Dakota Beacon

First there was the Baby Boom Generation of the 1950s. Then there was Generation X of the 1980s. Today the Millenial Generation, or Generation Y, is set to inherit America. Are they up to the task?

It would be fair enough to write off the Millennial Generation as incapable or disinterested if they had been grounded in the greatness and exceptionalism of America and not excelled. Sadly, that grounding has been missing. Liberals, progressives and Democrats who shaped the cultural landscape over the last half century ensured that Millenials had no positive knowledge of conservatism.

Millenials have heard that Republicans in general and conservatives in particular were the problem and the troublemakers. They have been told the era of Reagan is over and to discount reports of great things President Reagan accomplished. On the other hand, they never hear that the era of FDR is over or that the era of JFK is over. But, they have heard that liberalism is good, fair and compassionate. Yet, they do not see America as strong and vibrant. They have no point of reference by which to measure a comparison and to understand that it's the Democrat Party and liberalism that isn't working. Millenials have never been presented that view.

Consequently, Millenials are generally dissatisfied with government and the political system. All they know is that the political system they grew up with is not working and they do not associate their unhappiness and dissatisfaction with the Democrat Party because they know no alternative.

Millenials may have heard the word “conservative” but they don’t understand it and thus they haven’t heard the alternative to “liberalism.” In their view, what exists today has always existed and always will exist – and it isn’t working.

Millenials are frustrated and you cannot blame them for that. They don't associate the policies of the left with their current dissatisfaction. They have never heard anything bad about the left. Hopefully the conservative field running in the 2016 Republican presidential primary will correct that misimpression. The clear articulation of conservatism by likable people will be front and center in spite of the attempt by the media to destroy the messengers. For the first time in their lives Millennials may actually hear what conservatism is by candidates who want to implement its precepts.

The idea of conservatism is not complicated. In a word, conservatism is all about finding the best for everybody. Conservatism is all about people being whatever they want to be using whatever ambition and talent they have in order to be the best they can be. It is that simple. It is the freedom for everyone to rise to excellence. Conservatism is the belief that everybody has great potential ability. Everybody can be better than they think they can be. Conservatism is rooted in the belief that people need to be inspired. All they need is help in believing that they are capable of more than they think they can be.

Millenials are startled when confronted with such a clear articulation and it may cause them to hesitate. First, it challenges their dependence on a government security blanket rather than dependence on themselves. Second, it challenges their self-confidence.

Millenials are told over and over by progressives and liberals that they cannot succeed without help. In today’s world that translates to government assistance. People are taught that without Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, food stamps, public grants and a host of other programs they cannot survive. Furthermore, they are taught that conservatives hold a Draconian belief that if you are on your own and don’t make it, too bad. They are taught that conservatives lack compassion because compassion is defined by how many people receive government help.

To rely on one’s own ability rather that be taken care of by others is a testament to a strong sense of self-confidence. Such self-assurance scares some people and offends others. Yet, the American nation was built not on government largess but on self-confidence coupled with hard work, industriousness and the investment in one’s self. Freedom allowed these factors to work together to outshine Europe in less time than it took Europe to proceed through the Industrial Revolution. Self-reliance scares people who are conditioned by progressive, liberal and Democrat thinking and policies.

America is an exceptional nation. America is exceptional not because our people are better than others but because we have created an environment of freedom that allows and encourages Americans to be the best they can be. How else other than American exceptionalism can anyone explain how our nation transitioned to greatness from the American Revolution to placing a man on the moon in less than 250 years? World leadership was our crowning glory!

Conservatism remains the belief that every person contains potential greatness and that everybody can be better than they think they can be.

But, this is not the bottom line. Are Millenials up to the task? There is still more to the story.

Dennis M. Patrick can be contacted at P. O. Box 337, Stanley, ND 58784 or (JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address).