Dennis Prager

June 21, 2011

Liberalism and the decline of a society’s character

By Dennis Prager

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While most American Jews and other liberals believe in the intrinsic goodness and moral superiority of liberal policies, powerful arguments can be made that liberal policies actually diminish a society’s moral character. Many individual liberals are wonderful people, but the policies they advocate tend to make a people worse.

First, the bigger the government, the less the citizens do for one another. If the state will take care of me, my parents, my children and my neighbors, why should I?

This is why Western Europeans, people who have lived in welfare states far longer than Americans have, give less charity and volunteer less time to others than do Americans of the same socioeconomic status. They have been raised to believe the state will and should take care of everyone.

The greatest description of American civilization was written in the early 19th century by a Frenchman, Alexis de Tocqueville. One of the differences distinguishing Americans from Europeans that he most marveled at was how much Americans — through their myriad associations — took care of one another.

Until President Franklin Roosevelt began the until-now inexorable movement of America toward the European welfare state — vastly expanded later by other Democratic presidents, especially President Lyndon Johnson and his “Great Society” and President Barack Obama with his 2,000 pages of laws governing health care — Americans took responsibility for one another and for themselves far more than they do today. Churches, Rotary Clubs, free-loan societies and other voluntary associations were ubiquitous. As the state grew, however, all these associations declined. In Western Europe, they have virtually all disappeared.

The welfare state citizen’s instinct upon seeing anyone, including one’s own parents or children, in need is to go to the state for help. If you think this makes for morally superior people, people with greater moral character, then our definition of a good person differs.

Second, the welfare state, though often well intentioned, is nevertheless a Ponzi scheme. Conservatives have known this for nearly a century. But now, any honest person must acknowledge it. The welfare state is predicated on collecting money from today’s workers to pay for those who paid in before them. But, today’s workers don’t have enough money to sustain the scheme, and there are too few of them to do so.

As a result, virtually every welfare state in Europe, and many American states, like California, are going broke. For at least a generation, there have not been enough citizens to sustain such a welfare state.

Third, citizens of liberal welfare states become increasingly narcissistic. The great preoccupation of vast numbers of Brits, Frenchmen, Germans and other Western Europeans are how much vacation time they will have and how early they can retire and be supported by the state. Those are the issues over which Western Europeans routinely riot.

Fourth, the liberal welfare state makes people disdain work. Americans work considerably harder than Western Europeans, and, contrary to liberal thought since Marx, work builds character.

Fifth, the more one receives from the state for not working hard, the more selfish he or she becomes. Nothing more guarantees the erosion of character than getting something for nothing. One develops an entitlement mentality — another expression of narcissism. When students at public universities demonstrate, let alone illegally take over college buildings, to demand free or inexpensive education, one sees the selfish fruit of expecting something for nothing.

The very rhetoric of liberalism — labeling every new entitlement a “right” — produces less responsible, more entitled individuals.

Sixth, the bigger the government, the more the corruption. As the famous truism goes, “Power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely.” Of course, businesses can be corrupt. But they are eventually caught or go out of business. The government cannot go out of business. And, unlike corrupt governments, corrupt businesses cannot print money and thereby devalue a nation’s currency, as the current liberal administration in Washington has been doing.

Seventh, the welfare state corrupts family life. Even many Democrats have acknowledged the horrific consequences of the welfare state on the black community. It has rendered vast numbers of black males unnecessary to black females, who have looked to the state to support them and their children (and the more children, the more state support) rather than to husbands. In effect, these women took the state as their husband. Whereas in the past, women sought out men for financial support, the welfare state enables women to stay single and get support from the government. No wonder single women of all races are far more likely to vote Democrat than married women of all races.

Eighth, the welfare state enables its citizens — especially young men — not to mature into responsible adults. I was raised, as were all generations of American men before me, to aspire to work hard in order to marry and to support a wife and children. No more. One of the reasons so many single women lament the prevalence of boy-men — men who have never grown up — is that the liberal state has told men they don’t have to support anybody. They are free to remain boys for as long as they want.

None of this matters to most liberals. Against all this destructiveness, they will respond not with arguments to refute these consequences of the liberal welfare state, but by citing two terms, “social justice” and “compassion,” and by labeling their opponents “selfish” and worse. If you want to feel good, liberalism is awesome. If you want to do good, it is largely awful.

Dennis Prager’s nationally syndicated radio talk show is heard in Los Angeles on KRLA (AM 870) 9 a.m. to noon. His latest project
is the Internet-based Prager University (prageru.com).

A version of this article appeared in print.

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Dennis Prager’s blind and blinding dogmatism leads him to attribute to liberalism all of conservatism’s faults and failings.

We know how Dennis loves the government when it fronts for Big Business and provides the fiscal antidote to the venomous financial schemes created by the miscreant CEO’S that he lauds as the paragons of frugal virtue.

Real welfare is the inverse relationship between America having the world’s highest health costs while ranked 37th in all health indices.

If Dennis Prager’s conservative dystopia was ever given the light of day, the world’s people would forever exist in a darkness that would lead into an abyss from which there will be no return.

Comment by marc rogers on 6/23/11 at 12:30 am

Sounds to me that Dennis Prager’s knowledge of the world outside of the US is slim (“virtually every welfare state in Europe, and many American states, like California, are going broke”)
The standard of living and/or quality of life in the many countries of Europe is higher than for most Americans.
How do you explain that? And, feel free to share with us from whence your world-view comes. From conservative talking points? From your own travels?

Comment by benni korzen on 6/27/11 at 8:38 pm

Dennis Prager’s “Liberalism and the Decline of a Society’s Character” was a disgusting display of right-wing rhetoric.  Start with one’s premise intact, then use any information available, it doesn’t really matter because everything will be spun to prove your initial premise.  This premise, as in so much of Prager’s and other right-wing diatribes, is the destructiveness of liberalism.  No objective statistics or data was used to prove any of Prager’s points.  Just Dennis’ Yeshiva indoctrinated self-righteous logic.  One sweeping generalization after another.  No respect nor acknowledgment for any individuality or differences.

Comment by theleviteline.com on 6/29/11 at 11:58 am

As someone who over 30 years ago needed and received government support for a time, as well as unemployment at times over the ensuing years.  I always knew creeps like Prager were there to judge and point fingers like the spoiled and/or abused brats they were raised to be and remain.  I looked forward to the day when I could finally give these creeps their comeuppance.  However, one thing I realize with arrogant know-it-alls like Prager, nothing I say will have any impact on their very closed minds.

Comment by theleviteline.com on 6/29/11 at 12:03 pm

Nonetheless I do reply because Dennis and his ilk are infuriating and truly need to be brought down into the gutter.  We’ll see who helps him/them then.  Highly doubtful it would be me.  I’m certain Dennis would never allow himself to accept government assistance.  I’ll keep praying for him and his right-wing comrades downfall and implosion.  They definitely have it coming.

This was sent originally to the Jewish Journal but not published thus far.

Comment by theleviteline.com on 6/29/11 at 12:06 pm

With so many people treating Prager’s bloviating bleatings as the manna emanating from the conservative firmament, it is no wonder that the U.S.has been wondering for the last forty years in a desert of financial turpitude and moral turpitude. I am willing to lead a campaign to have him hold a monthly meeting, under the aegis of the Jewish Journal, to have him defend that which is indefensible- his religious and political dogmatism. Please contact me if you are willing to march for truth and join the campaign.

Comment by Marc Rogers on 6/29/11 at 2:25 pm

Mr. Rogers,

I believe Dennis is in the Jewish Journal for the paper to impress the right-wing Jews and non-Jews that they can also be heard in the Jewish Journal.  He helps move and sell papers.  Maybe some of his ilk will also read other columns and come around to some decency.  Prager is a big name, whether you or I like that or not.

Comment by theleviteline.com on 6/29/11 at 8:00 pm

Big as in bloated. Big as in bloviator. Big as in a hectoring bully.

Is truth more important than morally tainted profit? Is the Jewish Journal becoming a right-wing mouthpiece for egregiously erroneous pabulum promulgated by a name dedicated to religious and secular propaganda?

Has Judaism lost its illuminating light and made bedfellows with a right and conservative wing that shuns all the Jewish pedagogy and justice that has enabled us to survive for three thousand years?

Has conservative/Republican Mammom replaced liberal/progressive manna?

Comment by marc rogers on 6/29/11 at 10:40 pm

“Eighth, ... I was raised, as were all generations of American men before me, to aspire to work hard in order to marry and to support a wife and children.”

I’ve been married to the same woman for almost 35 years, I don’t hold that as a triumph over over my divorced friends, which is why I ask for anonymity, but Dennis Prager has been married three times. That’s his business, and I’m sure he has his reasons, but the men I know who have been married that many times without being widowers are either a fraud or a bad judge of character, so in a perverse way, since he clearly doesn’t edit himself, he confesses here that he has failed his own test.

Comment by Withheld by request on 6/30/11 at 3:51 pm

Brilliant article…Thanks Dennis. Thanks Jewish journal for publishing a clear-thinking truthful piece.

Comment by Straight Shooter on 6/30/11 at 6:16 pm

A clear-thinking, truthful piece from Straight Shooter.  And like your hero, you have provided no evidence , or even an instance, where Dennis was truthful/ Clear-thinking, yes , if you are a religious automaton and a secular hypocrite.

 

And if you are a straight shooter, then explain why the Jewish religion negates Dennis’s maxims of the ” the self, the self and nothing by the self.” If you are a Dennis fan, then your team of individuals is bound to disintegrate under the weight of hubris and the self first, last and always.

You and your ilk are responsible for the dismal fiscal and moral position the country finds itself and your actions must be combatted with a warlike intensity.

Comment by marc rogers on 6/30/11 at 11:53 pm

The comments on hear are absolutely hilarious. These fools do not even realize it, but they perfectly prove Dennis’ point about the left. I bet Mr. Rogers and “thelevitline” are just beating down the walls of the temple every sabbath as evidenced by their kind remarks toward Dennis. Please in the future differentiate yourselves as secular leftist Jews so that non Jews who may read this paper and are curious about Judaism do not get confused and mistake the likes of Mr. Rogers and “thelevitline” as typical examples of Judaisms product.

Comment by Jay on 7/01/11 at 12:16 pm

Spoken like a true conservative - eschew fact and believe in blind divinity and the “free market”( examples of Judaism’s products).

I am proud to be a secular leftsit Jew. I am proud that I query and am not a robotic follower.

I am glad that I use the Torah as guidelines to guide my behavior - but not follow them without my God-given ability to think and make choices.

The real fool is people of your conservative, religious ilk that have been the bane of Judaism since the First Temple.

Comment by marc rogers on 7/01/11 at 12:57 pm

Jay, oh Jay, talk about hilarious.  You would like that I (and Mr. Rogers) ‘differentiate myself as a secular leftist Jew.’  You clearly do not comprehend me.  Now get this through your fat, egomaniacal, arrogant Orthodox head.  I and only I decide how I label myself!  I would not let you four-eyed, ugly creeps give me the time of day, nor determine what if any category I fit into.

Comment by theleviteline.com on 7/01/11 at 3:46 pm

Jay, you try to manipulate and control by telling me (and Mr. Rogers) “so that non Jews who may read this paper and are curious about Judaism do not get confused and mistake the likes of” us “as typical examples of Judaisms product.”  This is so typical of you cowardly, sniveling (Ashke)nazi Jews.  Always concerned with what “they” think.  You don’t even mention any concern with what other Jews think.  Let me explain something else to you, I DON’T GIVE A DAMN WHAT EITHER GROUP THINKS!

Comment by theleviteline.com on 7/01/11 at 4:12 pm

I know cowardly Jews like you think saying that is just crazy, as you and your “normal” followers end up in a gas chamber, or God knows what disaster awaits you next.  I personally could care less, just be quite assured I’m not going anywhere with you!

Comment by theleviteline.com on 7/01/11 at 4:21 pm

As far as my not being a “typical examples of Judaisms product,” you are darned tootin’.  You and Mr. Rogers might be “proud” I most definitely am not, never was, and never will be.  Shame is the main emotion I feel when I look, listen to, and read you (Orthodox) creeps.  However before you throw me another brainless cliche, I am not a self-hating Jew.  It’s the likes of you, Jay, that I dislike immensely, if not out and out hate.  I’m fine with me.  In fact, I am no longer a Jew, hence I’ll say all that I please now.  And if it disturbs you, even better!

Comment by theleviteline.com on 7/01/11 at 4:25 pm

You guys just need to watch (& re-watch)the following videos.  It explains EVERYTHING:

www.youtube.com/watch?v=eaE98w1KZ-c

update:

www.viddler.com/explore/tonykatz/videos/1/

Comment by raj on 10/17/11 at 8:59 pm

With all due respect Raj, the Heritage Foundation is the most conservative of all the conservative think tanks, so their views are as juandiced in my mind as are the views of the Progressive Caucus to your mind.

I think the best arbitrator would be FactCheck. org, which has no political leanings and has taken both conservatives and liberals to task.

Comment by Marc Rogers on 10/17/11 at 9:54 pm

Marc -
Fact Check is a propaganda wing of The Annenberg Foundation.
Its full title is Annenberg Political Fact Check.
Who ran Annenberg Chicago?
Barack Hussein Obama was on the Board of Directors from 1995-2001, and was the Chairman from 1995-1999.

http://brianakira.wordpress.com/2008/10/12/what-is-factcheckorg/
The vast majority of the mainstream media is hyper-liberal and that’s why they’ve been able to fool people like you into being communists & marxists. They haven’t gone out of business because of George Soros:

http://www.foxnews.com/opinion/2011/05/11/dont-hear-george-soros-ties-30-major-news-organizations/

Therefore, my posted videos are VERY accurate

Comment by raj on 10/18/11 at 1:18 pm

Your using Fox News regsrding Soros has already been retracted as erroneous and cherry-picking facts. The Heritage Foundation is a conservative proganda organ masking the facts with millions provided by the Koch brothers, the Wal-Mart Family and other billionaires who like the status quo.

Raj, we could go back and forth on sources( and Annenberg is not liberal and the majority of the mass media, has been for the last forty years, across all domains, center leaning right, and the more right, the less investigations going on) but do you really feel that liberals caused this depression masking as a recession?

If so, I wish you the best and we will agree to disagree.

Comment by Marc Rogers on 10/18/11 at 3:23 pm

Marc -
I can see that you have been brain washed by the mainstream media possibly to the point of no return.
I will do my best with limited time and the limited space in this blog - max 700 characters per/post - which means I’ll have to split up my message in to more than 1 post.
If the mainstream media is conservative, how do you think they were able to convince the american people to elect a communist man that no one previously knew about, had no real accomplishments, and has no experience to suddenly be elected president ?

Comment by raj on 10/18/11 at 8:44 pm

If the mainstream media is conservative biased, why do you think they are silent about all of Obama’s scandals and disastrous mistakes :
1. his 1 trillion stimulus plan that did nothing, is untraceable, and is involved in a gun scandal with mexico ?
2. obama still spending over $2 million in campainge funds to cover up his real birth certificate - what does he have to hide?
3. The millions of christians in the middle east that are being butchered, tortured, killed, and forced out by muslims due to Obama’s support of the muslim brotherhood and the “arab spring”.
4. Obama’s overspending & printing money which is causing hyper-inflation & economic collapse.

Comment by Raj on 10/18/11 at 8:51 pm

5. Obama’s destruction of America’s space program.
6. Over a year before the next election, instead of doing his job as president, he is using tax money to campaign across the land in his million dollar “bus”.
7. His sugar daddy/puppet master - George Soros - who his using obama to devalue american currency, destroy the american ecomomy & military in order for America to be under a one world government.

Comment by raj on 10/18/11 at 8:53 pm

And yes, it is liberals - democrats (ex.-clinton) and the RINOs - (fake) republicans in name only (ex.-george bush) - that helped collapse the economy. They were the ones that deregulated the stock market and the housing market by removing the safeguards. Only REAL conservatives (ex.- herman cain) are patriotic to this country & will safeguard it and keep the ecomony strong by letting people keep their money and invest in it.
And by the way, exactly which facts in the fox report were proven “erroneous” ?

Comment by raj on 10/18/11 at 9:18 pm

Another media coverup: Obama’s new war in Uganda is pushed by George Soros because he wants to make a few billion more in oil money.
http://www.wnd.com/index.php?fa=PAGE.view&pageId=356321

This is obviously the most dirtiest and scandalous president in history, but you mindless foot soldiers of the mainstream media would never hear or know about it.
Obama scandals #1-100   http://obamascandalslist.blogspot.com/2009/10/obama-Obama scandals-list.html
Scandals # 101 - 200 :
http://obamascandalslist.blogspot.com/2009/11/obama-scandals-list-101.html
Obama scandals #200 - 294 (and counting) :
http://obamascandalslist.blogspot.com/

Comment by raj on 10/18/11 at 9:53 pm

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