Don Bates Wants to Replace Evan Byah
Richmond businessman, Don Bates, is running for U.S. Senator, hoping to replace our current Democrat Evan Bayh. Bates says (according to the P.I. article) that he’s a Reagan conservative and is afraid of America’s slide into socialism. He did not say exactly what he saw as evidence of our slide into socialism, but I would guess he means Social Security, Medicare, that we permit unions and collective bargaining, and perhaps some of the present-day government bailouts.
What Bates is doing here is the typical conservative politician’s fear appeal: Be afraid, be very afraid, your government is out to get you. Please, don’t misunderstand me. I don’t trust government either. Government, any government (liberal or conservative) will lie and cheat to get what that government wants. “Power corrupts … etc.” However, we should not be afraid of government. We do live in a democratic republic. As citizens we have a responsibility to be in charge of our government. Having said that, I don’t think we Americans want a cold and mean spirited government, that leaves needy people to fend for themselves. (However, I do perceive that is what Bates wants.) In this democratic America, I really don’t think that is what people want.
I presume then, if Bates gets elected senator, he will do what he can to eliminate Social Security, Medicare, unions, all forms of bailouts, and other government programs that help the weakest members of our culture. I wonder if that is what Americans really want. Bates is a rich man. I imagine he has secured his future and that he has very adequate health care. So I can see how he might want to eliminate social programs that help make American a more caring and – in my opinion – a better nation.
- Bob Hertzog's blog
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I know nothing about Bates, Bob. I doubt anyone will unseat Bayh. However, I see no more evidence for your suppositions about Bates than you see evidence for his alleged suppositions about government's slide into socialism. I'm not saying you're wrong. I'm saying that you're not making a case here. Yet.
- Thomas Paine
Hi Bard... Thanks for the comment.
You are right. I have inferred what I think, he might think is evidence of our slide into socialism. I don't know because the Palladium-Item Reporter who interviewed him did not ask the questions he should have asked. I don't think I'm too far off... Senator Jim DeMint has written a new book he calls “Saving Freedom." in it he suggests that our slide into socialism started with the passing of social security in the 1930s. I guessed that Bates is following that line if thinking. Perhaps, I'm wrong... We'll see.
OK. It's hard to pinpoint exactly where any one thing started because there really is no discrete beginning nor any distinct ending to any event. They each arise naturally from a matrix of probabilities and continue even after they appear to drop off our event horizon. With that in mind you might be able to say that some of the socialist stance began with Jesus's exhortations to his followers. Then again, much of this pre-dated Jesus, giving rise to the event of his birth and teachings.
Never mind. I'm getting too philosophical. Carry on.
- Thomas Paine
Hello Bard... Well, like philosophy... Jesus may have been a socialist, but if that is so, where would you go to find the first non-socialist individual? Perhaps the cave? :}
Nope. I think the earliest Cro-Magnons could only survive by being socialist after a fashion. Same with Neanderthals. That's why shunning meant certain death in the 'olden days'.
- Thomas Paine