Why Deception Is Essential to the Left

News item: Stanford University withdraws its “Harmful Language” list after it received widespread publicity—and universal ridicule. But other universities are quietly imposing similar “language guidance” albeit without high-profile master lists that would expose them to the withering laughter and contempt they deserve.

News item: The Biden Administration rushes to reassure Americans that there is “no plan” to ban natural gas stoves. This is a lie, of course. Lots of progressive cities—and even New York state—are moving to impose bans on all natural gas appliances. There is no doubt that the climatistas are determined to take away your gas stoves.

What do these two stories have in common? In both cases the left was too open and explicit about what they wanted, drawing unwanted and premature attention. In looking at the fumble by the Consumer Product Safety Commission on gas stoves, I’m reminded of an early line from Col. Trautman (played by the late great Richard Crenna) when he first shows up in First Blood: “Frankly, Rambo screwed up. You should all be dead.” The CPSC screwed up by not quietly pursuing a slow-roll regulatory rule-making, and springing a fait accompli on the American people. That is the usual procedure of the administrative state when it wants to do something unpopular, like ban plastic straws, dish soap that works, and toilets that only need a single flush. This time, Richard Trumka Jr. just couldn’t keep his mouth shut, and blew the whole thing. And some boneheaded staff at Stanford made the mistake of posting online the “Harmful Language” list before it could be formally institutionalized with a punishment procedure for anyone who engages in wrongspeak.

But the language police and the gas stove-grabbers will be back, you can be assured. The left never accepts defeat. But it also knows it must conceal and deceive to get what it wants, because it knows it does not have the support of the American people. As Michael Walsh never tires of reminding us, the left never stops, never sleeps, and never quits. (P.S. Almost on cue, The New Republic—a former magazine—is calling the backlash “gas stove denialism,” because that’s all they’ve got.)

Liberals are also the world’s biggest hypocrites. Aaron Ginn supplies the annotated receipts:

Oh what the heck, let’s keep going:

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