Posted by
Patrick Henry on Monday, May 24, 2010 12:32:21 PM
Political waters run exceedingly treacherous in these days of anti-incumbent
fervor. But a carefully calculated course avoiding the shoals and reefs of "gotcha"
politics upon which the mainstream media thrives can result in an epic shift in
power come November 2010.
So what must Republicans, the Tea Party and the few moderate Democrats
left alive do to wrest the reins of power from left-wing Democrats and socialists
in the upcoming elections? There is no magic bullet, but some interesting trends
are emerging that bear watching.
There are many who are warning Republicans against becoming the "party of
no," fearing that an obstructionist tag will result in a pro-incumbency backlash. The
concern is valid, but the advice is bad. Republicans, the Tea Party and moderate
Democrats should embrace "no." NO to more borrow, tax and spend, NO to
ever-growing all-encroaching government, NO to America bashing, NO to weak-
ness against terrorism, amnesty for illegal aliens and the economy-stifling overreach
of cap-and-trade. There ARE, in fact, a number of things Americans want to see
rejected or reversed, and the failure to say NO boldly and loudly to those ignoring
the public voice is a huge mistake.
The "no" strategy, however, comes with a caveat. In most cases it must be "no,
but . . ." It is not enough just to say no if one doesn't have some alternative to offer.
So it must be NO to borrow, tax and spend, but YES to budget cutting, government
shrinking and belt-tightenening. NO to America bashing and YES to American
exceptionalism with its corollary historical rationale. NO to cap-and-trade, but yes
to "drill baby drill" and the accelerated quest for alternative energy sources. NO to
over-regulation and yes to capitalism and the entrepreneurial spirit. The "no" without
the "yes" won't cut it.
Aspiring candidates must bear in mind the old adage that"all politics is local." And
it was never truer than today. If there is one thing the recent electoral campaigns have
borne out it is that it is a losing strategy to simply run a national campaign at the local
level. The way to tap into voter anger and frustration, and there's plenty of it, is to listen
to the people whose votes you covet, and tailor common sense, plain English solutions
to the problems they pose, along with a strategy for bringing those problems to the
limelight of congressional consideration. Pelosi and Obama are unpopular, but they're
not running in your district this November.
Finally, the strategy of contrast was never more crucial, or more favorable. Like
an effective attorney trying the big case, pose questions to which you already know
the answers. Do you like the healthcare reform law? Do you want cap-and-trade
and the skyrocketing electricity bills that come with it? Did you appreciate a president
and his party standing to applaud a foreign head of state as he verbally attacked
Arizonans in the nation's capital? Do you like a leader who blames everything on
America first, bows to foreign despots and bargains awayAmerican freedoms at the
United Nations? Do you want open borders and amnesty for illegal aliens? Do you
want the economy controlled by powerful labor unions? This is the Democratic
agenda and the polls show a clear majority of Americans decisively rejecting it.
Political change comes about only when voters are forced to acknowledge their
true values and make a choice between clear alternatives. If the polls have any
validity at all, people don't want what Obama and the Democrats are peddling.
There are those die hards who will vote Democrat anyway. But more
middle-of-the-roaders and independents who swing elections will come down
on the right side of the fence rather than the left. They just need to clearly see
the fence.
Most important is to choose and support squeaky clean candidates. Philanderers,
liars, corruptocrats, union shills and others who might be perceived as special interest
minions will make especially weak candidates in a housecleaning climate. The public
believes there is already a preponderance of those types in Washington, so why would
they want to send more of the same? America is looking for clear, clean, cerebral,
bipartisn leadership that can focus on problems rather than politics. Those whom
they believe can offer that will, in the end, carry the day.