The lyrics from Bruce Springsteen’s song “Badlands” have seldom been more relevant: “Poor man wanna be rich, rich man wanna be king, and the king ain’t satisfied ’til he rules everything.”
Translated as: Give people a little power and they’ll seize the moment to take the scepter and impose their values upon everyone else. I call those people “political supremacists.”
Earlier this month, the Major League Baseball Players Association executive subcommittee—made up of eight players who were granted the authority to help negotiate a new collective bargaining agreement with club owners—displayed how just a little taste of authority can turn them tone-deaf to the actual sentiments of their constituents, in this case, the rank-and-file players they were chosen to represent.
Flush with the ego of sitting on thrones of power, those players quickly became overly enamored with their own personal biases, and thus blind to the bigger picture—the good of the game and the well-being of players—by voting unanimously, 8-0, against a deal offered by the team owners.
The deal they rejected was meant to bring baseball back in April with a full 162-game schedule and give all players immense new riches.
But when put to the more than 1,200 MLB players themselves, they rejected the dictates of their so-called “leaders” and voted overwhelmingly, by team, 26 to 4 in favor of the deal.
Baseball was back.
Why did this “executive subcommittee” of players-turned-political-supremacists become so disconnected from their own peers?
Americans are asking the same question about our nation’s elected officials and health agency bureaucrats.
Political supremacists—those in positions of power, who believe their views, and only their views, should be considered—exist in every industry, institution, and walk of life, and they always have.
Their power has never been so strong.
Question: Why now? Answer: Tribalism.
America used to hold the rights of individuals as sacred. Regardless of anyone’s beliefs, creeds, social status, political affiliations, skin color, or gender, such rights should never be sacrificed to political, business, religious, or civic leaders who might seek to control them or others.
But in today’s increasingly partisan society, the emerging culture within whatever tribe one belongs to is that its own anointed leaders are to be automatically obeyed, regardless of whatever rights-destroying power plays they may seek to impose.
That same kind of political supremacy has come to pass in astonishingly rapid fashion in America’s political arena. Granted extraordinary emergency powers during the COVID-19 pandemic, federal, state, and local elected officials—as well as unelected bureaucrats in the courts and various agencies—immediately seized control. Their personal egos, views, and agendas immediately were conflated (in their minds) with what was in the best interests of everyone else.
It’s now clear that the rulings and mandates handed down by the newly crowned political supremacists across America over the past two years were completely disconnected from reality—and from we, the people.
Damn the science, damn individual and constitutional rights, damn the “irreparable harm” that masking does to children and students, damn the economy, damn the unintended and crushing societal consequences. We, the political supremacists, know what’s best for you, and we’re going to force you to obey, like it or not.
These political supremacists represent a real threat to our country because they are blatantly hypocritical in not following their mandates, ignore arguments that do not align with their narrative or bestow special favors or exemptions on others in their tribes.
These elitists are able to impose their beliefs on others, regardless of whether they are at the White House, the White House, or the courthouse.
When their schemes to secretly enact their misguided policies were exposed, they were so confident in their unchecked power that they didn’t even blink an eye. They simply bent to coercively enforce the dictates of their comrades, seeking to punish and cancel those who disobeyed.
They knew full well that in today’s tribalistic and obeisant culture, that no elected body (Congress or state legislature), no judge at any state or federal court, no group of business people, and no religious institution would dare challenge them.
Exemplifying this tyranny is a telling quote from the 1980 “Superman II” movie, exclaimed by Gen. Zod from Krypton, once he realizes that his physical powers on Earth were unchecked: “Is there no one on this planet to even challenge me?”
This corrupt notion of supremacy is what fuels today’s politicians. But it’s today’s weak and compliant tribalists—our “sheeple” citizenry—who let them get away with it.
But, we hope not for too long.
Everyday Major League Baseball players voted to overturn the recommendation by the eight-member subcommittee on player supremacists. The 2022 election year will offer everyday Americans the chance to vote to give elected seats of power back to those who will respect parental rights and limited governance.
We know that “white” supremacy as a major national problem is a myth. Rather, it is “political” supremacy that is the real growing cancer. This is the time to fight for the United States against the self-empowered supremacists in the government.
Americans must unite to resist the politicians and educators, media, as well as other elitist leaders who are trying to control more aspects of our daily lives.
We all must stand up against corrupt tyrants and those who pledge blind obedience to those in positions of power.
This ruling class must be exposed for its self-serving and disconnected views and must be defeated at November’s ballot box.
The Daily Signal offers a variety perspectives. This is not intended to be taken as a representation of the views or opinions of The Heritage Foundation.
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