A Left Turn Too Far

The news that Peronists in Argentina are celebrating a victory that will bring them a step closer to a possible take-over of the country’s politics is, quite simply, sickening. It's not an outcome I can silently stomach, not while unpleasant memories of expropriations, political repression, inflation, and financial crises under previous Peronist administrations still linger in the recesses of my mind. And now, we’re back to square one, setting up a run-off with none other than the radical, firebrand economist Javier Milei.

Forgive me for my rage, but there’s a profound spitefulness in my conservative, liberty-loving heart for those who masquerade grand redistributive schemes of socio-economic equality, but reek of interference in free markets, personal liberties, and the sanctity of property. The recent gains of the Peronists, with their historically protectionist policies, bloated public spending, and persistent pandering to populist sentiments, spell nothing but a freefall back into a pit of economic disarray.

Then there's Milei, the best the right can present in this scuffle. His libertarian stance and fierce criticism of central banking are praiseworthy in my book, but his radical, outlandish behaviour leaves a bitter taste. At times, he appears as a caricature playing up to the crowd rather than a serious candidate with viable solutions. Coupled with his determinism to champion laissez-faire economics without any progressive transitions or safety nets for those who might get left behind, it further amplifies my discontent.

In truth, the prospect of selecting between a returning Peronist or an untested radical isn't exactly rousing me to cheer about the wonders of democracy. It's a choice between returning to an old, destructive path or venturing into an unknown, potentially hazardous territory. I find myself lamenting over the absence of sensibility, responsibility, and level-headed conservatism in the field.

Everyday, I'm reminded of the deafening silence of moderation and rationality, as the extremes of our politics continually make headlines. Moderation, it would seem, doesn’t pull attention. But when did governance become a sensationalist spectacle, a circus show? And at what cost—economic stability, civil liberties, the diminishing trust in our democratic institutions?

Despite the distance between Argentina and me, the repercussions of this political situation are an eye-opener to me as a conservative—and as a gay man, for that matter. The control of legislative, regulatory, and executive powers by those engrossed in extreme ideologies, be it left or right, negates the essence of freedom, be it economic or sexual in nature. This electoral jumble stands as a haunting reflection of our rapidly disarraying democratic norms, a disturbing projection of what the politics of extremes can do to a country.

I yearn for a world where liberty and personal choice thrive over arbitrary regulations, where economic stability is valued over the mirage of socialist utopias. A world that recognizes my cynicism and anger as a legitimate response to the crass dance of power politics, not a mere bitter rambling of a far-right, angry, gay man. Unfortunately, the recent event in Argentina only suggests a dystopian inclination—a malign drift away from this envisioned world.