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Hear ye, hear ye, Great American Tribe: thou hast lost thy ways and hast forged thyself chains of iron. Hear the Revelations of the prophet Frogman, he who wandered through the barren wasteland of Europa under a wooden yoke and witnessed the terrible plight and dreadful blight that will now descend upon thee:TO THE GLOATERS crowing over the comments sections of every conservative and Republican websites: burn through every gallons of that sweet euphoria as quickly and fully as you can, for it will very soon become stale and leave only the putrid taste of rot in your mouth. I know you, for I’ve seen your peers and walk among them in the Land of the Frenchmen. Tomorrow, the effects of your plebiscite will pierce through the exhilaration of your victory, and they will crush you as much as they afflict those you mock today.
Just as they did in France, the policies you champion will affect everyone’s standards of living, directly and indirectly. If you are wealthy today, your wealth will dwindle tomorrow. If you are already poor or believe yourself so, you will never rise and prosper.
Soon, just as the French did, you will realize that you’ve elected yourself servants of an unaccountable oligarchy courted by a small intelligentsia to which you will never belong, from which you will never profit and of which you can never get rid. Then, you will join the legions of what the French call les déçus de la Gauche, or "the Left’s disappointed"—Indeed, even in Left wing France, the Left never fails to disappoint its followers for it is made of and thrives on fallacy and deceit.
Just as the French, when you realize that the effects of the political model you tout today cascade and accumulate to the point where you have effectively handed that oligarchy a permanent majority that begins to feed on its pawns—you—it will be too late and your loss will be complete.
Understand this: I am not a US citizen nor a resident in the USA, so this is not the bitter retort of a sore loser. This is a prophecy from a foreigner who has seen your future because he lives in it: you, my friend, who laugh today will cry twice as much tomorrow.
TO THE VARIOUS BRANCHES OF LIBERTARIANISM, whether followers of the cranky Dr. Ron "The Bane of the Fed" or hipsters swapping commodity traders’ jokes on Zero Hedge as they wink-wink-nod-nod "wait for the Titanic to sink". You who decided against opposing the Eurobama Project rather than banking on the R&R ticket who, despite all its shortcomings (whether real, perceived or invented) would nevertheless have been far more receptive to most Libertarian ideals and would have been easier to steer in the directions you favor than the Chicago Machinist will ever be, here is an enigma:
Have you ever heard about the French Libertarian Party?
Me neither. True, there’s a couple of pretenders to the title, but they are merely social clubs, where every now and then attendants get a tingling in the pants by quoting good old Ludwig Von Mises and Claude Frédéric Bastiat between connoisseurs. Their true distinctive feature when compared to the other French is that they won’t even bother entertaining any delusion of grandeur or relevance—they know they have no place in the French political process, and no chance to ever gain one.
So hear this, Friends of Gary the Third Party and other Principled Abstentionists: by choosing ideological purity over strategic thinking, you’ve effectively hedged your own political future in the one competing force that is most capable of propelling you into irrelevance and oblivion—as we say in France: Bravo!
Just as in France, once a majority of the US population—no matter how slim—has tasted the poisonous fruits of the State, they will demand the keys to the cornucopia and regard with disdain, scorn or hostility any soul brave or foolish enough to call it unsustainable and propose to lock the larder. The fact that you are right will not matter at all. Just as they do in France, the people will ask for more and tout de suite, never realizing or willing to acknowledge that they are effectively cannibalizing themselves and their offspring—as we’ve been saying in France for quite a while: Après moi le Déluge!
Thank in no small part to you, Obama now has more time to multiply the locusts, thus depleting your future ranks. You shall keep fancying yourselves as The Smart Ones, when compared to those Neanderthaloid Conservatives and Liberal Zombies, until one of you wonders aloud why the lights went off in the Libertarian cave, and hears only the echo in answer.
Understand this: I am not a US citizen nor a resident in the USA, so this is not the bitter retort of a sore loser. This is a prophecy from a foreigner who has seen your future because he lives in it: you, my friend, who didn’t oppose Obama today will be politically extinct tomorrow.
TO THE REPUBLICANS, INDEPENDENTS AND, YES, DEMOCRATS—after all, between Lot and his family, even in Sodom there were a few righteous—who saw that great Evil roaming the land, pledged to do anything in their power to stop him but ultimately couldn’t muster a big enough army.
Some of you believe that shifting demographics have now relegated the American Right to a permanent minority status, and that to regain the initiative, you must disown the "Right-wing nut jobs" and "move to the center". That notion would be stupid and self-defeating enough at face value, even if it wasn’t echoed by a slew of Left wing pundits, who smelled the blood and see your doubts as a unique opportunity to demolish you further.
For the results of such a ‘strategic’ move, one needs only to turn, once again, to France.
Look at the French Right. See it? Look harder, as it is now very difficult to distinguish from the Left. Back in 1981, when the French elected their first officially Socialist president in a long time, and the French Right went on a losing streak, collapsing at the polls under what was then dubbed la vague rose ("the pink wave". Rose in French meaning both the color pink and the rose flower, emblem of the French Socialists) they figured, quite cynically, that they had to give the voters whatever they demanded—and moved left. They are now only nominatively Right wing, yet are consistently chided and scorned by the French press as right-wingers, ultra conservative and free market fundamentalists.
In other words, the French "Right" is now always wrong, and only has herself to blame.
I am not going to lecture you on what Republicans and conservatives should or shouldn’t do—if you want patronizing political advice, ask any of the other 60 millions+ French, they’ll happily oblige—but in light of the rapid destruction of the French Right, I’ll just state the obvious: what you need to change isn’t your principles, it’s the narrative.
Some of you believe that societal collapse or civil war are coming soon hereafter, and advocate stocking supplies and ammunitions for the conflict they see ahead.
Truly, there isn’t such things as too much food and weapons, and yes, collapse and conflict could come to America. Yet it is not written.
The various flavors of Social Democrats who run Europe (into the ground, admittedly), and share so many features and aspirations with Obama have learned the mistakes of the less subtle autocrats who preceded them. If France can teach you one thing, it’s that Obama will never bleed you dry or push you beyond the threshold of revolt, only to the nearest edge of it: you are now more likely to bleed from a thousand cuts over a thousand years than to get a quick, if violent, resolution to the relentless assaults against your life, liberty and pursuit of happiness—snarky Libertarians who opted to let Obama squat in the Oval Office unopposed on the deluded notion that "it doesn’t matter" and will bring the fall of Leviathan sooner, may want to take notice.
Even the French have not yet managed to completely plunder and ruin their comparatively much weaker economy, and the good Lord knows they’ve been trying for the best of the last 80 years or so.
Just like in France, the rates of taxes, duties and fees unleashed upon the good folks of the US of A will not only augment, they will also metastasize over an incredibly varied and ever expanding range of products and services, in addition to your income and profits. You will suffocate under an unrelenting onslaught of new regulations, red tape and audits by a growing army of government agencies and bureaucrats all tasked with the mission of controlling that nothing passes through their nets, and punishing you ruthlessly for anything that does.
And still: you will live through it, and you will live well enough—for a given value of "well"—to never really have a legally and morally unquestionable motive to rise up in arms and go full scale de oppresso liber on the tyrant. This will not be, as many of you imagine when they think about France, North Korea only with more cheese, wine and broads who don’t shave their armpits. Instead, you will find yourself in a multi-generations limbo of "too late to work within the system, but too early to shoot the bastards"—as, ironically, a Libertarian once said.
Just like in France, this will turn you into a depressed, cynical and pessimistic people, until they finally manage to kill your spirit whole, and nearly everybody is on the dole.
That’s when they’ve won. They do not need to kill you, they just have to break you.
Understand this: I am not a US citizen nor a resident in the USA, so this is not the bitter augury of a sore loser. This is a prophecy from a foreigner who has seen one of your possible futures while living in it.
Yet you, my friend, are all that’s needed to change that destiny.
If, as some say, this is all about demographics, then look at demographics and rejoice: no matter the color of your collar, you are the productive class, the entrepreneurial class, the creative class—quite literally, the working class—the likes and numbers of which France has never seen. You are guided by family morals and work ethics that are long gone in France, assuming they’ve ever existed here. And you are living under the cover of the most formidable declaration and system of self-governance, one that simply never existed in France.
Thus the only future I can predict is the one where you go French and surrender. You, and only you can turn this debacle around and me into a false prophet.
Sadly, some among you seem to have all but given up. Reading through your reactions in the comments at PJ Media, Breitbart, Hotair and others, I see cries that "the Republic is dead", and even claims—shocking claims, for this Americanophile—to burn the flag because "it doesn’t mean anything anymore".
Old Glory doesn’t mean anything, simply because you woke up last Wednesday to a measly 4 millions popular votes difference? A battle of nearly 121 million voters finds you outnumbered by four and hear, hear: the Republic is dead and the war is lost?
Try and tell that to those Americans who found themselves outnumbered and outgunned by far more disadvantageous enemy ratios, whether in a forest in the Ardennes, a hill in Korea, a valley in Vietnam or a mountain in Afghanistan. Try and tell them you’re considering giving up and burning the flag in despair.
Even though I am just a French, I am quite certain I can predict their reaction.
Once again, you don’t need a lecture from this Frenchman, but it seems to me that some of you, in the emotion of that unexpected electoral defeat, forgot this simple fact: America is always outnumbered.
This unique nation, founded not on feudal or religious fault lines but on a radical philosophy of individual freedom isn’t the norm in this world: it is an anomaly. If you needed a quick and simple reminder on the basis for American exceptionalism, there you go.
America is always outnumbered and, until the rest of the world sees the guiding light and builds shining cities on America’s model—if that day ever comes—America will always be outnumbered.
Yet it doesn’t matter: America’s strength isn’t in numbers, it’s in her soul.
Hear this final prophecy America: only one man can kill the Republic, and it isn’t Barack Obama. The one man who will kill your Republic is the one man who will last give up and renounce it.
Don’t you dare be that man.
Update: linked and quoted at MacBourne's Musings, and I've added a quick follow-up on the flag protest issue here.
Comments
Comments thread (31)
SteppergCalifornia USA
Thank you Dear Frogman. I was waiting for you to comment on this mess and you did not disappoint. We are Americans and we do not give up. The weak among us will fall off or wake up. It is not too late for us as long as we remember that if we are not careful, we too, are in danger of becoming a prophet of our own demise.
Thank you for speaking the truth.
MattexianTexas
As much as it pains me to think the once-mighty US might flounder, it’s harder to face continuing the status quo when it looks like one is bailing out the Titanic with a coffee cup. More than a few of the states who voted predominantly for Romney, now have voices raised for secession, because we are fed up with voting one way across the heartland, and having the hordes in Chicago, New York, and Los Angeles vote the other way and overwhelmingly cancel out any wishes we have about the stewardship of the country. Especially here in Texas, the voices are being raised again for independence, after we voted almost 3-to-1 against the Chicago Way. A smaller core group have been working toward that independence for decades, since 1995, so this isn’t some Johnny-come-lately reactionary thing out of spite against Obama. (Usually our opponents cry racism, which is their knee-jerk reaction to everything, but is funny since we’ve been at this since Clinton’s first term, and continued thru his second and both terms of Bush.) Only now are enough people waking up and seeing the corruption in the machine that will enslave their grandchildren to debt, and they want an alternative of true liberty, which is breaking away from the Federal Leviathan.
As the t-shirt says: Texas- it’s bigger than France!
RebeccaHStranger from out there
A very good read, Mr. Frogman. Yes, we are wallowing in our misery at the moment, working it out you might say. But tomorrow, we’ll get up and try again, because that’s what we do, in part thanks to you, who taught us the difference between the shooty end and the no shooty end.
Mike H.Spokane, Wa
RebeccaH, those of us who were in the Marine Corps remember which end is up. The Frogman’s course was just a refresher.
I’m seeing an attempt by al-‘Bama to use the UN weapons treaty to try to disarm the US. The pointy end of the implement will come into use quickly in that case.
Mike H.Spokane, Wa
I must apologize for the inordinate use of pixels but wish to bring forward some wisdom from the ages. "It’s easier to fool people than to convince them that they have been fooled." Samuel Clemens (Mark Twain).
And at the risk of invoking ire from my fellow commenters, my definition of a Libertarian is one who is a Progressive and doesn’t want the government to take his money.
mbrewer2045Wisconsin USA
Here here Frogman. Well spoken and laid out, as usual. I guess sometimes the lesson that must be learned needs to be taught the hard way. I only pray that the outcome isn’t too painful for all of those mindless sheeple that brought this upon themselves (and me for that matter). I have no doubt that American-the-Phoenix will one day be reborn and rise again. I hope that my daughter lives to see it, as I don’t expect that in my lifetime (I’m only 37, but these swings tend to take a couple of generations to stabilize). Keep speaking the truth, and someday, I pray, it will be heard by those who need to hear it.
Rock on Frogman!
mocking101birdTennessee, USA
Welcome back, Frogman!!
Papa RayStranger from out there
This last friday I and many others were the guests at my oldest grand daughters grade school tribute and honor for their veterans.
It was a wonderful experience and display of old fashioned patrotism. The kids handed out small plaques of praise to each vet who was there. They sang, had skits and generally praised America’s Veterans.
Many an old eye had something in it.
I and those like me are not in dispair nor will ever be in it. We are pissed and know that times are tough but that we and our ilk will prevail in the end. My two grand daughters and two grand sons will never give in to the bastards. I taught them better, as I also taugh my two children.
We will never give in or up.
Papa Ray
Charlie
An excellent analysis!
Some years ago we were fellow lizards on an un-named website. You were the one with a closely reasoned analysis, and always saw the way forward. In this dark hour I will take your words to heart.
Charlie
SorenStranger from out there
Well said.
Our American friends have decided since the ship of social democracy is slowly sinking, they had better board it before it is too late. They are going to get wet, but need not drown, if they heed your words.
Soren in Denmark
(Pedantic nitpick: Please change "looser" to "loser" in your chorus)
Hawkeye SteveStranger from out there
Thank you. That’s exactly what we need to hear.
kevinoStranger from out there
Bravo, and well said, Sir!
I do fear that our fragile republic is going down. Demographics is against us. No, I’m not talking about the rise of young voters or Latino voters. I’m talking about the rise of stupid voters. In poll after poll, 65-70% of Americans believed that they were on the wrong path. And last week, the majority voted to continue down that path. Many know that the path is unsustainable, but they don’t care. The majority voted out of fear and revenge—not love of country, and they do not understand the importance of freedom and self reliance.
And I do not use the word “stupid” lightly. There is a difference between ignorance and stupidity: ignorance is curable. As you correctly stated, the proof is all around us. For years, liberals routinely state that the US needs to more more like Europe. It should be very clear that being like Europe is a bad idea.
We need to talk to these stupid, selfish people about why the path that they have chosen is not sustainable. We have to cut through decades of mainstream medium propaganda and public education. I’m not sure it can be done. I’m quite sure that the leadership of the GOP can’t.
“A democracy cannot exist as a permanent form of government. It can only exist until the voters discover that they can vote themselves largesse from the public treasury. From that moment on, the majority always votes for the candidates promising the most benefits from the public treasury with the result that a democracy always collapses over loose fiscal policy, always followed by a dictatorship. The average age of the world’s greatest civilizations has been 200 years.â€Â
― Alexis de Tocqueville (possibly Alexander Tyler)
NarayanauStranger from out there
Sir
I would like your estimate of peikoff’s book The DIM Hypothesis - how effective do you think it wii be? Worth the effort of a French translation?
Ali Mentary
Thanks, Frogman.
bpb
Thanks, I’ll cross post on my blog. Maybe the flock will read this and cuss me.
BPB
JackWayneStranger from out there
Dear Mr. Crapaud, you forget one thing. We have guns and you don’t.
Light29IDStranger from out there
Right now…I know how Washington felt at Valley Forge
Moishe3rd
Always interesting.
There are two unique American characteristics that may yet stave off collapse.
One you allude to - the “survivalist” gun mentality. No, we are not going to barricade the doors to hold off the Obama Revenoor Collectivists but, Americans are still strongly disposed to telling the government, “don’t tell me what the F to do!” If we did not have that disposition, we wouldn’t be Americans. We’d be French. And yes, your points are well taken, it is possible that the populace may abandon their Americaness in favor of Frenchdom.
However, the other variable is G-d. Even when G-d was a Frenchman or an Englishman or a Muslim - He was the French State; or the English State; or the Authoritative Allah.
The United States was founded by a bunch of folk of all nationalities and religions that claimed that the one thing they had in common was that each individual had the G-d given right to his own individual relationship with G-d. We do NOT have to have the State as a mediator.
And, America is still the most Christian (or Jewish for that matter, outside of Israel) nation on Earth. There are tens of millions and more of hard core believing Christians (and Jews) who will refuse to let the State tell them that their G-d is illegal and must be abolished.
If push comes to shove, it will be these folk from whence the revolution comes against America becoming a new Europe…
anonStranger from out there
"...tell that to those Americans who found themselves outnumbered and outgunned by far more disadventageous enemy rations, whether in a forest in the Ardennes, a hill in Korea, a valley in Vietnam or a mountain in Afghanistan…"
THEY had the advantage of being free to openly kill the enemy… perhaps theres a lesson there?
DaveStranger from out there
History shows only one way out of this socialist torpor: War. Not drone strikes in distant “stans”, but war on your own soil, with mass death and destruction. World War II ended the Great Depression not because it forced governments to spend money, but because it forced people to take responsibility for their own survival.
Things almost fell apart in 2008, but central banks kept the peace with an endless flood of free money. When this reaches its inevitable conclusion, there will be war.
Jusuchin (Military Otaku)Stranger from out there
I would like to thank you for essentially pointing out what I’ve been saying the moment Romney congratulated Obama for his win.
This isn’t the time for my fellows to burn the flag and mope. To turn the guns at each other and to be snarky.
It’s a time to regroup, reload, and reengage. What they don’t understand is that it’s one election, and the best bet is to keep all the areas we control and to expand it. I’ve seen the county-by-county breakdown, that is a masisve sea of red compared to highly populated, rich, and Democratically controlled coasts.
The self-defeating narrative the current Conservatives have, the haughty ivory tower attitude of the Libertarians. That isn’t gonna be helpful in the immediate electoral future, particularly now that the Democrats have seen what had happened in 2010 and would be ready for us.
I hope we stop this crap soon. There’s work to be done.
missred
Simply thank you, thank you, thank you, for words of wisdom and hope.
ValletteAtlanta, Georgia, USA
All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing.
DaToadGlendale, AZ, USA
Thanks Frogie. As always, great insight.
What scares me most is that we (the United States) have become a nation of sheepeole. There is no outrage, there is no outcry, no riots, nothing but muted whines.
So as you so eloquently said, "Just as the French, when you realize that the effect of the political model that you tout today cascade and accumulate to the point where you have effectively handed that oligarchy a permanent majority that begins to feed on its pawns-you-it will be too late and your loss will be complete."
Nothing but great wailing and the knashing of teeth…
SixStranger from out there
That was damn well said. Truth and inspiration from an unexpected, to me at least, source. Thank you. Added to my modest blog roll and may you never go silent.
Grammar CzarStranger from out there
Froggy,
Merci beaucoup for this fine missive. You do a wonderful job articulating the problems. I am watching the country I love slide from capitalism into full-blown socialism, and I feel powerless to stop it. You offer encouraging words.
Pit13
Well said, and welcome back.
Iwo GinaMaryland
Great idea. I will hoist my flag tomorrow.
Iwo GinaMaryland
Oh sorry - I meant that last comment for the next post, not this one. Sorry if my comments confused anyone.
Angry FederalistStranger from out there
Thank you. I needed that wake-up call.
And, for the record, I am glad you are still here after all these years. I will visit as regularly as I once did.
floridasuzieFlorida
Thank you Froggy! That made me shed a few patriotic tears. You’re an honorary American hero, regardless of where you’re from.