Something To Believe In
November 6, 2008 / 12:07 pm • By Dr. Melissa ClouthierWhat can Republicans believe in that can unify the party AND the nation? Fiscal responsibility. That’s right. Money. As in, the government is going bankrupt and with the economy constricting, tax receipts dwindling, and Barack Obama’s big plans all costing more money, what are the alternatives? Cut spending or raise taxes.
Did John McCain even mention cutting taxes? Um, not that I recall. He mentioned a government wage freeze. That’s it.
I’ve been reading Michael Gerson’s book Heroic Conservativism. Maybe I haven’t gotten there yet, but through chapter 3, he’s waxed poetic about Bush’s compassion (big spending for agreeably important projects) but said little about how mean it is to sock the next generation with this generation’s ostensible compassion.
Compassionate Conservatism has meant big debt. Big debt makes the person, or the state, a slave to the master who owns the debt. As much as oil dependence is a national security issue, indebtedness is a security issue. A global recession means that everyone’s money constricts. Those who need money, need it now. Can America pay up?
The Bank Bailout is like the new Hydra. Who knows what head this thing will grow. It’s bad news.
Republicans need to get back to being the party of personal responsibility. That message alone will stand in stark contrast to everything the Democrats stand for. Conservatives believe in the power of the individual to affect change. At a certain point, bills come due. Compassion doesn’t seem so kind, then. And Socialism will go one step further and make the individual a slave to the state. Freedom constricts when money is taken away. It’s just that simple.
Thomas Jefferson says it best, “Dependence begets subservience and venality, suffocates the germ of virtue, and prepares fit tools for the designs of ambition.” And this, “I predict future happiness for Americans if they can prevent the government from wasting the labors of the people under the pretense of taking care of them.”
Cross-posted at RightWingNews.com
10 Responses to “Something To Believe In”
By Chuck Simmins on Nov 6, 2008 | Reply
The Constitution of the United States is one of the most remarkable documents ever produced by man. It seeks to limit the power of the national government and to curb the powers of government at all levels. It defines the three branches of government with their checks and balances, a system that is demonstrably better than the parliamentary forms preferred by the social democracies of the world.
America is not a social democracy. Its basic tenant is that government is limited by nature and by written constraint. A political party that is true to the Constitution and the intent of the Founders will have as its primary principle that it should advocate nothing for government that can be done by the people.
By mer on Nov 6, 2008 | Reply
My wife got one of her coworkers to go vote because of this. Just out of high school a year or two, she was not going to. My wife said “You have to, it’s important”. “I’m not registered and I don’t know who to vote for”. My wife said “Same day registration, go do it. I’m not going to tell you who to vote for but I work hard for my money, and I want to keep as much as possible. If I want to give some of it away, it’s my choice. I don’t want the government to just take more from me and give it to who they think deserves it”.
The coworker went and voted, and I’m pleased to say that my wife actually listens to me once in a while
By James Hipps on Nov 6, 2008 | Reply
Wow, and even as AMERICA spoke, and the majority sees the world differently from you, you still can’t see that perhaps, just maybe, you’re a bit misguided…or in other words…wrong!
By Naqamel on Nov 6, 2008 | Reply
James Hipps: Benito Mussolini was a popular guy worldwide for a spell, too.
The NY Times gushed over him.
By Mat on Nov 6, 2008 | Reply
Naq,
Why bother responding to those jackasses? It’s pointless and they never get the point anyway…
Melissa,
When the Republicans clean up their act, they will start winning again. I really don’t like the Left. Their views are wrong, they’re dangerous to a system of republic and they’re detrimental to the wealth of this country. As much as I detest the left, I have to say that the Republicans pretty much handed this victory to them on silver platter. They had no coherency, they did not practice what they preached and were generally incompetent. If the moderate Republicans continue to control the party, then the country will keep voting Democrat, unless something truly horrifying happens (and I really don’t want that to happen). I’m not sure how much can be accomplished in two years. The Republicans may or may not win seats back in 2010. Much will depend on what happens in the meantime.
By Naqamel on Nov 6, 2008 | Reply
Naq,
Why bother responding to those jackasses? It’s pointless and they never get the point anyway…
True. Just like the Obama Campaign Workers whining about getting to keep what they earned… sure, it’s easy enough to spread someone else’s wealth around…
By Mat on Nov 6, 2008 | Reply
Naq,
I work at a university (I took election night off) and the next day the campus paper’s headline was “Obama Wins, Students Rejoice.” My point is that these overindulged kids (and they are definitely overindulged) just voted for a guy who will determine their economic future. I had one of my student workers tell me that he wasn’t going to be affected by any economic problems. I pretty much laughed in his face. This is the nature of the beast that we’re facing. Oh well, they’ll find out soon enough.
Oh yeah, it’s easy to be compassionate with someone else’s money.
By Trish on Nov 6, 2008 | Reply
Chuck–
The problem is that we now have appointed judges who apply government constraints to individuals.
By Glynn W. on Nov 7, 2008 | Reply
The nation’s fiscal calamity was planned by the GOP. All on purpose. What do you think, “Starve the Beast” meant?
Grover Norquist and his minions should be tried for treason.
By Trish on Nov 7, 2008 | Reply
Good one, Glynn.
ROFLMAO.