Dan Proft, shown above, Chicago’s best conservative talk radio host recently interviewed me for his video podcast series, Against the Current, which is part of a larger initiative called Upstream Ideas. I listened to Dan’s earlier conversations with Vicente Serrano, and John Kass, both of which were good.
I enjoyed the conversation with Dan, which focused on the book I co-authored, America 3.0: Rebooting American Prosperity in the 21st Century-Why Americas Greatest Days Are Yet to Come
Dan at one point jokingly said, I paraphrase: Can’t you just leave the Conservatives alone, and let them enjoy their hopelessness in peace?
Nope!
We will all have a lot we need to do in the years ahead. Great days for America are coming, whatever the intervening trials. So, be happy.
It is always a pleasure to speak to Dan Proft, and I hope you will listen and find the conversation interesting as well.
On healthcare, you say:
“Now, are we gonna assume that the American people are just gonna say, you know what, we’re gonna have a deal where the very wealthy and the people who are connected to the government get healthcare that’s good, like in the Soviet system, and the rest of us are on crappy medicaid and we have doctors who don’t want to show up for work because they’re not well compensated? I don’t know, this is a middle class country, this is a country that flips out if your hamburger comes with a tomato and you didn’t want tomato. Are people gonna forever put up with this? Or are people gonna demand…”
I will put forward the existing system of government services as evidence, that yes, they will put up with it. People’s children are assigned schools. See much rebellion against that? They’re required to pay tuition into those schools through taxes whether their children attend or are homeschooled or in private schools. The VA is famously bad, with lots of talk about reforming it that has gone on for generations, but it’s still famously bad. Yes, they will put up with it. And they will continue to vote for the people who set up this system. That’s not what you or I will do. But it is what they, the average voter, will do.
I like the concept, and love the interview but the cigar is a distracting sideshow.
Michael:
Your comment is Exhibit A. Resignation, in advance, to defeat. It makes you an objective ally of the people who are destroying us.
Dan:
The cigar is part of the schtick of this show. We drank bourbon during the conversation, which is also part of the schtick.
I liked the bourbon part.
I kinda the like the drinks and cigars. I think it creates an atmosphere more of a conversation in a bar. It’s more relaxed. I do wish he’d given Lex a bit more time to complete his thoughts, but I guess he needs to keep things moving along.
I think it’s a nice touch. It reminds me of the old ‘Sportswriters on TV’ show.
Good conversation.
It makes you an objective ally of the people who are destroying us.
Refutation by accusation. It works for the Left, it can work here. Complete with Leftist vocabulary: “you are objectively on the side of the fascists, comrade.”
And here I thought a clear gaze without sentimental self-deception was a worthwhile and valuable thing.
Reagan promised to abolish the (then-new) Department of Education. He deceived voters by telling this lie (er, political promise), then failed by not trying (revealing his true intentions). I guess he’s the objective ally of the people destroying us, too.
America will be prosperous again. We just won’t be free.
Regarding your point about generational change in attitudes before and into the Victorian era, I forgot where I read this, but a comparison has been made between the the Gin Craze of the the 18th century and the TV addiction of the 20th century.