementary, middle and high schools, junior colleges and universities. And I don't mean re-educate Americans at a faster rate, we'd actually have to re-educate in greater numbers. This is a total impossibility. No matter how many people we talk to, how many websites or newspapers or radio stations or television shows or universities or Christian schools or think tanks or institutes we launch we will NEVER pump out greater numbers of paleo-conservatives than the billion dollar government institutions. According to the National Center for Education Statistics there were 48.2 million students enrolled in public elementary or secondary schools in 2002 as compared to only 6.4 million in private schools nationwide. Keep in mind that even most private school students end up useless cogs in the corporatist systems loyal to the fascist government now ruling us. So unless someone has a plan to move 30+ millions of those government school children to greatly improved private schools don't bore me with malarkey about education being a solution to our country's problems. To date there is no such possibility at the national level despite the good efforts of Separation of School & State. A slightly more plausible plan is that of Exodus Mandate in the State of South Carolina to eliminate all government schools statewide. But the best possibility in the near term is for Christian Exodus to gain control of a county and eliminate government schools there. Attempting to re-educate Americans nationwide will never make up the ground necessary to reacquire limited government founded upon Christian principles.
The second proposed solution is the creation of a viable third party at the national level. Let me give four examples to prove that this is no solution whatsoever: the States' Rights Party, the Reform Party, the Libertarian Party, and the Constitution Party. Despite being well funded the first two-examples were relevant for only a short time, because they did not focus on local politics but rather on national, and to win at the national level was impossible for them. The 3rd example still fails to make any in-roads at the national level even after several decades of existence. Its most famous politician today, Congressman Ron Paul, runs as a Republican so that he can actually win in his Texas district. Consequently, the Libertarian Party has now adopted the same strategy as Christian Exodus in the form of the Free State Project. The FSP enjoys the endorsement of 11 State Libertarian parties. If only the Constitution Party were so wise as to endorse Christian Exodus. But alas the 4th example recently imploded over debate about abortion and most 100% pro-life States are now disaffiliating from the national party. So while the fledgling Constitution Party disintegrates at the national level, what have some of its leaders now called for? A new 3rd party of all things; this one smaller than the last Constitution Party! I can't understand such foolishness.
I must clarify that I am for the establishment and building of alternative political parties... at the local and State levels. I will help build the Constitution Party of South Carolina. I will pay my dues to it, and I will recruit members. And as we get Constitutionalists elected to local office, and then the General Assembly, and then Statewide offices, the voters of South Carolina will have a real alternative to the Republicrats. But I'll not send my money, nor give of my time, to build a national 3rd party where all efforts since and including 1860 have proven fruitless wastes of resources. Nor am I deluded enough to believe that item #1 above, the re-education of Americans, will be successful enough to make a national paleo-conservative party electable. Under no circumstances will Christian constitutionalists ever be a majority in America. But we might be able to become a majority of activists in one small State like South Carolina. The crux of the matter is whether to invest in saving our State, or to waste our time and resources trying to redeem the unredeemable.
Lastly regarding supposed solution #3, I heartily agree that we should select pastors with an unwavering commitment to preach the truth regardless of whether it tickles the ears of their congregations. Pastors who squarely challenge unrighteousness and call upon their flock to actively engage our culture are far and few between, and we should support the few who do with our attendance, time and tithes. However, this will not actually change government at any level anywhere in our country. This solution really amounts to nothing more than the employment of item #1: education. That's what pastors do. They educate their churches. They teach. Supporting a pastor and his church amounts to being an educational influence in your community. So there's really no difference between solution #1 and solution #3, the latter simply being one platform from which to implement the former.
I have just taken the best answers that a brilliant constitutionalist leader had to offer to the question "what can we do", and have demonstrated that they're wholly ineffectual at changing government in America. In fact this is the sad truth about the paleo-conservative movement in America: its leaders have no real solutions. If you continue to follow their lead, you'll spend the rest of your life identifying how America has gone wrong, complaining until you're blue in the face about it, and doing nothing that will actually stop it.
I have a better plan. Stop spending time reading paleo-conservative blogs and websites (like this one) and get over to some job websites. Find yourself employment in one of these counties in South Carolina: Spartanburg, Greenville, Anderson, Pickens, Lexington or Dorchester. Then move your family there and get busy working with us to elect constitutionalists to county council, county sheriff, and State Assembly. Then we'll eliminate property taxes, abortion, government schools, illegal immigration, and implement a specie-backed currency (such as outlined at www.goldmoneybill.com) all at the county level. That's what I'm doing, and that's an action plan for real success! Join us at www.ChristianExodus.org.
2 Comments:
Your movement was brought to my attention today at a board I subscribe to. As an individual who adheres to the ancient Christian faith of Jesus, his Apostles, and the Primitive Church, I was interested in seeing what your views were.
While we have a common moral foundation (homosexuality is intrinsically disordered and decried by God, the Church is practially gagged by the IRS, the Bible is the infalliable Word of God, etc...) I find your proposal to solve the issue to be disturbing, at best.
First, I am concerned that your theological basis is Augustinian/Calvinist, thus taking a Christian who adheres to Eastern Christian philisophy (Orthodox and the ancient interpretations of the faith before Constantine) and placing them outside your 'box'. There is no place for the Eastern Orthodox or the Oriental Orthodox in your theology statement. This is a horrendous oversight.
Second, I find it of concern that your method of influencing society (i.e., participation in and influence of government) is absolutely antithetical to Christian teaching and is, in fact, the way that Christians are most frequently persecuted on an Institution basis around the world. Before Constantine, the Church bled and died rather than participate in elections and secular politics. They elected to change the world by changing the day-to-day lives of the community that surrounded them. Your method of influencing society is far from that, and is antithetical to both free will (which is God given) and to the message of the New Testament and the Church Fathers.
Finally, you seem to be based on the Tyrrany of the Majority... and yet it is precisely that Tyrrany that has resulted in the slaughter of most Christians in the past 100 years.
Your choice to influence society will ultimately meet with failure, because you have decided to stoop to the level of the world in order to bring about your Godly revolution.
We, as Christain people, must influence the world around us one person at a time. We cannot force our faith on others, or establish theocratic rule in order to get what we want. To do so is to avoid the calling of so many Christian Martyrs to NOT embrace the way of the pagans and heathens to spread the message of Christ.
Do you want the Church to be left alone by the IRS? Don't register! Do you want the number of abortions to go down? Offer to care for the women and the children who find themselves in the desperate situation of having to make the choice between adotion, abortion, and life. Do you want godly children? Train them at home... but don't go mixing up religion and government... it's nothing but a disaster in the making.
My prayers for you and yours.
Father Robert Lyons
Christian Presbyter
Anderson, IN
Thank you for your prayers.
I'm afraid you misunderstand the role of government, and the civic responsibilities of Christians. CE does not propose using government to "force our faith on others" nor do we intend to use it to "bring about [our] Godly revolution." I'm always amazed at the words chosen and the concepts created out of thin air by others. Neither of these two accusations can even remotely be derived from anything stated on our website. CE, and everything on our website, is involved in influencing government toward its proper role as a defender of God-given rights and liberties. Our proposals for legislative change exclusively involve defense of liberties and rights, they do not involve using government to force the Gospel on anyone. Even more disconcerting about your statements is that you seem to hold the position that Christians have no civic responsibility whatsoever. This is evidenced by your suggestion that our concern regarding abortion should ONLY be to help needy mothers. Do we have no duty to change the government that sanctions such killing? Nowhere does CE suggest that we are not to help needy mothers contemplating abortion. Christians are to do both individual ministry toward these women AND we're to fulfill our civic duty in enacting legislation to protect the lives of unborn children. It appears that you suffer from the very frequent misconception that Christian ministries and duties are mutually exclusive. In other words, that we cannot minister to the expectant mother while also enacting legislation to protect innocent children. Of course, that misconception is nonsense, but unfortunately all too prevalent among the body of Christ.
CE is a project created for a specific purpose; namely, to provide Christians the means to fulfill their civic duties. There are plenty of other wonderful organizations enabling Christians to fulfill their ministerial duties - as one example, my wife and I give on a monthly basis to a crisis pregnancy ministry in East Texas that helps young women with the exact issues you described above. It is not that ministry's purpose to help Christians fulfill their civic duties, nor is it CE's purpose to help Christians pursue their other ministries.
Post a Comment
Links to this post:
Create a Link
<< Home