As the presidential primaries approach, the landscape of American politics often resembles a distorted mirror. Aspirants, advisors, and former politicians turn to focus groups to decipher what they believe the electorate desires. They then condense these insights into catchy slogans, which they enthusiastically repeat, mimicking a shouting match.
“Change We Can Believe In.” “Feel the Bern.” “Make America Great Again.” “Sí Se Puede.” “Fighting for Us.” “Compassionate Conservatism.” “A Stronger America.” “Ross for Boss.” “Morning in America.” “Not Just Peanuts.” “Nixon’s the One.” “Dean Scream.” And numerous others…
These mantras can be both ludicrous and amusing. They offer political followers a sense of purpose, while simultaneously providing astute observers with a lens through which the challenges of the future can be discerned.
Take, for instance, Elizabeth Warren’s campaign slogan: “Warren Has a Plan for That.” For a modest $30, you can even purchase a t-shirt featuring this proclamation. Or, for $35, indulge in a tote bag showcasing the same design. What a deal!
To anyone with a shred of common sense, this slogan seems utterly ridiculous. Yet for Warren, it’s a grave matter. She claims to have a solution for everything—even the most dire situations. Her official site touts the following sales pitch:
“Is child care unaffordable? Are big corporations and billionaires not contributing their fair share? Want more economic and political power for the people? Don’t worry, Warren has a plan for that.”
Exploiting Patriotism
Warren’s political journey is rooted in manipulation. For nearly three decades, she invoked her supposed Native American heritage, despite very little evidence to substantiate such claims. This strategy helped her secure positions at prestigious institutions like the University of Pennsylvania and Harvard University, where she was celebrated for enhancing their diversity statistics.
Now, she aims to win over American voters with a new tactic: appealing to patriotism. Today, expressing any doubt about patriotism seems taboo; one must either embrace it or be labeled un-American.
This week, as most of us preoccupied ourselves with daily routines, Warren announced her plan to rescue the economy—a strategy she dubs Economic Patriotism. This approach entails heavy government intervention across the economic landscape, all purporting to enrich the American worker.
Warren’s ostentatious bid for votes, which she terms Economic Patriotism, encompasses:
Debasing the dollar to enhance U.S. exports, establishing a new government agency to draft four-year job plans akin to fast-food strategies, substantially increasing investments in apprenticeship programs, and earmarking $2 trillion over a decade to combat climate change.
Warren, in the spirit of many contemporary American socialists, seeks to extract resources from producers only to redistribute them from Washington according to her preferences. She seems unconcerned that her plan is unlikely to provide the economic utopia she envisions. Instead, she hopes that American voters will be dazzled by the flashy wrapping…
Elizabeth Warren’s Strategies to Deceive American Voters
For those willing to think critically, it’s clear that the economy is a complex, dynamic entity. It evolves, shifts, and often reveals its true nature only in retrospect.
Relationships within the economy can transform from one moment to the next. Prices fluctuate continuously, while supply and demand strive to balance based on market conditions. These interactions create natural adjustments to periods of surplus and scarcity.
Centrally planned economies, like those Warren advocates, tend to suffer from frequent and severe shortages. Bureaucrats, equipped with planning reports and pie charts, struggle to determine appropriate pricing—there’s simply too much complexity and too many variables at play.
Moreover, these self-proclaimed visionaries, blinded by their own arrogance, are oblivious to their limitations. They believe they know best—whether it means combating climate change or eradicating poverty. Their attempts to reallocate resources contrary to the decisions of countless individuals invariably lead to chaos.
Instead of alleviating poverty, they may exacerbate it. Instead of creating meaningful jobs, they offer superficial ones. Instead of fostering fairness, they breed corruption. Instead of inspiring innovation and wealth, they cultivate cronyism and stagnation. Instead of enhancing freedom, they impose greater restrictions.
In the long run, centrally planned economies corrode from within until they cease to function entirely. History demonstrates this through the experiences of the centrally planned economies in 20th-century communist Eastern Bloc countries. Yet, some individuals remain oblivious to these lessons.
Can ice cubes stop volcanic lava? Does duct tape remedy diarrhea? Can a sports car reverse aging? Will central planning uplift the unmotivated?
Warren might claim to have a plan for it all, but it’s not one any rational person should endorse. It lacks any grounding in sound economic principles and has nothing to do with true patriotism.
However, if Warren gets her wish, it’s precisely the type of proposal that will appeal to American voters in the 2020 election.
Sincerely,
MN Gordon
for Economic Prism
Return from Elizabeth Warren’s Plan to Bamboozle American Voters to Economic Prism
