NOVEMBER 2, 2010, A PIVOTAL ELECTION AT A CRITICAL TIME

Well here we are with just a little over 8 months to go, and with all this talk about the election of 2010 becoming another 1994, I can't help but ask the question, "as conservatives, might we be getting just a bit ahead of ourselves and maybe more than just a little over confident in our expectations of achieving a substantial victory?" After all, 8 months is a very long time in politics and I would just like to offer a word of caution here, in that we should never, and I do mean never, underestimate the ignorance, sometimes willful, sometimes not, of the American people. An ignorance that is so very often exploited by our state controlled news media to manipulate public opinion on all issues ranging from taxes to the ongoing efforts by Barry and the Democrats to, quite literally, seize complete control of our healthcare system. Because if the American people have consistently shown themselves to be anything, it's that they have an extremely short memory and are, more often than not, truly a very fickle bunch, who are at times never quite sure of what it is that they really want at any given time. Today we have our state controlled media expending a great deal of effort to successfully disguise, and to the greatest extent possible guarantee that the public remains oblivious regarding the covert attempts by the Democrats to push through their Socialist agenda. At the same time this obvious extension of the Democrats Party works to create an impression, or an illusion, of what it is the people should want or need that when added to the nonsensical drivel drummed into their heads from day one in our public school system which is then further compounded by the propaganda drilled into them by leftist professors at any of our institutions of higher learning, all which in the end creates a net result that makes me willing to bet that the outcome of this upcoming election remains pretty much of a crap shoot. Over the course of the last 40 years or so I have become less and less confident in the ability of the American people to do what is truly the right thing for our country. For far too many, deciding whom to vote for has become much less about the country and much more about them and what they can now perceive as being able to get for "FREE" or at the very least, by expending the least amount of energy as possible. Over time they seem to have gotten much more comfortable with the idea of forcing those who comprise the evil "rich" to pick up the tab for everything, because after all, they're "rich", they can afford it. Somehow though, I think if the shoe were on the other foot and they were to find themselves among those evil "rich", their opinion might be just a tad bit different. And, if they would only apply the most miniscule amount of commonsense and logic to this parasitic philosophy of theirs, they would plainly see that there are simply not enough "rich" to cover the costs of Barry's plans even if the government was to take every dollar the "rich" make. But commonsense and logic are both something that are in very short supply these days especially when dealing in the area of politics and the mentality of a substantial portion of the American electorate.
I think it very safe to say that the Republican Party has done, and continues to do, very little to further the perception that it is "The Party" of fiscal constraint. Because of a debilitating fear of being identified as the "Party of NO", Republicans have been, except for on that rare occasion, far too willing to go along with the outrageous spending being perpetrated by Barry and the Democrats and is seen as being guilty of even creating some of their own. Many examples can be sited where they have been much too accommodating in their assisting the Democrats in the advancement of a very liberal agenda. Republicans have done far less than an admirable job in the creating of the necessary impression and in making the voting public sufficiently aware of the very stark differences that should exist between them and the Democrat Party. As we all remember, the Republicans swept into power in 1994 and initially set about doing some very good things such as Welfare Reform. But it wasn't all that long before they seemed to lose their way, becoming more interested in remaining in power than doing the people's business as we expected them to do. The mission got corrupted and in some ways they allowed themselves to be manipulated by the opposition party to the point where they were seen as being less as a conservative party and more as a slightly less liberal version of the Democrat Party. Of primary concern to me as a conservative Republican is the somewhat less than stellar leadership that we currently have in both Houses of Congress. Granted, of late, the House is somewhat better in that area than is the Senate, but we still have men who seem far too willing to compromise on issues as well as on principle when, as conservatives, they should be expected to stand firm and oppose any sort of compromise. But again, there is that constant fear of being called "obstructionist" or the "Party of No" that seems to make them fearful and seems to have them walking on eggshells. There have been times, and there will continue to be times, when it will be necessary, even critical, to say no and to mean no. Now granted, more will be needed than to simply say no, competing ideas will be needed to be put forth and ways of getting those ideas out to the public may need to be created, because the state run media will not be willing to assist them anytime soon in that endeavor.
Recruiting, recruiting, recruiting. For the Republican Party these are the three most important words regarding this next election. This is where I feel let down considerably by the RNC as well as the NRSC and NRCC. The most visible example of my disappointment and frustration, is right here in Florida and is the one I am exposed to on nearly a daily basis. We have a true conservative running against a near conservative for the Senate seat vacated by Mel Martinez. Marco Rubio is running against Charlie Crist with the winner going on to be the Republican candidate for that Senate seat. And which candidate is receiving Party support? Yep, that would be Charlie Crist the near conservative. While I am less knowledgeable about the race in Indiana, you cannot tell convince me that as a Party we couldn't find a better candidate than Dan Coats to run for the Senate seat that is presently held by Evan Bayh. We need strong candidates who are committed to averting the coming train wreck that this present administration and Congress has us headed for, and at ramming speed no less. Pretty words read from a teleprompter ain't gonna cut it, that's what we've got now and it is proving to be lethal to our country on so many different levels. We don't have time to dally around, we really don't. The pending election is one that can be truly considered to be one that is pivotal, the potential consequences of which being of a sufficient magnitude that should voters take the position of encouraging a further straying to the left, this country will be in for some pretty dark days ahead. We have already experienced a brief sample of that having occurred over the course of the last year regarding what it is that the Democrats, if allowed to continue with their possessing of substantial Congressional majorities and the White House, would like to accomplish. The only way that the Republican Party will be able to put itself into the position where it can gain the necessary numbers to stop the current madness, is to field viable candidates who not only are willing to talk the talk but to also walk the walk. Providing lip service will accomplish nothing, just as will the supporting of candidates who are willing to do nothing more than to provide that lip service that does the country no good whatsoever. The Republican Party, and this is just my opinion, I don't think has fully come to recognize the fact that they have a huge credibility problem with those members of the electorate who regard themselves as being conservative. And I'm not sure what they can do to bring about the necessary change in that regard, nor am I sure of the best way to go about making my point. I could say I'll just stay home and sit this election out like many did last year. But look at the frightening situation that that has brought about. So I don't see that as being a realistic option for me. You would think that the Party as a whole, starting with the RNC would look back and see what it was that brought them into power in 1994 and that look at what it was that took them out of power in 2006. I mean, for crying out load, this isn't rocket science. I'm not sure what to chalk it up to, stubbornness, stupidity or something as basic as the need to stay in office by any means necessary and no matter at what cost to the country.
As I have stated before, I am not now, nor will I be for any future election, a supporter of any third party candidates running in any election. However, as we remain focused on getting as many Democrats as possible defeated, we must also be very wary of those candidates who may be under the mistaken impression that simply because they happen to have a (R) after their name that it's a given that they will garner the necessary support from conservatives in their bid for public office. Our best opportunity to accomplish our goal of fielding the most conservative candidates available will come through the ensuring of a very aggressive primary process. We should always support the most conservative candidates in any of the open races but as well we should work hard to encourage primary contests whenever and wherever possible in the hopes of unseating entrenched incumbents who insist on straying from truly conservative principles. It is during these primary contests that we will need to focus our efforts in striving to elect the "most" conservative candidate possible, which may or may not necessarily be the candidate running under the Republican banner. But if we fail in that attempt, when it comes to the general election we "must" unite behind the Republican candidate for the very simple reason that we simply cannot afford to splinter and therefore offer up the opportunity for the Democrat candidate to simply coast to an easy victory. I'm afraid I learned that lesson the hard way in 1992. There are, at the present time, some rumblings regarding the fielding of third party candidates, possibly representing the Tea Party movement, a movement that clearly demonstrates the anger that is present regarding the way business in currently being conducted in Washington. While I support many of the ideas coming from these people, and feel their anger is justified, I would not support any attempts on their part to field third party candidates. However, for anyone to simply disregard or ignore that anger is to do so at their own peril. And while that goes for Democrats and Republicans alike, it would seem that it is the Republican Party that would stand to gain the most from choosing to stand for those core conservative principles supported by those who make up the Tea Party. Unfortunately, they also would have the most to lose by not listening to these folks and possibly handicapping themselves in trying to carryout a much needed revival in bringing about a stop to this radical shift leftward. A shift that Barry and the Democrats are busy trying to perpetuate and shove down the throats of the American people.
Just a word regarding the recent CPAC gathering. There were many good speeches given, but my concern is that if all that enthusiasm and apparent knowledge of what is needed to not only to fix the Party, but the country as well, never leaves the room what good is it? It may make for good TV, but if it is seen as nothing more than rhetoric spoken before a friendly audience just to get them all worked up, than it amounts to nothing more than a waste time with nothing being accomplished as far as in getting the Republicans to where it is that they need to be as a Party in order to save our country from destruction at the hands of the Democrats. And with Ron Paul winning the organization's straw poll and Mitt Romney, who has foolishly decided to endorse McCain in his bid for re-election, coming in second, I fear we may be lacking the required seriousness which is critical in allowing us to succeed in our efforts to rescue our country by successfully wrestling control away from the Madman in the Oval Office, and his minions in Congress. Time is running out for us to get our act together, and as men much wiser than myself have stated and on any number of occasions, the only poll that counts is the one on election day. So we best get to work and not start counting our chickens before they're hatched.

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