Nov 06 2008
“Et Tu, Virginia?” or “Conservatism Done Right”
What shall we say? Was there any surprise on Tuesday night? I suppose not. Virginia did surprise me, though. I certainly didn’t expect that from the commonwealth, but it didn’t make a difference anyway. I realized on Wednesday morning, though, that an Obama presidency might just be the blessing in disguise that conservatism needs right now.
It won’t be easy for us, you see. We’ve been unceremoniously thrown out of Washington, because the party that used to represent our beliefs has compromised and hedged and given in so much that now, it’s nothing more than a bad carbon copy of the Democrat party. We’ll either have to square our jaw and grow a spine and take back our party, or get a new one- the more difficult way. If we don’t want to spend 40 years in the political wilderness, we need to do conservatism right this time. Uncompromising, unflinching, undaunted. There is a ray of hope on this point, out of California, of all places. Proposition 7 and 10, which would have required all electric utilitities to produce half of their energy from solar, wind, etc. by 2025, and the spending of about $10B (over 30 years) towards grants, R+D, and incentives for consumers to use natural gas and other “earth-friendly” energy sources, respectively. They were handily defeated, 7 getting only 35% of the vote, and 10 only 40%. Common sense fiscal conservatism is still out there- and still apparently the majority- even in California, which, while not the most liberal state in the union, does lean left, noticeably and predictably. I know; I grew up there.
Although disenfranchised by party leaders, we know what our beliefs are, and we know the fight that lies ahead. The question for us is, can we come together and expect the best of the new president-elect, give him the benefit of every doubt, and a real chance? Can we claim a clean slate by offering him one? Can we stand for the principles that have guided us as individuals until now- frugality, strong defense, low taxes, limited government, the right of private law-abiding citizens to keep and bear arms, the right to life of the unborn? To answer, with tongue firmly in cheek, I say, “Yes, we can!”
To that end… I was reading a blog this morning by a girl named Kiera, an Obama supporter. She expressed that she couldn’t “be any happier”, that Barack Obama ia a “visionary and an inspired leader.” And then the kicker: “We are in good hands….finally.” No, Kiera, no, a thousand times no. I’m afraid it doesn’t work like that. Do you want to be in good hands? So do I! Do you want every opportunity to succeed and see your countrymen succeed? So do I! Good sense and our own history both show this: that the best hands for you to be in are… your own. Your own hands. That’s where your chance is. That, to a great degree, is where your hope is. Your hands, your abilities, your determination. Those things, in the greatest country God ever gave to man, they will set you free. And your government exists to keep clear the way for you to use and take advantage of your abilities, unencumbered, to better your own life and that of the people around you. That is conservatism, done right.
For all the crowing by liberals that conservatism is over, or passe, or failed, I’ll end with this. However unpopular we may be, however much we and our principles are belittled, we will never give them up, no matter the pressure.
