Victor Davis Hanson
American Greatness
When ideology replaces meritocracy or provides immunity from the consequences of illegal behavior, systemic mediocrity follows.
Under toxic National Socialism, Stalinism, and Maoism, millions of cronies and grifters mouthed party lines in hopes that their approved ideology would allow them to advance their careers and excuse their lawbreaking.
The same thing has happened with the woke movement and the now-huge Diversity/Equity/Inclusion conglomerate.
Grifters and opportunists mask their selfish agendas under the cloak of neo-Marxist care for the underprivileged or victimized minorities. Meanwhile, they seek to profit illegally as if they were old-fashioned crony capitalists.
During the disastrous COVID-19 lockdown, California governor Gavin Newsom pontificated about leveraging the quarantine to ensure greater equality: “There is opportunity for reimagining a [more] progressive era as it [relates] to capitalism…We see this as an opportunity to reshape the way we do business and how we govern.”
Meanwhile, Newsom did not seem very “progressive” when he was caught in one of California’s most expensive restaurants dining with sidekick lobbyists while violating the very mask and social distancing rules he had mandated for 40 million others.
Newsom also bragged about social equity when he signed a new California law mandating $20 an hour for fast-food workers—while many of his own employees at his various company-controlled eateries made only $16 an hour.
And he allegedly gave a unique exemption from his wage law to one particular bakery/restaurant chain, Panera, whose owner is an old friend and major campaign contributor.
Newsom apparently feels that the more progressively he postures, the less he’ll be called out for his own hypocrisy and self-interested agendas.
In another egregious case, the now-imprisoned felon, Sam Bankman-Fried, may have been the greatest con artist in American history. He siphoned billions of dollars from his cryptocurrency company, destroying the fortunes of thousands when his multi-billion-dollar Ponzi empire collapsed.
How did Sam and his two Stanford law-professor parents manage to accumulate millions of dollars in resort properties and perks without getting caught until after their empire collapsed?
Answer: Sam showered millions of dollars on left-wing politicians to advance their progressive crusades. His parents justified this family giving as a form of “effective altruism.”
That catchy phrase masked the reality that his crusade for social justice was just an incredibly effective get-rich-quick scheme.
The Bankman-Fried family apparently reasoned that their devotion to this woke form of “altruism” would translate into riches for themselves, albeit bankruptcies for investors.
Another example: in Georgia’s Fulton County, District Attorney Fani Willis ran for office, promising to indict supposed right-wing monster Donald Trump.
She raised campaign money on her woke credentials. Often, when challenged, she played the race victim card.
Meanwhile, Willis hired as a special prosecutor her secret paramour, the incompetent Nathan Wade, although he had never tried a single felony or even criminal case.
She and Wade then went on expensive junkets. She claimed that she reimbursed him with cash that was, of course, unverifiable.
Given their woke ideology, both assumed they were entitled to splurge at taxpayers’ expense, offer likely-false testimony under oath, and violate canons of professional behavior for lawyers.
She wasn’t alone in her corruption. After the death of George Floyd, the founders of the left-wing Black Lives Matter movement went on a house-buying rampage. The more corporations filled their coffers with millions, either from guilt or as protection money, the more new homes the directors purchased.
One co-founder, Patrisse Khan-Cullors, a self-described Marxist, splurged by spending $3.2 million in BLM money to buy herself four upscale residences.
And the most radical Democratic members of Congress—the so-called Squad—apparently feel that the more they level accusations of racism, the more they can profit without fearing any consequences for their wrongdoing.
One squad member, Rep. Ilhan Omar, redirected $2.8 million of her office’s allotted government money to her husband’s political consulting company.
Still another member, the radical leftist Rep. Cori Bush, often harangued the country to defund the police. Now the FBI is investigating her for stealthily paying tens of thousands of campaign dollars to her own husband for “security.”
Woke and DEI activists may not necessarily be any more innately mediocre, corrupt, or conniving than other politicians and activists.
But they seem so, because they loudly broadcast that they are for “diversity,” “equity,” and “inclusion”—and thus assume themselves to be exempt from all scrutiny and free to profit in any way they please.
The woke/DEI project is enticing thousands of shysters, careerists, and mediocrities, all keen to enrich themselves on the premise that they are noble fighters for social justice who deserve immunity from any scrutiny.
How odd it is that America is wasting billions of dollars hiring DEI czars and electing woke politicians who so often accuse others of a multitude of sins, largely as a way of enriching themselves, hiding their own culpability, and making a mockery of the law.
We all are familiar with the acronym, D.E.I, and what the marxists mean by it. Recently, I heard a different meaning ascribed to D.E.I. ; one that all conservatives can agree with.
It is “Didn’t earn it.” (Pass it around)
(Copied and pasted from a comment of mine in a previous VDH blog.)
Perfect!
Right on!
Well said, VDH. Sad that the electorate chooses to be ignorant of the facts and reality, which allows them to vote for Democrats repeatedly. Sad.
“Progressive” is really regressive. It is a regression to a form of government and society in which there is no concept of liberty, or natural rights. An elite class uses the government and society to exercise power over everyone else, and enrich themselves in the process.
Sadly, that is what we have had through most of human history. The concept of rule of law, of liberty, is the exception, not the rule.
Yep, a regression, not progress.
Thanks for exposing so incisively this massive sham.
The DEI grift is coming to an end, as more and more evidence of the grifters who are attracted to that scam (like flies attracted to feces) are exposed.
Sounds good but remember Hillary is still walking around a free woman…
Effectively (and unfortunately!), we’re visibly watching the scales change with respect to … “Right & Wrong” … “Good & Bad.” The resulting consequences won’t bring about anything of meaningful benefit to Western Core Values & Customs.
And the list of grifters goes on with Bernie Sanders, Clintons, Obamas, Pelosi, Podestas, et al. It’s become a sad state of affairs, all the self-enrichment, while our nation craters.
Sounds like a multitude of Elmer Gantrys!!
I hadn’t thought of the similarity, but you’re right. And the axium runs even deeper… “Do as I say, not as I do”. This tenent of life is older than recorded history, and prospers in full vigor yet today.
Corruption is world wide at the lowest to highest levels. It’s like a ‘free for all’, get in and get it while you can. Unfortunately, people like myself and the majority of people are not on that gravy train. And honestly, I would not behave that way. They talk about the great reset, I agree. A complete reset of politics, big finance and big business. The scum of the earth are running the show at the moment and that needs to change. Thank you for your contribution Victor.
Yet another concise distillation of the truth
My employer just massively laid off good people while keeping the Chief Diversity Officer and her useless staff. While employees with years of irreplacable experience are systematically eliminated, she and her direct reports push DEI sessions with anti-white guests and force us to accept transgenderism. Our new CEO is dismantling a great company because he wants more people who look like him.. Nothing is normal because he infuses equity into everything. I’m SO sick of it!
Time to look for greener pastures.
right on the mark. This new Liberal Inquisition favors the New Commissars (not for merit but for political purity.
Would like to go as a patient to a hospital who hires the staff with the most proven skill and experience, or one whose staff was hired based solely on D E.I.?
Two questions: 1. Do you wish to live your life as a subject, under the watchful eyes of the statists and Marxists, who will control your lives from cradle to grave? 2. Do you wish to live as a free person, as a citizen of a Constitutional Republic, where you are the government and self-determination and inalienable rights are honored and revered?
Discrimination, Exclusion and Intolerance.
So true & better than saying DIE.
Yes, that is better yet!