While globalists, heads of large corporations, and officials in international organizations may consider democracy more of a spectator sport than a representative political system embraced by countries around the world, at least they were willing to allow some competition into the ring this year.
In addition to its usual list of drastically tired global elites such as John Kerry, Bill Gates, and U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, the World Economic Forum decided to invite a handful of conservative leaders to its annual meeting in Davos, Switzerland, this past week. [emphasis, links added]
The opposition offered a reality check to those in desperate need of one, even if it wasn’t welcome. A couple of unabashed speakers even drew a little blood.
In his speech on Tuesday, newly elected Argentinian president Javier Milei essentially equated the WEF agenda to socialism.
https://twitter.com/davidrkadler/status/1748329165403684960
Channeling the wild rebellion and hairdo of Elvis, Milei called out members of the WEF in no uncertain terms:
Unfortunately, in recent decades, motivated by some well-intentioned desires to help others, and others, by the desire to belong to a privilege cast, the main leaders of the Western world have abandoned the model of freedom for different versions of what we call collectivism.
Milei, an economist, said the practices of such leaders have obliterated and annihilated economic growth, “opening doors to socialism and condemning people to poverty.”
He charged the elites not only with implementing failing economic models but also pitting the sexes against each other, as well as humans against nature.
The Argentine fireball continued to accuse them of appropriating these ideas via the “media, culture, universities and international organizations.”
Finally, Milei wrapped his speech with a simple declaration that should have had everyone on their feet: “Long live freedom, dammit!” A quick pan of the audience revealed many were less inspired than me by his closing sentiments.
If Milei dropped a bomb on the audience at the WEF gathering, Kevin Roberts, president of The Heritage Foundation, completely wiped Davos off the map.
My message to the self-appointed global elites: Your time is up. pic.twitter.com/Wj2Bntjztz
— Kevin Roberts (@KevinRobertsTX) January 18, 2024
While Milei was somewhat general in his condemnation of autocrats trying to dominate the global stage, Roberts was piercing in his accusations.
The former head of the Texas Public Policy Foundation came out swinging right out of the gate, much more so than his colleagues on the panel who struck a more moderate tone.
When asked about the kind of people Trump might bring with him into office, Roberts pulled no punches.
He said every member of a potential new [Trump] administration should be able to “compile a list of everything that’s ever been proposed at the World Economic Forum and object to all of them, wholesale.”
He continued, “Anyone not prepared to do that and take away the power of the unelected bureaucrats and give it back to the American people is unprepared to be part of the next conservative administration.”
To say Roberts took a clear America First position is an understatement. Roberts was not afraid to call out the hundreds of globalist elites who swarmed the picturesque resort town in the Swiss Alps for what they were: tyrants.
“It’s laughable that you would — or anyone would — describe Davos as protecting liberal democracy,” Roberts proclaimed to panel moderator, Sir Robin Niblett.
“It’s equally laughable to use the word “dictatorship” at Davos and aim that at President Trump. In fact, I think that’s absurd,” he said.
In case it wasn’t clear to anyone in the room, Roberts clarified: “But the thing that I want to drive home here, the very reason that I’m here at Davos, is to explain to many people in this room and who are watching, with all due respect, nothing personal, but that you’re part of the problem.”
One has to wonder what the WEF was thinking when it decided to invite true conservatives — particularly ones who tend to lean more nationalist and populist like Milei and Roberts — to the most exclusive party for the who’s who in business, politics, and NGOs, or as those at the WEF like to call them, stakeholders.
Particularly considering their new pet project is to combat “disinformation.”
Are Klaus Schwab, head of the WEF, and his elite minions truly interested in extending the olive branch to those they’ve patronized for years? Roberts isn’t convinced benevolence had anything to do with it.
“I think the WEF’s intentions in inviting President Milei and me were, in all likelihood, an attempt to co-opt us,” he said. “If so, they failed. For once, their platform was used against their aims, proving that the political Right, which is ascendant worldwide, is maturing in its tactics.”
To be more charitable, offering conservative voices a platform — albeit a small one — simply may have been a form of damage control.
There is an increased perception that those who attend the annual meeting are dreadfully out of touch with everyday citizens in democracies around the world.
As Roberts so poignantly pointed out, “Political elites tell the average people … that the reality is ‘X’ when in fact reality is ‘Y’.”
Roberts laid out five crucial examples: immigration, public safety, China, gender ideology, and climate change.
Roberts couldn’t resist digging the knife in on the final point, the darling of the WEF:
I guess the favorite at the World Economic Forum — is climate change. Elites tell us that we have this existential crisis with so-called climate change.
So much so that climate alarmism is probably the greatest cause for mental health crisis in the world.
The solutions, the average person knows, based on climate change, are far worse and more harmful, and cost more human lives … than do the problems themselves.
While initially reticent to accept the invite from across the Atlantic, Roberts said he realized he had the opportunity to confront the perpetrators of tyranny directly:
“My objective was to speak for the millions of people who are harmed every day by policies that emanate from Davos,” whom Roberts called the “forgotten people.”
He said he was glad that he attended on their behalf despite commenting that the meeting itself sounded “dreadful.”
Read rest at The American Spectator
I see that many Eco-Fanatics want Farmers & Fishermen brought up on charges of Eco-Cide noting these are probably the same types of screwballs who weep for Trees
Milei and Roberts told the Davos/WEF cabal what they already know. NOW TELL THE WORLD!
Does anyone expect the Left to surrender their weapons of mass deception?
Why were these two conservatives invited to attend this years Davos party? I’m suspicious, but it’s good none-the-less. We should hear opinions from both sides and it’s about time the Davos elites did this. As I said I’m suspicious, so let’s wait and see who on the conservative right is invited to attend the next party? My guess – there will be no-one, so I suggest it is all smoke and mirrors, in dealing with criticism, that the Davos elites can falsely claim to be objective because – hey – these two speakers were invited to present, weren’t they.