Posted on Thursday, 15th January 2009 by Bruce
In the days immediately following the fall ’08 elections, P.J. O’Rourke wrote a piece, published in The Weekly Standard, entitled “We Blew It.” It argued that we, as conservatives, had only ourselves to blame for the nauseating turn of events we all witnessed last November.
We, by not fighting hard enough, by choosing the wrong tools, by “taking the high road,” thinking that the truth would always set us free, have squandered that remarkable opportunity for the conservative movement which Reagan laid the groundwork for in the ’80′s.
We’re all guilty of it. As we pondered yesterday, why is it that the left does such a better job of rallying around their causes than our side? I would argue that it’s largely because we’ve always believed that, if we fought the good fight, moderate voters would embrace our message… much like the high school kid who goes to dance after dance, standing next to the bleachers, waiting for the girl he dreams about at night to have that moment of epiphany; where her eyes are opened, and she witnesses his “inner beauty.” (Not to mention, seeing, once-and-for-all what a jerk that golden-haired quarterback is.)
Bam! High school ends, Muffy runs off to Vassar, his dreams are unfulfilled; before he knows it, he’s 32 years old, and cleaning bathrooms at the Amtrak station. And, every once in a while when he sees her tooling around town in her Volvo wagon, he wonders how his life might have been different, had he just taken that first step.
I’ve got news for you, folks: After last November? We’re that guy.
I respect the fact that many of us are browbeaten, discouraged. But to cease the fight? This is exactly what their side wants. Now is the time to stick it to them harder than we ever have before, any time we see an opportunity.
When the left rallies around a person, or cause, which they deem particularly noble, they empower themselves with buzzwords (“courageous activism” – “a grassroots movement”) that lend the perception of credibility to their agenda, and they take their fight to the streets.
Using yesterday’s example, right here in the Wisconsin blogosphere, when there’s so much as a murmur that our side might be ready to say “enough is enough,” merely threatening to use the left’s tactics, we are relegated to the land of “squawkers”; another arm of the “right wing echo chamber.”
It’s an arrogant double-standard. And since we, as conservatives, and achievers, and producers, are the ones who are going to be presented with the invoice for all the entitlement folly which lies just before us in the coming days, I would suggest that the time for us to demand that our voices be heard is now.
Fight! Call them on it! Go to their blogs, take them on, challenge their hypocrisy, exploit their weaknesses, expose the angles behind their agendas. Beneath their name-calling and
end-justifies-the-means mentality, they don’t have much to work with.
When we expose their demons, they alter their behavior. They cancel meetings that they previously believed were “off the radar.” They take things off their websites. They remove photos from their Myspaces and FaceBooks. They are forced to publicly explain why unchecked travel budgets, and tens of thousands spent on “fake aluminum palm trees and giant beach balls” are really in the taxpayers’ best interest. And, little by little, it gets them off their game plan.
Who else is going to do it for us, if we don’t do it for ourselves? As I wrote here at BadgerBlogger yesterday, we as conservatives need to find our voice, while we still have one.
Empower yourselves. Stand on principle, don’t back down. Take it to the streets.
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26 Responses to “A call to action for Wisconsin conservatives”
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January 15th, 2009 at 10:17 am
In lieu of the sales tax increases, mandatory paid sick leave(vacation time), property tax increases (school), printing of money, and increased costs I would suspect the productive people are not going to work for free and would raise all of their products to account for extra costs. If we all band together, the effects of the increases will be less effective for the pocket pickers, for the money they picked will be less effective.
Eventually they will realize they will have to find jobs, educate themselves, work hard and show up on time in order to make a living like the rest of us. Nothing is for free, freedom is priceless.
January 15th, 2009 at 10:54 am
“Eventually they will realize they will have to find jobs, educate themselves, work hard and show up on time in order to make a living like the rest of us. Nothing is for free, freedom is priceless.”
John who’s the “they” you refer to? Is it liberals?
I ask because if that is in fact who you were referring to, you seem to be under the mistaken notion that liberals don’t have jobs, aren’t educated, and don’t work hard.
January 15th, 2009 at 11:11 am
Zach, you need to get out more (or get your head out of the sand).
There’s a broad spectrum of liberals. The lear jet liberals. The limo liberals. The SUV that never goes off rad or into the woods driving liberals. The educated and employed teachers’ union liberals. The Shepard Express liberals (although I think they call themselves “progressives” – what a joke). The UAW liberals (about to bite not only the hand that feeds it, but the whole body). The welfare liberals (if only they spent as much effort trying to work as they do trying to get a free handout). The socialist liberals. The unemployed, uneducated, lazy liberals (all by choice).
All are out there. You may chose to deny that they are there, or you may chose to avoid them, but they are out there.
January 15th, 2009 at 11:21 am
It is most apparent liberal pocket pickers don’t have jobs, aren’t educated, and don’t work hard, for they are always trying to spend other peoples money instead of their own and force their bad values on others.
Liberal motto: Let’s raise everyones else taxes except for my own and give me free healthcare and checks so I can spend it helping the economy.
If you were working, you would really spend your money more wisely, like on education, mortgage payments, health insurance, and VISA bills – rather than on your brand new truck/toys. If you make wise choices you would not be asking, demanding, or needing to be entitled to the free stuff.
January 15th, 2009 at 11:26 am
I ask because if that is in fact who you were referring to, you seem to be under the mistaken notion that liberals don’t have jobs, aren’t educated, and don’t work hard.
Unfortunately, far from being mistaken, this is a rather accurate statement when applied specificaly to the more energetic “activist” liberals.
It really just boils down to logic and common sense.
If a person spends their days marching and chanting, what are they not spending their days doing?
Answer: working.
Unless of course they happen to be employed by fraudulent activist organizations such as ACORN.
January 15th, 2009 at 11:57 am
Who else is going to do it for us, if we don’t do it for ourselves?
I thought the RedState.com Strike Force was going to do it. They already told me to send Silly Putty to Tennessee!
WOLVERINES!
January 15th, 2009 at 12:06 pm
A conservative call to action. How quaint. It seems to me the lack of conservative leadership, regionally and nationally is not just a sign of the times, but the growing structural and demongraphic changes happening right about now.
A swifter, and better call to action, might have been for your conservati ve followers head south to Missouri, and well, just stay there.
January 15th, 2009 at 12:08 pm
This could easily be retitled “A call to action for ALL conservatives”
Here is my simple starting check list of things you can do that cost you nothing but a little bit of time:
- Comment more. Not just here but on Liberal sites. Can’t let them say what they want without it going unchecked.
- Spread the word / promote Conservative news. use the comments or social places like DIGG.
Just picking 1 or 2 new things and doing it can make the difference.
January 15th, 2009 at 12:33 pm
I bring the heavy artillery in 6 days.
January 15th, 2009 at 12:38 pm
I would add Propose Solutions.
Want to help the homeless? Propose conservative principles and note how they specifically relieve the problem.
Want to promote “Green Energy”? The free market has answers for that.
Want to encourage peace in our time? Countries rarely fight their trading partners.
Lower healthcare costs? We can do that too.
We have to stand FOR things as well as denouncing stupidity.
January 15th, 2009 at 2:27 pm
Honestly how can any conservative anywhere left in America honestly look themselves in the mere and not blatantly accept that denouncing stupidity would be denying the past 8 years of G.Bush….
January 15th, 2009 at 2:31 pm
I simply want to be free, not entitled.
Yes, the government can do great things, however it is large, corrupt, and inefficient.
If you want to help the homeless, by all means help Jimmy build houses for them, don’t ask the government.
If you want to help other countries with their problem, by all means go help, don’t ask our government to do it. They will take your money under penalty of jail time or fines to be given to other countries. Just not right. I don’t want to buy 30 tanks for Kenya under the guise of humanitarian aid. Just not right.
If you want “green energy”, make green energy and compete, do not ask our government to do it.
If you want peace, convince the terrorists not to attack us.
If you want lower healtcare costs, start your own heathcare program and lower costs.
If you make bad choices, get yourself educated to make better choices.
January 15th, 2009 at 4:29 pm
My, my, aren’t we all worked up. I’ve seldom seen such a pile of empty rhetoric. Invade our blogs! Challenge our ideas! Well, I would ‘do unto you’ if I saw any ideas to challenge—but all I see is slogans—just more ‘they aren’t real Americans’ crap. Perhaps it might be more productive if you did a little self-reflection… I know, all that ‘the unexamined life is not worth living nonsense’ is for the do-nothing eggheads! Actually it is for the intelligent; y’all might want to try it sometime.
January 15th, 2009 at 5:05 pm
Answer my allegations of imposing arrogant double-standards with… more arrogant double-standards? Classy.
Who could stand a little “self-reflection?”
My post was aimed at reminding my side what we stand for. I wasn’t really addressing your side.
Your side is giddy like schoolgirls at what you perceive to be an ideological mandate. The arrogance of your comment reflects that giddiness.
Enjoy it while it lasts. All things shall pass.
January 15th, 2009 at 6:09 pm
I’ve seldom seen such a pile of empty rhetoric.
But have you ever seen a pile of full rhetoric?
January 15th, 2009 at 6:59 pm
Bruce, excellent points that we as Conservatives have held for some time. Too bad the GOP “Leadership” won’t. The biggest obstacle in the GOP is themselves. When we have Newt making nicey-nicey with Pelosi in an advertisement and Huckabee excusing the racist behavior of the Rev. Wright we have a serious problem.
The one thing the the GOP has not learned in the 12 years they had control of Congress is that when you extend the olive branch and it is rejected, you need to grab the arrows and be ready to start shooting them when needed. They failed to do this, and as a result have found themselves floundering.
Many things need to be changed if the Conservative movement would have any hope to become significant once more.
1.)The belief that if you make nice to the opposition they will be nice to you. The recent rule changes made by Pelosi have proven that to be wrong.
2.)No matter what you do or how, The Media will not like it and criticize you. Conservative leaders need to face up to the fact that the Media has shown what party they support and the lengths they will go to protect that political party. Even if it costs them readers or viewers. Sarah Palin ring a bell with anyone in the GOP leadership?
3.)Give a clear message! In addition to the “What” explain the reason “Why”. It’s that simple.
4.)As the ‘Nuge said earlier, “It’s RINO season!!!” Yes, we are a big tent and inclusive of everyone’s ideas. But when you screw over your own party “To make a statement” or in the “interest of bi-partisanship”. We need to come to grips that people like this are not needed or wanted.
5.) How about closing the primaries? Why are we so accomidating to the Dems that we let them choose our candidates? Look at what we had in the last election, a candidate that many voted for only because he was the lesser of two evils and had a strong VP candidate that we liked. In fact everyone liked Palin more than McCain.
There are many things that need to be changed and it’s time to
January 15th, 2009 at 9:08 pm
Great post Martin.
Our new President has started his Cabinet by picking various questionable characters.
Our Treasury designate did not pay his fica TAXES despite being given a check by his “employer” for that purpose. HE is not FIT to serve.
The A.G. Eric Holder had FALN pardones and had Marc Rich pardoned. FALN to appease Hispanics and specifically Puerto Ricans as Rodham ran for office. Marc Rich of lavish donations to Libs.
Here is what sickens me.
Liberals don’t care about anything but power and ideology. You can be a rapist, and abortionist, a FUGITIVE FROM JUSTICE IN SWITZERLAND, and libs embrace you if you help THE PARTY.
Republicans are weak. Very very very very weak.
It’s going to be a bumpy ride.
January 15th, 2009 at 10:25 pm
Glad to hear your answer to the problems the GOP is facing are “more comments on liberal weblogs!”, continued success in elections by becoming even more conservative (Drive out those who aren’t ultra-conservative), and my favorite, “use DIGG!”.
January 15th, 2009 at 10:43 pm
I think a significant part of the problem–and, look, you can ignore me if you like because, hell, I would do the same if you offered me advice and, you know, I probably did in 2004 but I have in fact managed to repress most of 04 to 06 and so I don’t recall if you did or not–is that … Wait, let me start again.
I think a significant part of the problem is that your most ardent and visible supporters are living in an alternate reality not bothered by facts and governed by principles that tend to work in fiction but not so much in real life. And you see that on this very thread.
For example, in Martin’s post above. He has five numbered points and one–number three–jibes with realty. 1, Pelosi eliminated the Motion to Recommit because Republicans used it four times more than Dems ever did with the explicit purpose of tying up legislation (hardly the “making nice” Martin thinks Republicans do). 2, if the media loved Democrats so much, Media Matters wouldn’t be so busy all the time. 4, “big tent” is by definition incompatible with “RINO hunting.” 5, Sarah Palin’s approval ratings make John McCain look like Barack Obama.
And then mickey comes by with more outright fiction: Marc Rich was a Republican, for starters (Scooter Libby was his lawyer, for cripes sake).
I am kind of scared to ask what color some of you think the sky is.
When you let “24″ rule your thinking on foreign policy and Ayn Rand (even Greenspan finally admitted her theories don’t work in reality!) dictate your economic policy and Red Dawn inspire your interaction with the rest of the world, then you’re not going to be taken seriously and you’re not going to win anything. You’re going to get laughed at and marginalized, and the fact is that you’re seeing exactly that happening. Fred Thompson was a dud. Sarah Palin remains a laughingstock. The largest on-line blog community on the right thinks that sending Silly Putty to a “RINO” in Tennessee is some kind of serious statement.
Look, Holder and Geithner will get more than half the Republican Senators to vote for them because the grown-ups in the party know that pissing in the pool doesn’t make the pool a better place to swim. Scott Walker will even eventually take the feds’ money (like up-and-coming Republican hero Mark Sanford did) because someone in his office is not stupid and sees the real benefits it could bring to the County. (I don’t know who that person is, but I sure hope there is one.)
I think that Bruce may be onto something by suggesting a retrenchment is in order. Kilkenny was on about that last month for a while on her blog. And, after all, Martin and mickey are not actually the seat of power in the conservative movement, any more than I am on my side.
But if you only listen to one thing I say (and if you read this far, you deserve a hug and a cookie), let it be this: Republicans have long believed that government doesn’t work, and when we elect them they set about trying to prove that in spades. If you ever want to get elected again, change that. The American people can only be fooled by this for so long, and rousing defeats two cycles running are your evidence.
January 15th, 2009 at 11:15 pm
Folkbum, nobody really cares what you think. You lose all credibility when day in and day out, you are the biggest cheerleader and defender of the state’s second-biggest waste of tax dollars (MPS). You sit in the middle of the biggest alternative reality — most of the world finds ways to do more with less. Your employer — and you — find ways to do less with more. Again, with your warped view of the world, and hands in my pockets, you have the credibility of Stalin talking at a human rights convention.
It would be humorous for you to take potshots that conservatism has failed and that small government does not work. Let me remind you of the ten worst cities in the United States, and what loser party runs said cities:
Detroit, MI (1st on the poverty rate list) hasn’t
elected a Republican mayor since 1961
Buffalo, NY (2nd) hasn’t elected a Republican mayor
since 1954
Cincinnati, OH (3rd) hasn’t elected a Republican
mayor since 1984
Cleveland, OH (4th) hasn’t elected a Republican mayor
since 1989
Miami, FL (5th) has never had a Republican mayor
St. Louis, MO (6th) hasn’t elected a Republican
mayor since 1949
El Paso, TX (7th) has never had a Republican mayor
Milwaukee, WI (8th) hasn’t elected a Republican
mayor since 1908
Philadelphia, PA (9th) hasn’t elected a Republican
mayor since 1952
Newark, NJ (10th) hasn’t elected a Republican mayor since 1907
January 15th, 2009 at 11:29 pm
Terrorists have feelings too!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pkx2V2XSKaA
A shining example of the Jackass party.
January 16th, 2009 at 4:54 am
You can keep the hug and cookie, folkbum. I don’t recall anyone suggesting that we follow Ayn Rand for economic guidance or that we model our foreign policy after the movie “Red Dawn”.
The reason why the GOP has lost in two election cycles is because they have operated in the manner that you suggest. And we, as Republican voters are sick of it. In case you haven’t noticed folkbum, many of the losers in this past election were RINOs. We have tried it their way, and the result is bad legislation that accomplishes nothing but leaves the GOP holding the bag when the failure is evident. Much to my satisfaction is that McCain-Feingold personally bit McCain right in the ass!
Please, tell me what Palin has done to make her a “laughingstock”. She has shown how much class she has with the Media’s treatment of her and then the distain she received from her running mate.
Yes, the Media is in love with Obama. As I was typing my post last night I just about puked when ABC ran a promo for their coverage of the Inaugural Ball. I didn’t know that live coverage of Obama dancing with his wife was such an important event that warranted live coverage. And don’t forget the statement of one network commentator namely Chris Matthews, of how “We(the press)have to make this work” when referring to Obama’s Presidency.
I also couln’t help but notice that Obama has a new way of taking questions from the press corp. They just sit there and Obama calls their name from a list of who the reporter is and what question they will ask.
I couldn’t help but think what the reaction by the Media would have been if President Bush had done this during his Presidency.
January 16th, 2009 at 7:35 am
Conservatives are great with windy philosophical mantras that don’t translate well when it comes to actually governing. The country got a double dose of this from GW and isn’t buying any more of it. When the Log Cabin Republicans are embraced by the party and given input into the platforms, the party will be on its way toward the inclusiveness that permeates their speeches but is absent from their actions.
January 16th, 2009 at 9:09 am
I think it’s very important to look at what Folkbum has written, and understand that his assertions are incorrect.
While he asserts that Republicans do not have a handle on reality, what he is doing is projecting the traits of his own incorrect political philosophy onto others.
Let’s not forget, it’s his political side of the isle who believes in the Great Global Warming Hoax, who thinks that government has competence, that taxing business is the way to economic prosperity, and that oil is the only commodity in the world to which the law of supply and demand does not apply. These are people who sell Obama pajamas, cry to trees to “mourn the loss of the old growth” (I have the footage), and portray Obama under a variety of halos, drum in the streets with painted faces, and had an “Orgasms for Obama” rally.
The incorrect leftist philosophy centers on a very teenager way of thinking, where they clearly live in a fantasyland populated with green unicorns and leprechauns.
It’s also very important to understand here, that Folkbum’s incorrect political philosophy was born out of a mind altering drug induced haze during an orgy in a park at a rock concert in the late 60′s. This is hardly the appropriate environment for the genesis of a reality based political philosophy. Rather, the emergence of this artificially distorted political philosophy has done much to damage the nation.
He lists 24 and Red Dawn, thinking that conservatives allow their lives to be influenced by our nation’s entertainers, as his side of the isle is. This is another indication of the cluelessness Folkbum’s unfortunate political philosophy.
He states that Sarah Palin is a laughing stock, but what he fails to understand is that so was Reagan in ’76. In fact, the worthless leftist media made a point to go out of their way to portray Reagan as an idiot throughout the entirety of his two terms. Again what Folkbum fails to realize here, is that the worthless leftist media’s interpretation of world events, is less than meaningless to those who actually live in reality. Clearly Folkbum is also a liar here, as is most folks from his side who make these kinds of assertions against Palin. If she were a joke after all, they would have been elated to have her on the Republcan ticket. The fact that they were and continue to be incensed by her very existence is proof in and of itself that she is an excellent candidate.
The last point that Folkbum needs to be corrected on is the notion that Republicans need to change their belief that government doesn’t work. In essence, he wants Republicans to become Democrats. Of course he does.
One of the many things that folks like Folkbum doesn’t understand is that this isn’t a belief, it is a fact. Government generally makes a mess of things, as is evidenced by the history of government itself. I defy anyone to name one thing that government runs well. Look, our country’s own capitol building had a restaurant inside, which went bankrupt. If they can’t even run a restaurant, why on god’s “green” Earth would you want them to be in charge of your body’s health, or anything else?
Furthermore, this isn’t an exclusive Republican concept. The nation was founded on the principle that the government that governs least, governs best. It was forged out of the actual experience that our founding forefathers had with unchecked government run amuck.
The concept that government works well, is often fostered by psychopaths such as Stalin, Lenin, Sean Penn, Castro, Chavez, Che, etc. This is why they squeal with delight every time one of these mentally ill tyrants. I would guess though, that if they had to live in one of these nations for a year, they would change their minds instantly.
Generally speaking, what takes leftists years and even decades to understand, a conservative will typically understand instantly. Here’s an excellent example:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VvKFFvw2Nds
If you want some honest advice from someone outside of the fish bowl, whose only allegiance is to Liberty and the American Flag rather than some insipid party flag, then you can take the following for what it’s worth.
Rather than becoming more like Democrats, in my opinion the party needs to do the opposite.
Part of the problem is that the Republican Party is still fighting the Democratic Party. The Democratic Party is no longer Democratic, rather it is now the Socialist Party. To combat this, the Republican Party needs to have a similar transformation, and embrace more Libertarian concepts, a return to the originating philosophies that gave birth to this nation.
One of the things that puts me off of the Republican Party and prevents me from being a card-carrying member is its marriage to religion. For myself, I’m not interested in a Catholic/Christian Farwellian theocracy any more than I’m interested in a maniacal Islamic theocracy, or a clueless atheist/secular theocracy. Separation of church and state is a good thing.
With that in mind, I think the Republican Party needs to abandon opposition to things that are of primarily religious interest such as gay marriage, the war on drugs, and other social moral issues. This does not include abortion, which is the argument of whether or not abortion constitutes murder, which is not exclusively a religious argument.
In the end as a conservative, conservatives should return to principles that are conservative to our Constitution, not conservative to their religion. Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of happiness, in whatever forms that may take, even if we ourselves disapprove of those forms.
To combat the opposing side, we should seek to bestow Liberties upon even those who would do things with that Liberty that we ourselves do not approve of. And while the Left would continue to work to erase Liberties, the conservative side would become immediately appealing.
Just my opinion.
January 21st, 2009 at 8:25 am
[...] Submitted By: Bookworm Room – Badger Blogger – A call to action for Wisconsin conservatives [...]
March 10th, 2009 at 5:14 am
[...] implored like-minded, reasonable conservatives to commit ourselves to rediscovering our voice in a rant last month, admittedly fearing that, the voters having handed the keys to our country to a bevy of [...]