OPINION:
Hugh Hewitt, a conservative radio host and writer, roiled the media cycles just recently when he said he was going to vote in the Virginia primary for socialist Bernie Sanders.
With all due respect to Hewitt, who’s written some fine books and advanced some fine patriotic principles — conservatives don’t vote for socialists. Ever. It’s like one of those cardinal rules, like do not run with scissors and always wear goggles while welding and do not lie in church on Sunday.
It’s just not done.
“I get to vote in the Democratic primary,” Hewitt said, on “Meet the Press” on NBC, in reference to Virginia’s voting system that allows any registered voter to take part in the Democratic Party primary. “I’m voting for Bernie Sanders. And I think a lot of people will because he’s authentic.”
Hewitt went on to say that he wants a “clear choice between the authentic, traditional socialist and all the people who just pretend to be.”
And on that point, he’s right.
All the Democrats are socialists, even the ones who say they’re not.
Hiding behind a badge of progressivism, like Sen. Elizabeth Warren does, or presenting as an experienced “man-of-the-people” Democrat, as former Vice President Joe Biden tries, does not wipe over the fact that Warren and Biden are cut from the same socialist cloth as the one everybody knows to be socialist, Sanders.
But first off, calling Sanders “authentic” is a misnomer.
If Sanders were authentic, he wouldn’t wear be representing Vermont as an independent, while caucusing with Democrats, while claiming to be a democratic-socialist — all the while being an outright, utter and yes, despicable, socialist.
He would wave that socialist flag on all occasions.
He would claim “S” across the board.
If Sanders is “authentic,” and therefore worthy of votes, — then my gosh, what’s the loud and proud Democratic Socialist of America Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez?
But back to the despicable aspect of socialism.
Socialism creates a victimhood mentality and an entitlement nature, at the same time drives out all ambition to create, produce, conquer and compete. Socialism kills the individual seeds of greatness planted by God at birth. Socialism stifles growth, steals like a cancer across a nation to obliterate freedom and instills in the next generations an utter reliance on government. And when government fails, as it always does? Socialism breeds anger and resentment and violence and fear — all the tools the ugly socialists then use to clamp down and usher in even more despotic forms of government.
Who actually votes socialist except the lowest achievers of a society?
Intellectualizing that truth, or dressing it in a political teaching moment, doesn’t change the fact that socialism is the enemy of America; socialists have no rightful, constitutional business serving in politics in America; and those who vote for socialist are simply advancing an anti-American society.
Conservatives have no business voting for socialists. The only worthwhile message conservatives should make about socialists is they don’t belong.
• Cheryl Chumley can be reached at cchumley@washingtontimes.com or on Twitter, @ckchumley. Listen to her podcast “Bold and Blunt” by clicking HERE. And never miss her column; subscribe to her newsletter by clicking HERE.
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