Republicans must counter the lies of socialists with inspiration and truth

OPINION:

Socialist, Muslim, anti-Israel Abdul El-Sayed won his Democrat Party primary for Senate in Michigan against his more moderate contender, Rep. Haley Stevens, and in his victory speech, he spoke of unity. He spoke of unifying even those of differing political beliefs under the larger umbrella of “democracy” and under the universal quest for affordable food, affordable healthcare, affordable housing, affordable yada yada dee doo.

He tossed in an “of the people, by the people and for the people” quote, made a quick reference to God — not the Christian one upon whom this nation was founded — and like good sheep, the head-bobbers standing to his rear bobbed their heads in agreement.

Socialists always know the right words to say, and they say them with full confidence that their friends in the media won’t hold them to account.

El-Sayed, like New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani before him — like Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez before them both — like the former senator-turned president, Barack Obama, before them all — knows full well the power of the empty promise and the potential of the unchallenged narrative. He’s a socialist — he’s more in truth a communist — and that is the socialist-slash-communist way. Promises mean nothing when a) the people you make promises to are ignorant of the realities of life and in the realities of American government and are devoid of any concept of individual responsibility and b) when there is no accountability for the empty promises.

Socialists can lie, lie again, and then again and again and again — and their socialist enablers in the media barely blink. 

El-Sayed can talk about democracy, and few in the media point out America is not a democracy. He can prattle on about affordability, and few in his voting camp care about where the money for his notions of affordability will come from — so long as it isn’t their pockets. He can demand government do better, and sling around phrases that strike at the core of the worries facing average Americans, phrases about gasoline and groceries, and point fingers at the rich business owners and rail against capitalism, and soothe the egos of his supporters by telling them it’s not their fault, they’re not to blame, and promise to fix the unfair system. And as long as nobody forces him to explain how, and in so doing reveal how his plan leads to authoritarianism and misery for all but the select few elite, he is the hero to the proletariat cause.

The trick of the socialist trade is simply to focus on emotion and avoid anything of the mind.

Republicans campaigning against this dark force have to do a better job of selling the inspiring story of America.

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It’s a tall task because socialism has woven itself into the fabric of America’s education system, brainwashing what should have been the best and brightest of our nation’s future to instead fight all that’s great about the country: free markets, the concept of God-given rights and liberties, limited governance and a government of servants to the people. America’s youth don’t understand that it’s the struggle that brings greatness; they have been raised to see struggle and challenge and hard work as indicators of an evil, unjust society.

But without great struggle, there is no great achievement. And what is America known for if not great achievement?

President Trump has rightly called out communism as one of the biggest threats facing the nation. His administration has spoken of the failures of socialism and reminded of its record of poverty, abject suffering and death. Republicans in office and on the campaign trail have similarly fought against the delusions of the Democratic Socialists of America and their comrades in political arms by exposing their platforms — by imagining out loud a country run by communists where prisons were as nonexistent as borders, oh, yes, and the U.S. Senate.

But that’s just part of the beatdown process.

To defeat socialism, to kill communism, to render Marxism obsolete, and to do it for the long term and not just a single election cycle, Republicans, patriots, people who care about the Constitution need to tell the stories that remind why America is exceptional. The nation’s up-and-comers must be taught what the schools no longer teach — what many churches fail to touch upon — what the broken homes are incapable of instilling in the children: God-given rights and liberties are what matter most because it’s only this idea of individualism that opens the doors to personal success, self-esteem, prosperity, accomplishment and triumph. Adversity itself isn’t the problem. A government that promises no adversity is to be feared and fled.

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It’s the story of a single individual overcoming much to achieve everything that serves as the strongest weapon against socialism and communism.

• Cheryl Chumley can be reached at cchumley@washingtontimes.com or on Twitter, @ckchumley. Listen to her podcast “Bold and Blunt” by clicking HERE. And never miss her column; subscribe to her newsletter and podcast by clicking HERE. Her latest book, “God-Given Or Bust: Defeating Marxism and Saving America With Biblical Truths,” is available by clicking HERE.

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Cheryl K. Chumley

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