Liberalism is now being tested in America, as two of America’s most spotlighted and powerful politicians — President Barack Obama and New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio — implement their liberal agendas. If liberalism is to succeed, Obama and de Blasio need to make the case for it to the American people and execute it effectively.
On Fox News Sunday this past weekend, conservative icon George Will said he hopes there is a resurgence of liberalism in America, as “there is nothing better for American conservatism than periodic examples of untrammeled liberalism.”
Obama and de Blasio serve as these examples. If Will is right, Americans will be appalled by the effects of both leaders, and flock to the Right for alternatives. And Republicans need to be ready with, and united behind, effective solutions to America’s problems on all levels of government.
As Will explained, after 1964, Lyndon Johnson “had huge majorities in Congress” and “had his way.” Then, “Republicans won five of the next six and seven of the next nine presidential elections.” Will said he gives de Blasio “three years and people will be begging to return to something else.”
If Will is wrong about the long-term benefits of short-term liberalism for conservatives, and the President and NYC Mayor pass the test, they will gain Americans’ favor, thereby causing an increase in elected liberals.
So far, however, both leaders are struggling. Within one week of assuming office, de Blasio has already moved to crush small businesses and raise taxes.
He vowed to ban horse-drawn carriages from New York City, claiming the industry abuses horses. Regardless of the reason, such a decision is an unusual and strange first move for a newly elected official.
Critics charge that one possible explanation behind the mayor’s decision is corruption. One of de Blasio’s major campaign donors is a real estate executive who has ties to city property and crusaded against carriage horses even before the most recent mayoral election, the American Spectator noted. This has prompted an outcry from those whose livelihood is threatened by de Blasio’s decision.
De Blasio also promised New York City that he would raise taxes on the rich in the already over-taxed city. People — and their money — have been fleeing New York City’s oppressive taxes, according to How Money Walks, which uses IRS data. De Blasio’s policies will likely increase this exodus.
Liberalism is also failing its other test. Obama’s policies have led to a terrible economy, and his signature law is crumbling, hurting Americans in the process. Obamacare has ‘uninsured‘ more people than it has insured, raised the price of health insurance and care, and caused an exodus of doctors, all while wasting hundreds of millions of taxpayer dollars. Americans are not convinced Obamacare is working.
The American people, who bear the burden of these policies’ negative effects, have little reason to keep faith in the parent ideology, liberalism. Ideology is proven effective when its resulting policies benefit Americans, and ineffective when they don’t. Under Obama and de Blasio, prospects are looking bleak for the far-left movement.
