The path of the United States of America is being altered by the acceptance of 10 new radical rules, which Americans "privately fear" but publicly let slide, Victor Davis Hanson wrote for the Center of American Greatness.
"Americans privately fear these rules, while publicly appearing to accept them," Hanson concluded. "They still could be transitory and invite a reaction. Or they are already near-permanent and institutionalized.
"The answer determines whether a constitutional republic continues as once envisioned, or warps into something never imagined by those who created it."
Hanson's 10 new ideas America is dangerously accepting:
1. 'Money is a construct.'
Hanson: "As we near $30 trillion in national debt and 110% of annual GDP, our elites either believe permanent zero interest rates make the cascading obligation irrelevant, or the larger the debt, the more likely we will be forced to address needed income redistribution."
2. 'Laws are not necessarily binding anymore.'
President Joe Biden does not enforce laws on the border after being elected by rioters who did not face prosecution in the name of social injustice protesting, according to Hanson
"Some rioters are prosecuted for violating federal laws, others not so much," he wrote. "Arrests, prosecutions and trials are all fluid. Ideology governs when a law is still considered a law.
"How useful the crime is to the larger agendas of the left determines whether a victim is really a victim, and the victimizer really a victimizer."
3. 'Racialism is now acceptable.'
"The explicit exclusion of whites from college dorms, safe spaces and federal aid programs is now noncontroversial," Hanson wrote. "It is unspoken payback for perceived past sins, or a type of 'good' racism.
"Falsely being called a racist makes one more guilty than falsely calling someone else a racist."
4. 'The immigrant is mostly preferable to the citizen.'
Hanson noted Americans are subject to criticism of the countries past misdeeds, but those seeking to become known as an American – illegally or not – do not bear the same burden, Hanson noted.
"Immigrants need not worry about their illegal entry or residence in America," he wrote. "Our elites believe illegal entrants more closely resemble the 'founders' than do legal citizens, about half of whom they consider irredeemable."
5. 'Most Americans should be treated as we would treat little children.'
Hanson pointed to rejections of voter ID, "noble lies" about COVID-19 restrictions are needed "are necessary to protect 'Neanderthals' from themselves," he wrote.
"Americans deserve relief from the stress of grades, standardized testing, and normative rules of school behavior," Hanson continued. "They still are clueless about why it is good for them to pay far more for their gasoline, heating and air conditioning."
6. 'Hypocrisy is passé. Virtue-signaling is alive.'
"Climate change activists fly on private jets," Hanson wrote. "Social justice warriors live in gated communities. Multibillionaire elitists pose as victims of sexism, racism, and homophobia. The elite need these exemptions to help the helpless. It is what you say to lesser others about how to live, not how you yourself live, that matters."
7. 'Ignoring or perpetuating homelessness is preferable to ending it.'
Like the border crisis rhetoric from President Joe Biden on his "humane" response compared to former President Donald Trump, Hanson wrote: "It is more humane to let thousands of homeless people live, eat, defecate, and use drugs on public streets and sidewalks than it is to green-light affordable housing, mandate hospitalization for the mentally ill and create sufficient public shelter areas."
8. 'McCarthyism is good.'
Cancel culture checks in at No. 8 as "destroying lives and careers for incorrect thoughts saves more lives and careers," Hanson lamented.
"Now that Americans know they are one wrong word, act or look away from losing their livelihoods, they are more careful and will behave in a more enlightened fashion," he wrote. "The social media guillotine is the humane, scientific tool of the woke."
9. 'Ignorance is preferable to knowledge.'
Like the acceptance of what you were told by the likes of Dr. Anthony Fauci – sometimes at odds with his own words – it is better to not ask questions or show skepticism, unless it is being skeptical of America's history, Hanson lamented.
"Neither statue-toppling, nor name-changing, nor the 1619 Project require any evidence or historical knowledge," he wrote.
10. 'Wokeness is the new religion, growing faster and larger than Christianity.'
Pointing at the power and societal influence of big tech guiding Americans' beliefs, Hanson lamented, "Silicon Valley is the new Vatican, and Amazon, Apple, Facebook, Google and Twitter are the new gospels."