Watching the 2008 presidential campaign progress is like watching a the Snail Darter 500. It's a real slug fest. Pardon me while I yawn... But I do see a recurring theme among the Democrats in particular that fails to give me any warm and fuzzies.
The last major shift in the American political scene was not 2006 but 1994. The republicans took over Congress for the first time in 40 some odd years. But the actual effect of this fundamental shift was negligible - thus the reason for the 2006 results. After some early successes like welfare reform, minor tax reform, block grants and budget balancing the republican congress of late might as well been the democrats they replaced in '94.
The last truly revolutionary shift was 1980 when Reagan won the White House. No need to go into a history lesson, since no one can genuinely argue that things were better under Carter. The real reason Reagan was so successful in his 1980 and '84 campaigns was something called optimism. Reagan was proud of America and saw a future where our best days were ahead and not behind.
Bill Clinton, no political dummy himself, was also selling hope of a better future in his campaigns without resorting to scolding the American citizen. In his rhetorical style he was one who could point to what was wrong and turn it around into a hopeful message of reform and redemption. Perhaps his most memorable quote was "there's nothing that's wrong with America that can't be solved by what is right with America".
Today's democrats, more so than the republicans, continually put down America. Their brand of hope is not that the American people can rise up and meet the challenge of the future but that the government must be the one to fix everything. Government has its role, but more often than not it is better for all of us if it gets out of the way.
John Edwards is particularly egregious. To listen to him you would think America is suffering from the greatest economic depression since 1933. Nothing the man says gives me any hope whatsoever. He is a hypocrite and a walking bumper sticker. Only those who actually hate this country and our very successful economic performance under the current administration's watch could actually vote for this man.
One need not wonder why liberal talk radio is such a flop. No one wants to hear that their country is bad and evil over and over, day in and day out. Sure America has its problems - all countries do. America was born of an idea - the right of the individual (individual, not the government) to his life, his liberty and the pursuit of his happiness. One good idea begets another until a great nation is built. Problems and injustices have occurred and still do, but our system allows for self-correction and that gives us hope for a better future. This sort of stuff you will hear on conservative talk radio airwaves. For the most part Rush Limbaugh, and all the other successful radio talk show hosts, reserve their negativity for socialist ideas that want to collectivize our nation into a European-style nanny state.
Balls to wall capitalism is like a child with his wild optimism and wonderment charging headfirst into the world without the guard rails that come with good parental supervision and guidance. This is how I see the government's role being played in our economic life. You don't raise children with the idea that you will take care of them the cradle to the grave. But that is exactly what Hillary and Edwards and Osama, err I mean, Obama have in store for us if we allow any of these "socialists" into the Oval Office. To them the glass is half empty and only the federal government can top it off.
Message to Rudy, Mitt and Fred sell hope not fear. Sell hope that we will beat Islamic fascism with our greatness as a nation of freedom loving people and not fear that they are lurking around every dark corner. The only thing that can defeat these sadistic and nihilistic terrorists is hope.
CW
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