A CALL TO ARMS
John McCain is our nominee for President of The United States. That we know. He was not the unanimous choice but, in the end, he won the Republican nomination and now another chapter begins in this historically insane election cycle. Since his coronation as party leader I have noticed that most Republicans are on board with him as our nominee. Two months ago, it seemed (to some idiots in the media) that the party would be split but we, in true GOP form, have closed ranks and that is a good thing. The main reason for this, I believe, is that we are witnessing a complete debacle on the Democratic side. Clinton is who she is...no mystery there. Obama, on the other hand, has had a tough couple of months and the so-called "Obamaicans" have now been introduced to Jeremiah Wright, The Weathermen and his flaccid inability to knock out a flawed opponent. At this point, I don't give a damn which of those two is the nominee. They are both a nuisance and neither is stronger than the other.
This article is not meant to be a recap of 2008 so let's get to the point. It is time for us to get involved. When I say "us" I mean younger Republicans who are going to lead this party and nation over the next three decades or so. In 1980, our nation changed directions. A new era dawned. Our subsequent electoral victories were made possible by the abrupt change that took place in 1980. We coasted to re-election in 1988 and then lost our way a bit in 1992. It cost us eight years. Much of middle America has leaned right ever so slightly over the last 25 years and that is why Bush was elected. He used that slight advantage AND the values voters to squeak out victories in 2000 and 2004. That slight lean to the Right has flipped and now we are swimming upstream a bit. We cannot and should not rely on the old GOP "get out the vote" machine. That machine is broken. The Karl Rove vote machine was powered by an ideology that will drive our party into obsolescence. No longer can we JUST tout our record on gay marriage, abortion, school prayer, etc, etc. Those are important things but to think that we can continue to win elections with that as THE driving platform force is short-sighted. Our party and nation has begun a new era. The GOP of the 1980s (Tom DeLay, Dick Cheney, The Bush's) has retired or, truthfully, been given severance packages and gold watches. John McCain represents the bridge between the glory days of Ronnie to the next generation. It is time to effect positive change on our party and inject some vitality into the party and you, the readers of Arthur's Hall, are just the people to do it.
In order for guys like you and me to change the Republican Party, we must get involved with the party's local districts. We must also learn the ins and outs of party politics. Local politics can be a mess and only getting involved will give us, the younger generation (most of us), an understanding of the procedures and practices of the party. As the future members and leaders of the Republican Party, it critical that we learn now so that we can steer the party later on. A side benefit of this involvement will be the relationships that you will inevitably build with influential conservatives in your area. This can lead to employment opportunities, mentorship and genuine friendship.
The national party takes much of their lead from what the lower levels are telling them. An example of this was the uproar about McCain's comprehensive immigration reform proposal. Most of the GOP on the Hill was open to something like this but the grass roots of the party went crazy and the national level Republicans caved and turned on McCain. This low-level activism is a critical component to the national platform and strategy. It is quite easy to get involved in local politics. Nearly every county in the US has a "________ County Republican Party" of some sort. Unless you live in an urban area, these groups are quite small. Needless to say, they will accept all the help they can get. This is where we come in. Find that group and send an email about your willingness to help out. Obviously, at first, you will be asked to do some low-level things like phone calls, signage, etc...just do it and prove yourself. As their trust in you builds, you will be given more important tasks. Eventually you may be asked to chair committees, become a national delegate or be approached to run for a local office.
I am sure that when you get into these groups you will meet some characters who clearly do not understand the principles of conservatism. Most likely, they will be rabid social conservatives who are against immigration, for amendments to the Constitution for social behavior and all sorts of other non-issues. I imagine that when these groups meet they discuss issues and that is where YOUR unique view can be heard. Do not be confrontational unless you have to be, but make yourself heard. You may not sway many at first but if you are civil and well-reasoned in your assessments and opinions they will come to respect you. Everyone of us has a unique view of what this nation needs to do in order to stay in our rightful position as the world's only superpower and your opinion will only count if you can get people to listen. The GOP needs some diversity of opinion right now and I know that we, as a group, can be part of that.
Our system of government is meant to be a two-party system. I know that many of you are fed up with party politics and I do not blame you. For the foreseeable future, we are going to have to two choices and we all know that the principles of the Republican Party are the superior way to govern this great nation. These principles have been ignored by too many party members and that is why we are fighting an uphill battle in the elections of 2008. Conservatism has been the dominant theology in this country for three decades. It has been that because it simply works better than the socialist ideals of the Democratic Party.
There are other ways to involve yourself with conservative activism. Shatner recently came up with idea of distributing pocket sized Constitutions at 4th of July celebrations and I love the idea. We are currently looking for people who would like to be involved with something like that in their local areas. If we pool our resources we should be able to get these constitutions at a reasonable price. Educating people about the greatest document in the world is a worthwhile and manly pursuit. Who knows...maybe we can become the Gideons of the Constitution? I know that many of you have ideas also and I would love to hear them. It is time for us to stop sitting on our hands and complaining about the activism of liberals. Lord knows we will be better at it than them because we ARE better than them.
We have an opportunity to reinvent conservatism now. We must look to the past for inspiration while considering the challenges our nation faces. The biggest challenge we face is from within. The Democratic Party is actively courting our way of lives destruction. They will raise taxes, attack the 2nd amendment, destroy any semblance of Christian morality, surrender our sovereignty to the United Nations, and bankrupt us with a national health care system, increased entitlements and oppressive regulation. They must be stopped. We CAN stop them but only if our party is forward-thinking enough to offer a platform of optimism, reverence and unity. I am not convinced that our party's leadership is up to that task so it is our duty to make sure that our principles are preserved. Let's take our party back and save this country. I know we can do it.
Email me with your ideas about how to save our nation through grass-roots style conservative activism or your desire to be involved. We need people willing to spend some time at local fairs and we could use your financial support for the Constitution project. |
