A pernicious culture that prioritizes preferred outcomes over the means used to achieve those outcomes has emerged as a dangerous threat to liberty.
Americans are increasingly dismissive of constitutional protections on liberty and limits on federal power that stand in the way of reaching their desired ends.
Whether it’s free speech, religious freedom, due process, or checks on executive power, Americans are willing to disregard them if they can get what they want out of government.
This sad reality has played out most recently with the debate over barring individuals on the terrorist watch list from purchasing guns. On the surface, it seems like a no-brainer to prevent terrorists from buying weapons. The problem is that being on the no-fly list, which contains 81,000 names, does not necessarily mean somebody is a terrorist. There are no clear standards for placing somebody on the list and no fair way to appeal inclusion on the list.
Throughout the Bush administration, Democrats condemned the erosion of civil liberties in the name of fighting terrorism, including the use of lists.
But because they want to look at any angle possible to restrict gun ownership and are looking to score election-year points, they have thrown such concerns out the window. As they cry about Islamaphobia, they openly embrace legislation that would disproportionately strip American Muslims of constitutionally protected rights without due process.
“If the FBI is watching you for suspected terrorist links, you shouldn’t be able to just buy a gun with no questions asked,” presumptive Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton said after the Orlando attack. Got that? If you are suspected of something — not actually convicted — the soon-to-be Democratic standard-bearer thinks you should be denied rights without a fair hearing.
Sen. Chris Murphy, D-Conn., a leading opponent of gun rights went further, infamously declaring, “Republicans have decided to sell weapons to ISIS.” Though during the Bush years liberals used to bristle when those who raised civil liberties concerns were attacked for aiding terrorists, when it comes to getting what they want on guns now, even liberal stalwart Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass, got into the act and embraced Murphy’s framing out of political expedience.
A Quinnipiac poll found that 86 percent of Americans, and 91 percent of Democrats, support the policy.
There is no other context in which Democrats would feel comfortable expanding the use of the list — for instance, if it were proposed that those on the no-fly list shouldn’t be allowed to protest or vote. But it’s considered acceptable because in this case expanding the use of the list benefits their immediate political objective.
This is not the only issue on which the outcome-based culture has reared its ugly head. Take the outbreak of bake-me-a-cakeism.
The same small government beliefs that led me to support legalized same-sex marriage well before Hillary Clinton or President Obama prompts me to support the right of Christian bakers or photographers to refuse to participate in gay weddings. But many are unable to see a distinction between being personally open to same-sex marriage and being cool with using government force to compel others to embrace the institution. Even Libertarian Party nominee Garry Johnson has struggled to see this.
In the name of regulating campaign spending, Democrats have been willing to undermine First Amendment protections on freedom of speech. Troublingly for the First Amendment going forward, a Pew Research Center survey found that a shocking 40 percent of millennials say that the government should be able to restrict speech deemed “offensive” to minorities, compared to just 12 percent of those between 70 and 87. The whole point of having free speech rights, of course, is to protect statements that are offensive or unpopular — otherwise such a protection wouldn’t be necessary.
As president, Obama has routinely used executive actions to attempt to implement the agenda that he couldn’t pass through Congress, in many cases simply announcing he won’t enforce laws. Liberals have cheered this on because they wanted to advance their agenda, even though such precedents can be used by a future Republican president.
Of course, the outcome-base culture isn’t limited to Democrats. Republican voters rallied behind Trump, even as he spoke of revisiting protections on the freedom of the press, just because he’s doing it in the name of attacking the liberal media. Trump has also touted government seizures of private property on behalf of big businesses on the basis that it can create jobs.
The bottom line is that Americans are increasingly okay with using government to get their way, without any regard for the process that’s used to get there. Over time, routinely tossing aside constitutional protections and checks and balances can only lead to one place: tyranny.
Happy Fourth of July.
