Bill Whittle on What to Do Now
This was recommended by htom. You wouldn’t necessarily think you’d be able to sit there and listen to a guy talk for 90 minutes straight and enjoy it all and feel inspired, but then again, you might think so if you were listening to Bill Whittle. One of the nice things about living in Los Angeles is that I get to be around Bill Whittle every so often, and he’s just like this in person. I don’t subscribe to everything he says here, but his ideas are . . . American. And that’s one of the highest compliments you can pay to an idea.
I won’t try to summarize it. Just watch it. You might not be convinced on every point, but you’ll like the spirit.
One fairly major quibble with Whittle: we can’t simply refuse to participate in government and stop fighting to win. Because if we do, they won’t just take half. They’ll take it all. Parallel structures. Live your own life better than the government can, but keep trying to take back the government at the same time. If nothing else, it gives us more time.
Here you go:
Ding.
Patterico (8b3905) — 11/8/2012 @ 6:36 pmIt’s a shame that Bill — who’s made such inspirational videos that describe the unimaginable trials and sacrifices made by George Washington and the troops at Valley Forge up through the valiant marine landing at Iwo Jima to the magnificent troops battling an insane enemy in Iraq and Afghanistan — has essentially given up the fight because the fight’s too hard. Instead, he advises us to take our toys and (virtually) go home.
I thought Bill had both feet in the real world. I agree with you, Mr. P — what in the heck makes him think that the socialists are going to LET us live in Bill’s virtual world? What makes him think that if they take 50% of what they earn now, that they can’t take 70%, 80% or more? What make him think that they won’t shut down the internet? Think that might put a cramp in that virtual world?
This is an age of moral crisis. It is not our task to return to morality — but to discover it. Bill needs to learn that lesson as well as the rest of conservatism.
J.P. (bd0246) — 11/8/2012 @ 6:51 pmJ.P.,
I think you’re too down on Bill, whose essential message is not just excellent but indispensable: that the greatness of America lies not in our government, but in our individuals — and that we should not despair of losing the latter because we are losing the former.
Patterico (8b3905) — 11/8/2012 @ 6:57 pmThe reality is that the Democrats only get to enjoy their victory for four years. They have no real candidates of national repute available for the 2016 election. Hillary will be too old (it is just a fact that age makes women less attractive than men and unattractive people don’t get elected). Joe Biden? Ha.
Obama will spend the next four years either acting responsibly – which will piss off his patched together coalition – or more likely continuing to discredit the Democrat brand with irresponsible acts, counterproductive and destructive policy and weak leadership.
We’ll roll over them in 2016.
SPQR (768505) — 11/8/2012 @ 7:07 pmI’m still not ready.
This made me puddle up again: What might have been.
Patricia (be0117) — 11/8/2012 @ 7:22 pmme I’m a become an integral part of the sleeping giant what might wake up someday if Team R ever decides to get its act together
happyfeet (22b978) — 11/8/2012 @ 8:19 pmIran shot down a drone in the week before the election ?!
JD (318f81) — 11/8/2012 @ 8:37 pmI think the progressives are gearing up to chisel obama’s face on Mnt. Rushmore… The collectivist’s rule!!
mg (31009b) — 11/8/2012 @ 8:48 pmone for sure way you can tell the rape baby party needs a timeout is they’re not even a little bit contemplating replacing their failed failed failed congressional leaders in either house
yeah guys if it ain’t broke why fix it
losers.
happyfeet (6a0438) — 11/8/2012 @ 9:14 pmYou’re right, happyfeet. We need new congressional leadership. What we have now has been ineffective to say the least. The House is supposed to hold the power of the purse. Let’s.
Dustin (73fead) — 11/8/2012 @ 9:28 pmI didn’t think he meant not to participate. I thought he meant to participate, ignoring the results, because those are in the past, and we live now and for the future. Government becomes not something to chase after control of, but something to tolerate when it cannot be safely ignored. Government wants taxes, pay them, and go on with your life.
I’m going to have to listen again.
htom (412a17) — 11/8/2012 @ 9:37 pmWell, I am here to repeat my message from earlier on how to win NATIONAL elections … go after Hispanics. You don’t need to win all just peel off a few (divide and conquer right?)
I understand for many this form of segmentation is completely against principles and I agree but reality is this “mental model” is so ingrained that it can not be ignored. Most the Democratic Party is tribal and race, gender, class are all they understand … and they use it. Our citizens have become vulgar, prone to not listening and cynical. They know more about Kim Kardashian’s twat than they know about Obama’s policies. Just a fact.
Republicans need to spend money and people to target Hispanics where they live and where they are most likely to have some kernals of “conservatism in their mind.” To me these are rural Hispanics and suburban ones not caught up in the big city (D) machine. A few ideas of many: (1) advertise in Spanish on Univision and Telemundo and do it in Spanish and English (2) put up high profile “job training centers” for Hispanics seeking tech jobs and (3) sponsor some “Community College” type sponsorships. Lastly build a large mobile phone database for frequent text messaging which is the method of choice for those today moreso than email (use it at will for all segments). Repeat for Asians particularly Hindhu and Buddhists and Chinese etc. Repeat in Blue Collar areas that are white and did not come out for Romney (RCP has a great article which I think is accurate moreso than the typical talking heads on this issues)
Now I am not advocating dumping the white vote or even alienating it but at least do (R) based programs in a way which have a conservative ethos to them. Not a welfare check, and education, etc ….. it really works.
The policy and communication stuff argued here is well picked over and it needs to be fined tuned, especially how some (R) speak. But fundamentally it still sells. Conservatism sells b/c if not 2010 never would have happened and State Gov.t would be more (D) than they are.
I would not advocate for Blacks much in terms of (R). Frankly, I think something is deeply off in the community. When you have three generations of blacks voting in lock step for a party that has done zero for them …. anyway, not saying exclude, yes be nice to have more (R) who are black but don’t bother much. Not only that, I can assure you any move by (R) with blacks will be met with violent response and big time Santa Claus efforts by (D). Their too much cynicism in the black community, not so with Hispanics and Asians.
Now, in terms of the next 4 … look be smart. Too many Takers and not enough Makers but we also have a fiscal problem. Use it!!!!!!! (R) needs to trade big time tax increase for big time reduction in entire welfare programs. If (R) does this they achieve two things (a) come off as bipartisan even if they are not and (b) you remove the jet fuel away from the Leftists.
I think Conservatives forget this — Welfare is the Jet Fuel of the Democratic Party. I would willing trade a 20% tax increase for a gutting of the Welfare System. REMEMBER: snap of the finger you can reduce taxes. Rebuilding the Welfare Industry is much harder to do. So trade “easy to get chips” for “hard to get chips” …. yes, even if that means weaker spending on Defense.
(R) needs to be willing to lose some battles here to win the war. Get Hispanics. Gut as much Welfare/Training/Blah/Blah as possible for the under 65 folks.
Anwyay … this a broad front and I am not sure current Party Leadership has the intellect and fortitude to carry it forward.
Rodney King's Spirit (951136) — 11/9/2012 @ 5:21 amDid not see this before posting … http://dailycaller.com/2012/11/09/artur-davis-gop-wont-make-big-gains-with-blacks-should-focus-on-latinos-and-working-class-voters/
Rodney King's Spirit (951136) — 11/9/2012 @ 5:38 am45:00
“If all of the stuff I said is fundamentally true, and I don’t see any reason why it isn’t…”
There’s the problem in a nutshell. More self-delusion.
Powder Dry (3d5492) — 11/9/2012 @ 10:00 amBill is right in the sense of public education can’t be corrected…there’s no reason that it should be as expensive as it is. You don’t need 1 million teachers to teach a subject anymore…you need 1 great teacher and a video camera to teach. The challenge of an education comes from assessment, but even that doesn’t matter. Anyone that works in industry probably knows that education is rarely used in the workforce. Everyone gets re-trained for the specific job. (Yes, there are exceptions, there always are)
Only a few things actually matter in education with lasting effect; reading, writing, basic math and understanding. Thought processes and teaching logic are probably the most important. Introducing ideas and assessing understanding of concepts, not lifelong retention of details.
The very purpose of the current education system is to take up people’s time. To “babysit” and give kids something to do. Adding more and more onto the system and teaching calculus and all that good stuff doesn’t matter because most people don’t use it and they won’t remember 95% of what they are taught. I think the show “Are you smarter than a 5th grader” proves this point well enough. So before you start a new education system…you really need to take a hard look at what needs to be taught and what is actually necessary. The worst thing you can do is get caught up in the current “certification” system we currently have. The certification system is probably why we have bad teachers to begin with, a good teacher can’t teach because they have to sacrifice years of their time to get certified.
How do you simplify it all and still provide something that a company would accept on a job application? That’s the danger of a new system.
NaBr (a094a6) — 11/9/2012 @ 1:56 pm#15 But this messed up system originates with the landed aristocracy “selling the masses” that a good well rounded education was the goal. What you propose is huge break in thinking that 99% of people won’t understand or appreciate. People like the idea of school “civilising you” as opposed to teaching you.
Rodney King's Spirit (951136) — 11/9/2012 @ 2:58 pmI also take issue with his “big idea” that immediately follows the above comment…that the easy solution is to redefine conservative policies as “Common Sense”, since, as he seems to think, everyone can easily agree on that.
If I were this dude I would have taken a few more days following the obviously traumatic event of the election to compose my thoughts a little better and think through them when emotions weren’t running so high. First takes are usually wrong, and I actually find very little to agree with in the entire polemic.
Powder Dry (3d5492) — 11/9/2012 @ 3:40 pmMy basic feeling is that Republicans need to get a grip and stop freaking out so publicly. Basically very little or nothing has changed in the government from a few weeks ago. Now we can all argue about whether this is a good thing or a bad thing, but the idea that some catastrophe has occurred on Tuesday is only valid if you actually believed all the pre-election BS….a bad sign in and of itself that you were not thinking clearly. What makes you think people that reacted like this are capable of thinking any more clearly going forward??
Powder Dry (3d5492) — 11/9/2012 @ 3:44 pm#16. I completely agree people would be resistant to an idea like that. People have bought into the current system so much that they actively think it will solve unemployment by itself. Even people that don’t think that, get offended if you tell them their education didn’t do much for them.
Going back to Patterico’s post about the debt bubble…it’s not the only one everyone sees. There’s also clearly the education bubble too. Not just student debt, but higher education degrees that don’t mean or teach squat. There’s uneven difficulties in obtaining degrees from different Universities. There may be a difference between Harvard and Arizona State University, but how much of a difference is there between an ASU and a George Mason University when the only use of the degree is to get your foot in the door for a job interview?
Now may be the time to at least start thinking about the reinvention of education.
NaBr (7c8d8d) — 11/9/2012 @ 4:38 pmDon’t break the law, AND start a private lottery?!?
TW (6333dd) — 11/9/2012 @ 5:28 pmHis numbers don’t work. He needs a calculator. Yes, a lot of people giving a little $ = a lot of money. But then he divides it back out (divided by # of people), so it equals (the same) little amount per person! If you give $10/month, you will RECEIVE $10/month. That’s the amnt you will educate your child on?
TW (6333dd) — 11/9/2012 @ 5:40 pm#21 For the space thing, most everyone would be entered into a lottery…most would get nothing.
For the school thing you would have to do an alternative like an online education system that could be more efficient.
Anyways, I don’t think his ideas would work. Getting a million subscribers ain’t easy. What do you do when you have just 2,000 subscribers?
I’m inclined to agree with #17. When emotions are high…take a bit to gather your thoughts. The foundation of his ideas are interesting, but it would only work in targeted areas. You have to prove it works before you go for a grand idea like education.
NaBr (7c8d8d) — 11/9/2012 @ 5:51 pmSounds an awful lot like craigslist to me.
TW (6333dd) — 11/9/2012 @ 6:22 pmRead this, then go back and watch the video again.
http://www.futurity.org/top-stories/bees-fight-back-killer-mites-and-win/
Larry Sheldon (042b9c) — 11/9/2012 @ 7:08 pmIt’s kinda tough to avoid breaking the law when your opponents own the machinery of the state.
Even if Bill Whittle’s ideas could be made to work, he’ll find that those people (statists) he’s trying to ignore will use their toy (the state) the only way they know how: they’ll pass laws prohibiting/taxing some or all of these activities. For the common good, you know.
bsfootprint (e0f8a2) — 11/10/2012 @ 10:07 am#25 This is my fear. The obvious first response by those making the rules is to prohibit this sort of thing. Education is the classic example, many states have already either prohibited it or made it extremely difficult. Look to the gun laws for examples of what they’ll do…
Michael (09af93) — 11/18/2012 @ 3:53 am