Speaking at CPAC 2014, Ted Cruz gave an excellent speech explaining why we must stand on principle in order to win elections. I couldn’t agree more and was thrilled to hear him speak so eloquently on this point.

But then I listened to Rand Paul’s speech.  He was talking about the government taking our freedoms away and said, “I don’t question President Obama’s motives.”

Ugh.

Really?  He doesn’t question the motives of someone who wants to redistribute our wealth, who tramples on the Constitution, who makes excuses for -- while refusing to cooperate in the investigations of -- Benghazi and the IRS scandals, who lies to us about ObamaCare (and countless other things), who changes laws at his whim and so on ad nauseum?  The fact that Rand Paul doesn’t question Obama’s motives implies that he thinks Obama is really a good guy, he wants what is best for the country, he just isn’t going about it the right way. And the Left is counting on this --- that we think their motives are noble and virtuous.

There is nothing at all honorable about socialism.

Socialism is the doctrine that man has no right to exist for his own sake, that his life and his work do not belong to him, but belong to society, that the only justification of his existence is his service to society, and that society may dispose of him in any way it pleases for the sake of whatever it deems to be its own tribal, collective good. -- Ayn Rand

No, it is not noble to take money from one person against his will to give to another.  No, it is not virtuous to institute a system of self-sacrifice for the state.  No, it is not honorable to turn doctors into slaves by proclaiming that health care is a right.  No, it is not permissible to change laws without Congress.  No, it is not okay to lie about what is in a law, even if you are a politician. It is not admirable to be corrupt.

Someone needs to talk to Rand Paul and explain to him that our side needs to take the moral high ground.  Yes, it is moral to make money by earning it honestly.  Yes, it is moral to keep what you have earned.  Yes, it is moral to pursue your own happiness.  Yes, it is moral to live as a free independent being who respects the individual rights of others. It is the system of capitalism that is noble, honorable and moral, and our side needs to proclaim it loud and clear.

It is time to stand up to these scoundrels.  They are counting on us keeping our mouths shut and not naming them for who they are -- thieves, thugs and power seekers who want to control everyone and everything.  Socialists are anti-capitalism which means they are anti-life.  The way to defeat them is to defeat their sick and wretched ideology. And question their motives.

Ted Cruz said, “You want to lose elections, stand for nothing.”  I would add to that: “You want to win elections, take the moral high ground.”

About the author: Charlotte Cushman is a Montessori educator at Minnesota Renaissance School, Anoka, Minnesota.  She has been involved in the study of Ayn Rand’s philosophy since 1970.