DAYTONA BEACH SHORES -- On Nov. 6, the American people consigned their future and that of their country, their children and grandchildren to socialist hell.
For the past two years, after taking control of the House of Representatives, the Republicans fought a valiant rear-guard action, protecting the nation from the worst of Obama’s transformational outrages while buying time for the voters to rectify their error of 2008.
But when the time came the people voted to reject our self-reliant values and traditions, as well as the protections against overweening government which have enabled America to succeed and prosper, in favor of a massive government which decides, provides and eventually destroys.
For those of us struggling with post-electoral depression and seeing little ahead but misery for our country, the question arises – What to do?
Flight fails
Some of the wealthier among us are probably considering leaving for another country. Shifting part of one’s wealth elsewhere is a good idea but physical flight, while perhaps understandable, is in my view unwise.
Especially now that the Euro Zone is failing, the United States is humankind’s last best defense against chaos. Should America fall, as Obama wishes it to, many if not most other countries would also face decline.
Failure of the American and European markets and their capacity to trade would create a global depression of vast scope and depth. In many countries political instability would quickly follow.
Failure of the American and European markets and their capacity to trade would create a global depression of vast scope and depth. In many countries political instability would quickly follow.
In such circumstances, how long could a wealthy expatriate American remain wealthy or even survive? No, it would be far better to remain here, in the land of our birth and see this struggle through to the end. But those Patriots who do that face a daunting challenge.
Four-year challenge
In the four years to come, we can expect Obama to continue to expand his power via unconstitutional executive orders and use them to shrink the size and scope of our private sector economy while further reducing its capacity to rebuild itself.
Obama will likely move to bring ever greater elements of our economy under government control even if ownership remains technically private.
Obama will pursue a smaller and weaker military while perhaps at the same time building a strong civilian armed force answerable to him.
Obama will further limit individual rights and freedoms in favor of the rights of a collective consisting of identifiable groups which support his vision and rule. He will increase the number and degree of the people’s dependency upon government.
In short, I expect Obama to try harder in his second term to fundamentally transform the United States into a weakened socialist nation with a cowed and poorer population ruled by an intrusive authoritarian government, probably with himself or a surrogate at its head.
As conservatives, as Republicans, as real Americans, what are we to do?
Secession won't succeed
There are movements in each of the 50 states to petition the White House for the secession of their individual states from the United States.
Of course Washington would refuse, but the hypothetical concept is that Obama’s America would consist of the blue states on the two coasts plus a few Midwestern and farther western states which supported the Democrats in the last election.
The new, constitutional America would consist primarily of the geographic heartland and the Gulf coast. At this point, I have the feeling that those pressing this course have not thought it through.
Petitions to secede could be useful in sending a message to Washington regarding the depth and breadth of the anger and dissatisfaction in this country, though I doubt that Obama would care very much. I don’t see what they could accomplish beyond publicity.
Should they succeed, the actual shift of the current United States into two or more sovereign entities would prove catastrophic, not just for present-day America but for the entire planet. Besides, as a practical matter I understand that the issue of secession was resolved during the period 1861-1865.
No one wants another civil war.
In any case, I want the whole country – not just part of it - restored to the prosperity and greatness which its people and its economic and political systems earned for it. And I am not yet prepared to admit that the magnificent system which our Founders designed for us is no longer capable of producing that result.
In any case, I want the whole country – not just part of it - restored to the prosperity and greatness which its people and its economic and political systems earned for it. And I am not yet prepared to admit that the magnificent system which our Founders designed for us is no longer capable of producing that result.
To achieve that we must first block or endure Obama’s malevolence for the next four years while rebuilding the Republican Party at all levels to enable us to defeat the Democratic nominee in 2016.
Hold at the top and build at the state and local levels
The Presidency is lost to us for the next four years. We have to come to terms with that. We know that the Enemy in the White House will use those four years to work against us and against America as we know it.
It is for us, the conservatives, the patriots, the Republicans, to use those same four years here in Volusia and across the land to block him where we can while we build and strengthen what we won so that, in 2014 and 2016 real Americans will be able to regain control of our government.
At the federal level our leaders in the House of Representatives and the Senate need to hold firm to our principles while finding ways to appeal as a party to a broader base of Americans. This will require a sort of carefully calculated political triage on the part of our leadership, particularly as related to issues important to the Hispanic community.
Recognition that Hispanic Americans offer the most obvious area for expansion of Republican influence is behind the early separate boomlets for Marco Rubio or Jeb Bush as the GOP standard bearer in 2016.
However, Hispanics have already learned to lean toward the Democrats and it will take more than an attractive candidate to get them to change their minds.
They, particularly the Mexican-Americans, will have to come to see that their real interests lie with the GOP. They may come with us on religion, family values and the work ethic. But to get Hispanics to begin to trust Republicans, we must first address immigration in a way which is meaningful to them.
Any movement away from our conservative core will irritate a number of Republicans, me included. But some bleeding away of our united front is inevitable as politicians, fearing for their careers in light of Obama’s re-election, seek to accommodate what they regard as political reality in their states or districts.
Any movement away from our conservative core will irritate a number of Republicans, me included. But some bleeding away of our united front is inevitable as politicians, fearing for their careers in light of Obama’s re-election, seek to accommodate what they regard as political reality in their states or districts.
Besides, to the degree that the American people have actually shifted somewhat to the left, any party limiting its position well to the right of center is doomed to oblivion.
We may not like it but it is what it is – to rule you first have to win. The states offer brighter prospects. As a result of the November elections Republicans control 24 states, the Dems have 13 and the remaining 13 are divided.
No one should be surprised that the states where the economy is doing best, where jobs are most plentiful, unemployment is falling and budgets are under control have Republican governors.
On the other hand, in Democratic-controlled states like California and Illinois, there is a mad rush toward fiscal collapse. These 24 Red states along with efforts to expand Republican influence in the 13 which remain divided offer the best short term course for the GOP to build its base and advance a conservative approach to governance.
Here in Florida, under Governor Rick Scott, we are among the foremost in the reduction of unemployment and debt. The Governor is up for re-election in 2014 and is already under attack from public sector unions and other feeders at the public trough. Scott is keeping his campaign promises to the people of Florida.
The best thing we conservatives can do is begin now to rally support for our Governor and return him to office. At the Volusia County level Republicans have won an unprecedented string of victories. These have helped to create a degree of political balance where none existed before. But they have not given Republicans control of the county.
What is needed now is to forge a cooperative and productive relationship with the Democrats in Deland. As a best practice this would mean that they would recognize that the change in political winds in the county mandates compromises that reduce taxes and spending and create a more attractive business climate but which do not give conservatives everything they want in these areas.
What is needed now is to forge a cooperative and productive relationship with the Democrats in Deland. As a best practice this would mean that they would recognize that the change in political winds in the county mandates compromises that reduce taxes and spending and create a more attractive business climate but which do not give conservatives everything they want in these areas.
The Democrats cannot expect to retain all that they have built in the past two decades. Some rollback is necessary and that is where compromise must be sought.
At present, everyone has to give in order to get. But there are county and local elections in 2014, which will give Republicans the opportunity to protect what they have won and to expand their position on the county council.
If we are to make county government truly representative of all the people in Volusia we absolutely must start now to solidify and expand our Party’s electoral capacities.
Kernal of hope
True, the immediate future for our country is bleak. 2013 will likely be a very bad year for our economy, even if Washington avoids the “fiscal cliff.” But our superb federal constitutional system offers a path to national salvation provided we conservatives of all kinds have the strength and cohesion to walk it.