More Great American Inventions
by Clyde N. Wilson
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The Book of Moroni.
Replacing the White Man’s Burden with the Multicultural Gender-Neutral Burden.
The Lincoln cult.
Politicians and journalists guaranteed to have integrity—they tell you so themselves.
Deification of “education.” Along with the belief that all students are, or can be, above average.
Disguising professional athletes as “students.”
The infomercial. (Actually, a commenter on the previous installment beat me to the punch on this, but it is worth repeating.)
Dumb Presidents. Lots of countries have corrupt Presidents, but the U.S. Republican Party invented the Dumb President.
Declaring war against invisible enemies who can never be defeated—poverty, drugs, terrorism.
University presidents and deans who neither know nor care what education should be.
Free extended medical care for illegal aliens but not for citizens.
Stock speculators, investors in government debt, and government contractors labeled as “free enterprise.”
The docudrama—televised “historical” fiction.
Crime explained as “juvenile delinquency.”
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1 Comment by Rob on 20 August 2008:
Hear, hear.
“Dumb Presidents. Lots of countries have corrupt Presidents, but the U.S. Republican Party invented the Dumb President.”
Good heavens yes. Grant, I suppose Arthur but at least he was smart enough to know his own limitations, McKinley, Ford, Reagan, the Bushes.
2 Comment by Grumpy Old Man on 20 August 2008:
Native intelligence may not matter that much. Carter probably has a higher IQ than any other modern President, and look what it got him, and us!
A lick of common sense and a knowledge of how ordinary people live might be nice. But, naah, ain’t gonna happen.
3 Comment by Iliya Pavlovich on 20 August 2008:
Worse than landslides, earthquakes, tsunamis, hurricaines, except that it is not a natural disaster,
MEDIA
devoid of jouranlism, devoid of objecitivity, ethics, etc.
I had the distinct displeasure of reading the Pravda and Izvestija in my youth, during the communist stage of Khruschev, Brezhnev, etc. Our media is now (today) at that (subterainean) level of journalism. Thank God that since childhood I developed a habit of comparing news from Le Monde, NYT, IHT, Pravda, El Pais, Corriere dela Sera, etc. Otherwise I’d know nothing if I were to rely on our media.
4 Comment by Allen Wilson on 20 August 2008:
Mr Pavlovich, my own experience has been the same as yours, in reverse. I often go to Russian English-language news websites to get a better view of many matters, not just those related to U.S.- Russian relations. I find that often the Russian version of the news is far more objective. Ditto with many of the European news outlets.
Non-internet American media are way too controlled.
5 Comment by Christopher Baldwin on 20 August 2008:
Republican Presidents have by no means cornered the market on stupidity or fecklessness. Has there ever been a dumber, more ignorant chief exec than Carter? Few can top Truman for brainlessness. How about Wilson, whose every move was orchestrated by “Colonel” House and Mrs. Wilson? And I’ve not yet heard anyone mistake James Polk for Julius Caesar. The U.S. presidency has always been a magnet for nincompoops.
6 Comment by Daniel Maxwell on 20 August 2008:
“Dumb Presidents. Lots of countries have corrupt Presidents, but the U.S. Republican Party invented the Dumb President.”
I still say John Adams is the winner for first dumb President, so that would make it the Federalist Party. Which, of course – is a formality, considering the Republicans follow their political philosophy point by point.
My own additions to Dr. Wilson’s list:
Official History – which the regime’s Court Historians used to justify every act the federal government does.
The ‘Free’ and ‘Independent’ media – at least in Europe they openly call it what it really is – ‘public media’ (IE state media)
Kwanzaa
7 Comment by robert m. peters on 20 August 2008:
Two more of the invisible enemies which cannot be defeated:
Inequality: forever pursuing the phantom of equality in eternal revolution.
Social injustice: that which does not satiate and satisfy the egos and whims of each of the 300 million persons currently called “Americans” is called “injustice,” and this from people, who by simply breathing as “autonomous” and usually alienated individuals, call themselves “social beings.”
8 Comment by robert m. peters on 20 August 2008:
According to several news sources which I read today, Mr. Obama is going to appear in the state, city and place of Lincoln to officially introduce his VP. Is he thus laying claim to being the high priest of the Lincoln cult, or is he seeking to be possessed by the very spirit which possessed Lincoln – I come Obama and leave Lincoln?
9 Comment by polemicscat on 20 August 2008:
Clyde,
I look forward to meeting you in Charleston.
Kearney
10 Comment by polemicscat on 20 August 2008:
I agree that many Republican Presidents have had, at best, only average intelligence. Eisenhour and Reagan come to mind, but both succeeded because of their moral judgement and common sense.
But I would draw attention to the fact that a combination of high intelligence and malevolence is the worst possible combination of traits in a person with power. Examples of people with these these two traits come to mind for anybody who thinks about it.
Unfortunately, intelligence in such people not only facilitates evil schemes but often causes admiration in other who value intelligence for its own sake.
The pernicious acts of Lincoln, for instance, are often excused by amoral people because of his rhetorical skills and clever political strategies.
11 Comment by David Collins on 20 August 2008:
Gay marriage.
12 Comment by James Kabala on 21 August 2008:
Mr. Maxwell: John Adams certainly had a number of flaws and weaknesses, but I don’t think I’ve ever heard unintelligence given as one of them before.
13 Comment by Clyde Wilson on 21 August 2008:
Some folks are, I think, missing my point about Dumb Presidents. Not every bad president is necessarily dumb, but every dumb president is necessarily bad. John Adams was a bad President, his son even worse, but they were not dull-witted. The Republican Party (and yes the predecessor Whigs) has spoecialised in putting forth dull-witted rich boys and plausible empty suits for high office.
14 Comment by roho on 21 August 2008:
Not only are they dumb, but raise their own self image by choosing even dumber allies such as the President of Georgia.
15 Comment by Daniel Maxwell on 21 August 2008:
Mr. Kabala.
Yes, ‘unintelligent’ is not a term I used. Perhaps ‘naive’ would be the best word to use for the Adams presidency, rather than ‘dumb’.
Dr. Wilson, point taken. The Republicans, with only a couple exceptions, have had what amount to dumb puppets as their presidential candidates since day 1.
16 Comment by Thomas Miller on 21 August 2008:
I don’t believe any presidents before Lincoln could be any worse – in intelligence or character – than the recent occupants of the White House.
As far as judging presidents of yesteryear as lacking in political ability is concerned, witness the savaging of James Buchanan as our worst (i.e. “dumbest”) president by historians, simply because he didn’t want to wage a bloody war against his own people to keep them from pursuing the freedom to govern themselves. Who wouldn’t prefer a “dummy” like a James Buchanan over the mediocre lot we have for presidential candidates these days?
17 Comment by miles on 21 August 2008:
David Collins………………………….I laughed out loud when I read that. So true man, thanks…….
18 Comment by J.D. on 22 August 2008:
I agree with Dr. Wilson that many of the beliefs of the Mormon church are not Christian and that the whole movement may, in fact, meet the definition of a cult. However, I have to say that I have never met a Mormon that I did not like, and who did not live, what meets the definition of a Christian life. There was a Mormon church about 1/4 of a mile from where I grew up and I had occasion to meet menay Mormons who lived in my area. To a man (or woman) they were all very polite, respectful, and helpful, as well as being very good and kind to others.
I was driving through eastern Oregon a few years ago, on a desolate stretch of road, when I came upon an elderly couple who had run out of gas. I drove them to the nearest gas station, which was 30 miles away and then drove them back to their car. During the drive they mentioned that they were Mormons from Salt Lake and they had been visiting their daughter in Seattle. The wife, in her late 70s, mentioned that when she was a child she was sent to live in NYC for a few years. She told me how mean the other kids were to her and that they asked her several times to see her “horns,” because they had heard that Mormons were evil and had horns like the Devil.
They thanked me for being so kind and invited me to visit any time I was in Utah. This was five years ago and every Christmas I still recieve a card from them with a wish for a blessed Christmas.
19 Comment by A Mormon on 22 August 2008:
I really enjoy your posts Dr. Wilson. It amused me that you chose to single out the Book of Moroni. Much like your posts here, Moroni, and his father Mormon, wrote as troubled observers of a civilization that was in freefall. Regardless of whether you believe the book to be inspired or not, surely you can relate to this passage.
11 O my beloved son, how can a people like this, that are without civilization—
12 (And only a few years have passed away, and they were a civil and a delightsome people)
13 But O my son, how can a people like this, whose delight is in so much abomination—
14 How can we expect that God will stay his hand in judgment against us?…
18 O the depravity of my people! They are without order and without mercy. Behold, I am but a man, and I have but the strength of a man, and I cannot any longer enforce my commands.
19 And they have become strong in their perversion; and they are alike brutal, sparing none, neither old nor young; and they delight in everything save that which is good; and the suffering of our women and our children upon all the face of this land doth exceed everything; yea, tongue cannot tell, neither can it be written.
Moroni:9:11-14,18,19