In this monologue, conservative commentator Dennis Prager argues that the American left inhabits a "make‑believe" worldview that equates empathy with expanding government. He references a Missouri figure named Jordan and New York Times columnist Nicholas Kristof to illustrate what he sees as left‑wing misconceptions. Prager contends that the GOP, while historically catering to the rich and powerful, still receives working‑class support, and he questions why wealthy zip codes tend to vote Democrat. He challenges Democratic policies by asking whether raising the minimum wage or opposing school choice truly benefits working‑class families, suggesting such policies cause job loss and limit educational options. Prager then claims that leftist ideology equates empathy with larger government handouts, arguing that this mindset erodes personal altruism and charitable activity, as a bigger state supplants community‑based help. Throughout, he frames the left’s ideas as outdated, rooted in a century‑old mindset, and portrays conservative volunteerism as the true expression of empathy.
Chapters
When I say that the gulf between left and right in America is not bridgeable, it is fools like this Jordan in Missouri that I'm thinking of. They live in a make-believe world. Trump, what is he saying? Trump lied about taking on corrupt institutions? Well, he didn't take on the deep state as much as he should, but I don't think that that's what Jordan meant. Uplifting the forgotten reaches of the country, but instead he did what the GOP always does— cater to the rich and powerful at the expense of the working class. So why is the working class voting for him? Aren't the richest zip codes in the country overwhelmingly Democrat? They live in a make-believe world, the left. Make-believe. They, they It's like an idea got into their brain 50 years ago or 100 years ago, and it has never shifted. They're still voting for Franklin Roosevelt. What the GOP always does, cater to the rich and powerful at the expense of the working class. But the rich and powerful are left-wing, overwhelmingly. So here is Nicholas Kristof, the New York Times columnist, response to Jordan. Jordan, I think you're absolutely right that Trump and more broadly the GOP has been of zero help to those working-class voters. Really? Have the Democrats helped the working-class voters? Working-class voters, just as an example, working-class voters would, would they, are they benefiting from California raising the minimum wage? You know how many people have lost their jobs? Because the minimum wage has been raised? Have the working-class voters who want to send their kids to decent schools been benefited by the Democrats who oppose school choice? Well, one of the reasons the U.S. historically has not had better, more socially conscious policies What the hell does that mean? That means bigger and bigger and bigger government. Listen to my broadcast yesterday on the Ultimate Issues Hour about how destructive big governments are. Is a complete lack of empathy among conservatives for those who are struggling. That's right. And that's not a reader of the New York Times, that's a writer in the New York Times who It wants to reach out to conservatives. There is a complete lack of empathy among conservatives for those who are struggling. You know, so this is the way you must understand how the left-wing mind works. If you are not for making the government bigger, then you have a complete lack of empathy for those who are struggling. That is the way it works. Empathy for those struggling means increase government handouts to people. Make the government that much bigger. That's what empathy for those who are struggling means. It is not if you volunteer more, because conservatives volunteer more than leftists. Leftist— this is one of my biggest arguments about how bad the left is. Leftism crushes altruism because people say, I don't need to help my neighbor, my community, the government will. As the government gets bigger, charities get smaller. As the government gets bigger, Personal altruism gets smaller. The government will take care of you. Why should I?
