The era of Gesture Liberalism is at hand

The era of Gesture Liberalism is at hand. It may be more amusing than consequential.

Americans who exercise consumer sovereignty wherever Barack Obama still tolerates it are constantly disappointing him. For generations they persisted in buying what he calls “substandard” policies from what he calls “bad apple” health insurers. They stopped only when he forced them to stop.

Have consumers thanked him for trying to wean them from their desire to drive large, useful, comfortable, safe vehicles that he thinks threaten their habitat, Earth? The 2013 numbers tell the tale of their ingratitude. In 2013, for the 32nd consecutive year, the best- selling vehicle was Ford’s F- Series pickups.

Today’s consumers, who cannot get it through their thick heads that they are supposed to want wee vehicles such as Chevrolet’s Volt, bought 763,402 F- Series trucks. That is 740,308 more than the number of Volts General Motors sold.

In 2010, a GM official carefully said: “more than 120,000 potential Volt customers have already signaled interest in the car.” Signaled? How? Not by buying. At the 2013 rate of sales, by 2046 GM will have sold as many Volts as Ford sold F- Series trucks this year. Obama, our Nostradamus, prophesied a million electric cars on U. S. roads by 2015. If so, they will have to outsell FSeries trucks this year.

Government’s incentive for Volt buyers is a tax credit up to $7,500. A 2011 study showed that taxpayer- subsidized Volt or Nissan Leaf buyers had average annual incomes of $150,000, and more than half of them owned at least two other vehicles.

In 2009, the Obama administration disapprovingly said: “GM earns a large share of its profits from highmargin trucks and SUVs, which are vulnerable to a continuing shift in consumer preferences to smaller vehicles.” Continuing? A 2011 Wall Street Journal headline: “Americans Embrace SUVs Again.” A Wall Street Journal subhead last week: “U. S. Sales Cruise Back to 2007 Levels, Driven by Fondness for Pickups, SUVs.”

Building the Volt was bankruptout GM’s gesture of obeisance to its Washington masters. And causing the Volt to be built was a gesture by those masters to demonstrate how much they worry about the climate. The climate may not understand the importance of gestures.

The mandate is, however, a gesture affirming liberalism’s belief that any institution of civil society can be properly broken to the saddle of the state.

The next item on Gesture Liberalism’s agenda is to raise the minimum wage for the 23rd time. Less than 3 percent of the workforce earns the minimum. Never mind. Raising the minimum is a gesture of devotion to “equality.”

As is Obama’s support for universal preschool. It will mean billions for hiring more members of teachers unions, whose dues will help elect the likes of Obama and New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio. So this component of Gesture Liberalism is more than just a gesture.