Discourse on political discourse, or 'the main thing is to use it well'
We expect reactions to events like our presidential election, but they are rarely as vituperous as the last two. In 2004, Kerry supporters threatened to leave the country, declaimed Bush as 'not my president', and many gleefully expressed death wishes.
This visceral recoil on the left contributed to hampering our nation's ability to get back to business. Despite the desires of some, this is not a Red or a Blue nation. It is a nation of people with competing ideas, and sometimes your ideas don't carry the day. It never means you're not part of the conversation unless you opt out.
For example, the Republican-lite 2008 presidential candidate carried a respectable amount of the popular vote after four years that basically amounted to a de facto filibuster — Bush and his policies were reviled, and the Dems held Congress yet failed to do anything except submit to Bush's hand-holding for the bank bailout. So for conservatives who are concerned about a hard-left turn in government, know that it's only for a season, and it will only carry so much weight in the face of continued ideological divide among the nation and Congress' dogged commitment to its own aggregate agendas.
But it's still early in the game. A change is needed, but we're the ones who need to invoke it.Continue to communicate with your representatives about how they should govern; as always, less (government) is more (personal sovereignty), and only civility consistently prompts civil action. Continue to support activist groups that stand for conservative ideas, but limit their urge to do it through legislation.
Continue to look to the future - can the Republican party represent true conservatives, or do they have their own centrist, status quo agenda that must be acknowledged or challenged? Is it time and is it possible to rescue the Libertarians from their pot-and-plot morass? We need to have some commitment made in the next two years, and candidates need to reflect this.
Continue to support bright lights of conservatism and work for them to gain the national stage. Whom do we have now? Bobby Jindal and Sarah Palin?
And finally, keep it civil. Successful people keep their eyes on the prize, and they don't get dragged down by temporary losses. And they never, never, ever resort to despicable invectives or make threats. It won't be tolerated at the BBA; indeed, we've had to take a stand and revoke the posting privileges of one of our own.
Let us use our platform of debate to help shape our new President's forming administration and exert pressure on Congress to truly act in their constituents' best interests.
The man who said, "A state is better governed which has few laws, and those laws strictly observed," also said "It is not enough to have a good mind; the main thing is to use it well."
- Jib, tee bee, Marcus Aurelius
This visceral recoil on the left contributed to hampering our nation's ability to get back to business. Despite the desires of some, this is not a Red or a Blue nation. It is a nation of people with competing ideas, and sometimes your ideas don't carry the day. It never means you're not part of the conversation unless you opt out.
For example, the Republican-lite 2008 presidential candidate carried a respectable amount of the popular vote after four years that basically amounted to a de facto filibuster — Bush and his policies were reviled, and the Dems held Congress yet failed to do anything except submit to Bush's hand-holding for the bank bailout. So for conservatives who are concerned about a hard-left turn in government, know that it's only for a season, and it will only carry so much weight in the face of continued ideological divide among the nation and Congress' dogged commitment to its own aggregate agendas.
But it's still early in the game. A change is needed, but we're the ones who need to invoke it.Continue to communicate with your representatives about how they should govern; as always, less (government) is more (personal sovereignty), and only civility consistently prompts civil action. Continue to support activist groups that stand for conservative ideas, but limit their urge to do it through legislation.
Continue to look to the future - can the Republican party represent true conservatives, or do they have their own centrist, status quo agenda that must be acknowledged or challenged? Is it time and is it possible to rescue the Libertarians from their pot-and-plot morass? We need to have some commitment made in the next two years, and candidates need to reflect this.
Continue to support bright lights of conservatism and work for them to gain the national stage. Whom do we have now? Bobby Jindal and Sarah Palin?
And finally, keep it civil. Successful people keep their eyes on the prize, and they don't get dragged down by temporary losses. And they never, never, ever resort to despicable invectives or make threats. It won't be tolerated at the BBA; indeed, we've had to take a stand and revoke the posting privileges of one of our own.
Let us use our platform of debate to help shape our new President's forming administration and exert pressure on Congress to truly act in their constituents' best interests.
The man who said, "A state is better governed which has few laws, and those laws strictly observed," also said "It is not enough to have a good mind; the main thing is to use it well."
- Jib, tee bee, Marcus Aurelius
posted by Jane Bellwether @ 5:30 AM
<< Home