Forget about wings! How about some testicular fortitude?!! Something that has been sorely lacking of late...

There IS one tactic I've been putting in place over the past few years. I've got a VERY bright step-grandson and I've introduced the Socratic Method to him. He often asks my opinion on world or national events, and while I will tell him my opinion, I always try to steer him towards, "Well, why do you think That happens?"..

Which has launched us into multi-hour discussions, and he's a Very Good Thinker and has collected a lot of his own views and opinions, so we bat them around and test them for both of us, trying to see which 'conclusions' are the most logical, effective (or the least stupid... )

His parents indoctrinated him with a lot of their very Liberal Views, and now he's developing the ability to evaluate those inputs and make his own decisions about such subjects.

He is a Dream and a Thrill to have discussions like those with. And the great part? He'll be 15 later this year... :)

Catch 'em when they're young. He really finds my logic and reasoning to often be bullet-proof and we both love the discussions. If his mom or dad try to chime in with their slant, I turn the Socratic Question towards them and they backpedal out of the line of fire almost instantaneously, leaving me and their son to continue our talk.

It's a really high point in my life nowadays.

Michael, I was pursuing a Socratic path, looking for Root Cause of The Problem.

It's 'only' my opinion, but I think I hit or came very close to identifying Root Cause of the Issue so many complain about.

I'm an engineer. In general, Engineers are tasked with finding the Best Solution To A Problem.

They aren't usually tasked with Creating or Implementing the Best Solution.. just 'finding it.'

I have no idea how to make such a drastic change in the minds of so many people, but I think I AM pretty clear that folks that Blame Congress in the face of what I just argued are Wasting Their Time.

And it's a little like Social Security... Yeah, I don't want to wait until my great-grandkids are out of college, either (even if I had any...), but "fixing" a problem like SocSec which has developed, festered and is now becoming ulcerated Over Several Generations... is probably NOT amenable to 'solvers' whose event horizon is 2-4 years.

I've suggested 'cures' which could and maybe should be gradually implemented (step-wise) over a decade or two... so individuals and industries can adapt to the changes without the shock therapy of "ok, everything changes next fiscal year..."

But, again, the same voters who re-elect Congressmonkeys AND 'approve' of them to the tune of 10-15% ... well, there's a LOT of folks out there who aren't ready to Think A New Way.

Got any ideas on how to Do That?

There is a FB group "Objectivists For Cruz." you are right that rarely stumps on religion, but he does talk about his faith alot, which makes some nervous.

Paul is affected (mostly for worse) by his father's image. Paul (Sr) was horribly naive on foreign policy, which effectively sunk any possibility of a run for the presidency. He's got great views on the economy though he's made tremendous enemies with his calls to audit the Fed. Paul (Jr) has recognized that and tried to mollify the electorate by taking a slightly more pragmatic approach to matters.

Cruz is a strict Constitutionalist and can argue with anyone on it. His ties to religion are overblown IMHO. Yes, he's a Christian, but that isn't what he stumps about (in contrast to Mike Huckabee).

I'd take either one over our current president, and either one over all of the other candidates with possible exception of Ben Carson.

There are other phrases of note:
Mowdelaw. (Cut the grass)
Isabocks. (Refrigerator)

I "gently" agree with your statement. Yes, Hayek and not Keynes would be the correct answer to the operational issues dogging the Republicans with the electorate.

Unfortunately, the average person does not understand the nuance and probably doesn't care, as long as they have their TV, Internet and other trappings of "civilized" American society.

For these reasons, the "soundbite" is the rule rather than the exception....unfortunately!

I gently disagree with part of that...

"Compassionate Conservative" implies a defensive position of "No, we're NOT bad guys..." and that's a weak position to 'sell' to any voter. Basic psychology.

I don't have any 'fer shure' suggestions for What Would Work, but my gut tells me that better advertising of "our truth" about free markets and their overwhelming benefits for Everyone and general education about How Economics Really Works for People (Hayek: yes, Keynes, NO) might lead to long-term success.

The electorate actually believes the bill of goods they've been served... that Big Government Is THE Solution-Provider to Solve Any Problem Anyone Comes Up With. And like the definition of insanity, when those Big Government Solutions don't work, they believe we should turn up the volume on them (i.e., piss More Money down the rat-holes.)

So long as the Electorate holds their current beliefs, I don't see any hope for positive change (pardon the O-expression).

Check yesterday's (Sunday's) Pearls Before Swine... What I've been repeating for the past year or two...

Stop blaming Congress... Blame the Electorate.

But in the case of Conservatives and Republicans (almost one in the same), look at polls and demographics... the new voters (see Reason Magazine of a year or two ago on this) are "swinging" Independent and opposing Big Government AND voting pro-abortion and birth control!

Staying Hard-Core Conservative, I predict, will be a losing hand for a generation or more, but Believers Never Stop Believing...

Look at some of the news on the MMGW front... the more bogus data are refuted, the less difference it makes to Believers. I collect that kind of shit on my website...

Cheers, all!

Powerful statement SaltyD.

Ohiocross: Loved your metaphor, "assimilated by the Borg" so, so true!

Hopefully, the crowd will be well thinned out by spring caused by that old Italian disease "mafunsalo."

Good summation. 1+ for Borg.

Jan

Yes, and I think those fears are being fanned. Who would not fear a reactionary Christian theocracy? (Middle Ages: Been there; done that. Don't want to go there again.)

Jan
current Middle Ages are much more fun...

I agree that Rubio may well be the candidate. His message since the beginning is that his candidacy is about new leadership. He's just a first term senator so he can say he's not been "assimilated by the Borg" yet. He is from a critical electoral state and is Hispanic, so he covers demographic bases that need to be covered. Fiorina as VP covers the women's side of the identity politics.

Do they salivate when they hear the bell?