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Web Introduction to Empowerment to the People

The following is the first of a series of posts based on the book, Empowerment to the People, which was originally published in 1993 by Free Congress Foundation. It is one of the only economics oriented books ever published by that organization and was warmly received. Congressman Dick Armey, at the time, Minority Whip of the US House, pointed out that this book “reminds us that it is after all, our ideas – school choice, family tax relief, privatization of public housing, and so forth that place power back into the hands of the citizenry.” Armey went on to send a copy to every Republican Member of Congress, many of them bought several more copies that were used by Republican challengers and given to constituents. It received praise from other conservative leaders, including Stephen Moore (now with the Wall Street Journal) and James Pinkerton (former domestic policy advisor in the Bush I administration). Many leaders, including Amy Ridenour of the National Center for Public Policy Research, said that it played a role in Republicans winning the Congress one year later, in 1994.

For many years I have been encouraged by others to update and pursue it being republished, but haven’t for various reasons. Today, however, the times feel very similar to when James Pinkerton wrote in the Foreword of the book that “This is the winter of political weakness.” Conservatives seem to be a movement without a rudder and the purpose of these posts is to help put us in the right direction.

This site is full of well informed writers and readers so, to a certain extent, I’m preaching to the choir. But I hope readers will use it to introduce conservative ideas to liberal friends (the original intent of the book).

I have been encouraged to bring this back to readers in a book, but with the web, I feel like I have a much larger opportunity to reach many more. As far as how “dated” this material is, I’m doing constant updates and editing, and changing the language to make it more web appropriate. I hope that becomes clear in the writing. I hope you enjoy it and I’ll be watching the comments carefully for ideas on how to massage the message. I’m also giving everyone permission to publish it elsewhere, as long as credit is given to my blog here in Redstate and www.BizPlusBlog.com.

Introduction

For years I have heard that conservatives only represent the interests of the most affluent in our society, while liberals were advocates of the poor. I find it difficult to appreciate this argument considering the background and beliefs of many conservatives, including myself. Many were raised in modest homes, with parents living on limited incomes. Others lived in poverty. Yet, they still believe that less government is the best government. They still believe the liberal agenda is a formula to benefit the elite in the short run and will be destructive to the nation as a whole in the long run.

I have no desire to advocate the interests of the rich. My interest is in all people – especially the poor, because they have been the most harmed by liberal policies. Freedom is better than socialism in improving the quality of life for everyone – particularly the poor. The reason for this is simple, since government is controlled by the powerful, the powerful are served first and foremost by government. In fact, government, by its very nature is for the powerful. Therefore, the weaker the government, the more powerful individuals are.

I witnessed this first hand when I conducted seminars on free enterprise in Eastern Europe. Decades of total government control let to the creation of well-defined and separate economic groups. Climbing up the economic ladder was not only discouraged, but essentially prohibited. Our own nation is evolving in the same direction.

I hope to make a case for freedom in this series of posts. A case not built on efficiency, but on morality (although freedom provides for maximum efficiency). Furthermore, I hope these posts expand the rhetorical arsenal of those who believe in freedom. For years, conservatives have used the same message on unbelievers that they used on the choir. No wonder the choir has not expanded at the pace we desire. If you, as a conservative reading my series of posts do not find a single argument that appeals to you, you find that you are on to something.

There is an old saying: “If you are under twenty five and conservative, you have no heart. If you are over twenty five and liberal, you have no brains.” What you will find in these posts is that conservatism has both heart and brains.

For years conservatives have allowed liberals to occupy the moral high ground, convincing most people they are compassionate, while caricaturing conservatives as advocates of the economic survival of the fittest. In reality, liberals are advocates of the survival of the economically slickest, those most capable of convincing the poor to keep their place and not to rock society’s boat.

I believe it is time to rock the boat, not by creating more programs that generate poverty, but by eliminating the barriers between poverty and success.

It is my hope that these posts intrudes the reader to a new dimension of conservative ideas, a dimension that demonstrates its compassionate nature.

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Kevin Price is host of the Houston Business Show (Monday at 1 PM on CNN 650), he writes regularly at www.BizPlusBlog.com.