What Conservatives Really Want
George Lakoff,
Truthout,
Feb 28, 2011
George Lakoff delivers an important insight into the politicization of education policy that has taken place over the last few years. Some excerpts:
- Conservatives believe in individual responsibility alone, not social responsibility. They don't think government should help its citizens.
- As the ultimate moral authority, there should be no power higher than the market that might go against market values. Thus the government can spend money to protect the market and promote market values, but should not rule over it.
- Thus, it would be wrong for the government to provide health care, education, public broadcasting, public parks and so on. The very idea of these things is at odds with the conservative moral system.
- Budget deficits are a ruse, as we've seen in Wisconsin, where the Governor turned a surplus into a deficit by providing corporate tax breaks, and then used the deficit as a ploy to break the unions.
- Conservatives believe in individual responsibility alone, not social responsibility. They don't think government should help its citizens.
- As the ultimate moral authority, there should be no power higher than the market that might go against market values. Thus the government can spend money to protect the market and promote market values, but should not rule over it.
- Thus, it would be wrong for the government to provide health care, education, public broadcasting, public parks and so on. The very idea of these things is at odds with the conservative moral system.
- Budget deficits are a ruse, as we've seen in Wisconsin, where the Governor turned a surplus into a deficit by providing corporate tax breaks, and then used the deficit as a ploy to break the unions.
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