The Republican loss of November 2012 where to now?

November 2012

by Jodie Newell

Tucson Arizona

On election night when it was painfully clear that President Obama would have another 4 more years, a person remarked to me at a Republican election night function that they felt like they had lost their country. They felt dispirited and genuinely disappointed with the election result. Those sentiments weren't had to substantiate considering the current deplorable US economy, high unemployment and the prospect of no respite.The fact is the country is divided in house and senate terms. The electoral map is also divided with the majority of Democrat power lying in the eastern cities of the United States.

It’s been a rather strange time for conservatives as we try to make sense of what happened on the first Tuesday in November.

Mitt Romney has basically disappeared from public view, so we haven't heard about what he thinks went wrong. Throw in the rather confusing development in which President Obama recently invited Mitt Romney to the White House to discuss job creation. Never mind that Obama had spent the last 18 months of the electoral cycle lambasting and attempting to besmirch Romney. Now for some reason, it’s ok to ask him for advice. He surely must be kidding.

“We as conservatives, have to go back and remind ourselves why we chose that path in the first place and be resolute in our beliefs. In a true democracy, it is up to us to argue and persuade successfully that we deserve the right to govern again”

There are a multitude of reasons put forth from the pundits about why the Republican Party lost. Reasons such as the Hispanic vote wasn't strong, the controversial remarks of Republican senators turned women voters off or that 2 or so million registered Republicans simply didn't turn up to the ballot box. Then there was the fear from welfare dependents that they would lose their benefits under the Republicans. Rush Limbaugh described Obama as “Santa Claus” and that it was a tough ask to beat such an opponent.

One looks back at the conservative media heavies such as Rush, Glenn Beck, Bill O’Reilly, Sean Hannity, Greta Van Susteren, Mark Steyn and others. We knew they were right in their many excellent dissertations on the Obama administration, yet in the end it wasn't enough to push this awful government out of office.

Where is the solace?, where can it be found?? I for one turn to the past and look at examples where Republicanism and conservatism were in a similar position to today. I watch Ronald Reagan videos such as his famous “Time For Choosing” speech, given during the 1964 Barry Goldwater campaign (see below). That was an era where the Democrats punished Barry Goldwater via a record electoral defeat. Yet during those dark days, there was Reagan’s speech, there was Barry Goldwater, men who had articulated some brilliant ideas on personal liberty and the freedom of less government intervention on everyday lives. The problem was the message didn't get through to the American public. Lyndon Johnson went on after that election and began the escalation of the Vietnam War. Yet Johnson had the famous and emotive “Daisy” TV campaign advert arguing that Goldwater via his alleged “extremism” would send the world into nuclear oblivion when in reality it was LBJ who oversaw thousands of Americans to their deaths in the Vietnam War a few years later.

It took Ronald Reagan sixteen years to gain the highest office, but the wait was worth it. Some have commented to me that like Reagan in 1964, there have been some compelling Republican ideas presented, but were not articulated properly to the electorate. Ron Paul put forth some interesting Republican arguments. Rick Santorum, Herman Cain, Tim Pawlenty and Michelle Bachmann did likewise, yet fell through the tough electoral process. Will any of that group re-emerge as did Reagan or a beaten 1960 Nixon to take the presidency?

The there are the theorists, such as the director of the Obama 2016 film, Dinesh D'Souza who is quite thought provoking. D'Souza’s film in part, is based on the gesture of a returned gift of a Churchill sculpture by the Obama administration, that somehow this action explained his motives, that he was anti-colonialist. The film clearly illustrates Obama’s background of that of a socialist. And like all “good’ socialists, they have this burning wish to change everything and everybody regardless of the opposition. America isn't the country of big ideas under Obama anymore. The Apple company seems to be the only thing of mainstream America that is inspiring via excellence in computer technology. The space program has been totally reduced. We are confronted by the Democrats on the hoax of green energy and the nonsense of global warming and that somehow a tax on the population will change the sunlight and atmosphere. No more big oil, no more big coal, the vilification of wealth, the over emphasis that government is the solution are the recurring themes Obama wants to trot out and serve up to the American people.

It’s ok for China or India or Brazil to develop their resources, but under Obama, no, the USA can’t drill for more oil or build a pipeline from Canada.

Make no mistake, the world as we know it today, is in the grip of out of control socialism. I’ve argued this point since the election of Barack Obama and the Labor government in Australia  This is a very serious development.The consequences of which could see us overtaken by China and India and all self inflicted.

Where are the values that inspired the Reagan era in the 1980’s today?, where is a personality of the caliber of Pope John Paul II who reminded the world of some basic human fundamentals particularly during those years and in particular the struggle against the scourge of socialism in Poland.

This godless, directionless ideology has gripped the world. Where the false idolatry of fame and fraudulent moral concerns over the well being of the environment and minority groups has undermined the dignity of the family and the sanctity of life.

There has never been a more important time to take stand against this immoral, corrupt ideology that will destroy many a life. We as conservatives must re-equip.

D'Souza spoke of Obama and his love of the past and his fathers dreams.I then think of my own past during a time when, schoolchildren sung God Save The Queen happily. Where love of the monarchy wasn't a bad thing.  A time when Sir Robert Menzies spoke of the great benefit of the Commonwealth and its international strengths. U.S. Republicans cant be expected nor should they embrace monarchy. But having been schooled in it and seen it’s stability, the monarchy is an unheralded, yet fundamental tenant of constitutional life in Australia, thankfully far removed from the grubby world of everyday, poll driven politics.

The clever fellows of today tell us the monarchy is out of style or has no place in this high tech world. On the contrary, there has never been a more important time than now, that this institution remains in place for Australia. Thankfully the British monarchy today is resurgent with Prince William and wife Kate. They are much loved by today’s modern generation.

Ronald Reagan fully understood and respected the contexts of the monarchy when applied to other democracies. Sadly President Obama has not. His embarrassing gaffe at a toast to the Queen a couple of years ago in the UK where he spoke over the national anthem was cringe worthy and showed up his lack of diplomatic panache. In previous years George Bush would have been raked over the coals for such behaviour, yet in today’s world, it was “cool” and Obama yet again got away with social and professional incompetence.

Back to the United States, where i think of the good people I recently met in Tucson Arizona, the people who have had carved out their own personal stories and lifestyles. Folks who struggled to come to grips with being told by President Obama that their businesses weren't built by them. I think of their manners, their commitment to serving their community, to God and country as inspiration. I look to Republican congressional candidate Gabby Saucedo Mercer as a shining public example of what it means to be American in 2012. I look to Martha McSally, a women who is as tough as they come. A former combat US Air Force veteran who nearly took a seat that has been rusted on to the Tucson Democrats, via courage and determination. I look to the future and of fine young men such as Arizona state Republican legislature candidates in Tyler Mott and Ted Vogt who are the hopes of the side, with their articulate views on how government should focus on the building of local infrastructure and the encouragement of job creation.

So what now in the next four years?. What will America become? Will it collapse under the weight of enormous debt? Will the next election cycle be a blessing for Republicans. For many conservatives the next fours years are akin to a prison sentence. Counting off the days until the next election. The real consolation prize regardless of the outcome is that there will be no more President Obama after 8 years of rule. If the above analogy is true regarding “prison”, then surely it is the duty of a prisoner that they devise a method of escape and therefore liberty. We as conservatives have to go back and remind ourselves why we chose that path in the first place and be resolute in our beliefs. In a true democracy, it is up to us to argue and persuade successfully that we deserve the right to govern again and to right a ship that is headed for disaster. God willing with the passing of time, we shall return to the controls and head for a better, stronger future.