Reflections on a very bad night…

Yesterday, November 4th, 2008, is a date which may yet live in infamy. It is the day the United States applauded a socialist as he ascended to the nation’s highest office. Everything I’ve heard over the past two years tells me Sen. Barak Obama will work hard to overthrow the fundamental Constitutional principles that made this country what it has been, and drag us down into an abyss from which we will need years to recover. Worse, his false promises have sucked millions of people into a utopia that is as much a fantasy as Shangri-La and El Dorado. One woman actually rejoiced in the fact that she could now quit her job and Barak Obama would pay her mortgage and fill her gas tank.

How any human being could be that stupid, I don’t know. The only thing about this election cycle worse than Barak Obama was the performance of Sen. McCain’s campaign. Sen. Obama had so many flaws, Sen. McCain exploited none of them. The whole Democratic Party was guilty of the grossest mismanagement and criminal negligence in governance, and they went unchallenged. The Republicans stood almost idle while it happened, and they stood silent as the Democrats decried and denigrated every conservative principle and truth. In fact, the GOP seems to have been asleep at the wheel for a long time, since that cowboy rode off into the sunset.

Though founded on wise, ethical, practical axioms, the Republicans have watered down their convictions until the Party resembles a crowd of Democrat wannabees. The Age of Reagan may be over, but that doesn’t mean his political precepts are outdated. In fact, any study of history will confirm, not disprove, their value. If the GOP wants to be an effective player, they need to get their act together; if they want to lead, they’d better choose a direction in which to go, or they’ll continue wandering in circles, and, in the immortal words of Mr. Scott, “at warp 10, we’re goin’ nowhere mighty fast.”

One other cinematic reference: Albert Finney, in a movie called Network, played a network news anchor who comes totally unglued on-air. He tells everyone in America to stand up and shout, “I’m mad as hell, and I’m not going to take it anymore.” We have long-since forgotten what they were mad about, but that is unimportant; there are plenty of new things to be mad about.

I’m mad as hell, and I’m not going to take it anymore. I don’t know what I can do, nor how much effect I will have, but I have to try, and I can start here, today, with a blog post hat no one else might ever read. I’m a delegate in the Salt Lake County (Utah) Republican Party and, from that humble beginning, I’m going on a quest for others who are dissatisfied, disaffected and disenfrachised conservatives in the GOP, the DEM and among independents. [Moderates, liberals and those who want to 'reach across the aisle' need not apply.] Conservative politics didn’t create this country, revolutionaries did. It is high time for a little more revolution. I fire the first shot with the following manifesto, a declaration of principles that I hope will guide this conservative resurgence:

13 Guiding Principles for American Conservatism

[with a few specifics]

1] Respect for Deity in all Matters Public and Private

A) The United States was founded by men of faith

B) Most Americans still believe in some form of Supreme Power or Being

C) All our morals and ethics ultimately derive from religious beliefs

D) The only people who should choose whether or not religious observances are included in a public activity are the people participating in that activity

2] Strict Obedience to Constitutional Principles as Intended by the Founders

A) The federal government is a creation of the citizens, through the States

B) The Constitution was created to put limits on federal power and activity

C) The States must proactively see that their legal authority is not infringed

3] True National Sovereignty, without which, Nothing Else is Possible

A) A complete military with full power and authority to defend against all threats in all places

B) Intelligence services placed and equipped to identify and monitor real and potential threats

C) Full support for legal immigration, full prosecution for illegal immigration

D) International cooperation only in situations that profit the United States

4] State Sovereignty Respected within the Federal Union

A) State control over traditional local issues, as required by the 9th and 10th Amendments

B) Disbanding federal departments and agencies that intrude on local control

C) Transfer of non-working federal property to the States

D) States proactively preventing infringement of their legal authority

5] Economic Prosperity through Free-market Capitalism

A) Government regulations only as needed

B) Allow the people to retain the rewards of their own labor and creativity

C) Let private enterprises succeed or fail on their own merits or mistakes

D) No government sponsored, owned, controlled or invested private enterprises

E) Energy independence, in the short term; new energy technologies for the long term

6] Fiscally Responsible Government

A) Lower taxes with no earmarks — decide what we need, fund what we can afford

B) Balance the federal budget (exclusive of national defense), pay down the federal debt

C) A flat-rate income tax on individuals; no corporate income or inheritance tax; capital-gains taxed at the same rate as other income

7] Respect Traditional Family Values

A) No abortion, except in cases of rape or incest or clear danger of physical harm to the mother

B) Marriage defined by law as a union of one man and one woman

C) Full parental control of and responsibility for children

D) Strict controls over so-called “adult-oriented ” industries

8] The Rule of Law

A) Zero tolerance for judicial activism

B) No judgment based on any consideration except the written law and the facts of the case

C) Strict accountability in all political activities, beginning with photo ID for every voter

D) Personal accountability in all activities

9] Real Public Service

A) A congressional term limits amendment to the Constitution

B) No political contributions by any group receiving federal money

10] Responsible Environmentalism

A) Act as wise stewards over God’s creation

B) Let the American dream be built with American resources

C) Set aside green spaces; return land to natural condition when no longer in use by people

11] End the Lie called “Political Correctness” with its associated Revisionist History, Literature, etc.

12] Constant Examination of Past Performance, Building on Successes and Correcting Errors

13] Teach Active Patriotism to the Next Generation; especially Personal Freedom and Personal Accountability

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Tags: elections, GOP, McCain, Obama, reagan, Republican Party