Few figures in conservativism are more revered than Thomas Sowell. A free-market economist, social theorist and philosopher, Sowell’s work has spanned decades and influenced generations.
Sowell wrote a nationally syndicated column, authored dozens of books and dazzled television audiences time and time again with his common sense, anti-intellectual approach to political and cultural issues.
The following story is part of The Western Journal’s exclusive series “The Sowell Digest.” Each issue breaks down and summarizes Sowell’s influential works, applying them to current-day events.
Though he retired from writing his weekly column years ago, Thomas Sowell returns occasionally to publish another parcel of his wisdom when the situation demands it.
No situation demands that attention more than the recent ascendency of Vice President Kamala Harris.
Since Biden was ousted and replaced (in quite undemocratic fashion) by his one-time running mate, Harris has been rising in the polls. As it stands now, many pollsters believe the November election’s outcome is a coin flip.
A general lack of media scrutiny has without a doubt helped Harris.
But that’s not all that’s helping the Democratic nominee, according to Sowell.
In his opinion, as he detailed in a Thursday Op-Ed for The Wall Street Journal, her poll numbers have also benefited from poor Republican strategy.
Will Trump win in November?
Yes: 86% (6 Votes)
No: 14% (1 Votes)
After listing off Harris’s many monumental failures, including poor economic policy, the Afghanistan withdrawal and other blunders, Sowell posited one simple question: “Why is this election even close?”
After noting the media has certainly had an impact in helping Harris, Sowell pointed out that President Ronald Reagan faced many similar hurdles and yet managed to overcome them.
“How did [Reagan] do it? He did it by addressing the voting public as if they were adults who could understand an issue — if you explained it to them in plain English, instead of in political jargon or snappy quips,” Sowell wrote.
Instead of trying to come up with fancy nicknames or memorable catchphrases, Sowell believes it’s time for Republican leaders to simply stand up and tell simple truths.
If they don’t get those simple truths out to undecided swing voters soon, it may be too late.
This is not a time to be complacent.
“The public’s positive reactions to Vice President Kamala Harris’s first statements after becoming the Democrats’ nominee seem to be played down by Republicans — as if it were a sort of honeymoon response that will automatically evaporate as the truth comes out,” Sowell wrote.
“Election officials in some states will begin mailing out ballots less than a month from now. If the Republicans do not discredit what she claims within that month, the votes she gets then will be fixed — even if Republicans completely demolish her claims later on.”
“The time to refute what Ms. Harris says is when she says it, whatever the issue. Waiting to refute what she says, until after millions of early voters have already voted, makes no sense. Nor is merely denouncing or ridiculing what she said the same as refuting it.”
