Note: Not every post will be directly related to secession. Sometimes it's helpful to discuss what got us into this situation in the first place. On occasion, I may focus on another of my passions. Finally, there will be times I just don't wish to be serious. Today, I want to talk about the latest elections...so bear with me.
In the months leading to the November 6th elections, it was obvious there was lacking a certain enthusiasm on the Republican side of the aisle. Notice I did NOT say the conservative side; I said Republican. Oh, there were some high points; but mostly the message getting out wasn't exactly going to rally the troops. Repblicans didn't win out because conservatism wasn't explained and articulated properly. Let's start with Mitt Romney; the prospective leader of the party.
Governor Romney never was and never will be a true conservative. Do not get me wrong...on a personal level, he is a fine man. There is no question about that. But you don't become governor of Massachusetts by having a conservative streak. Looking back, he was nearly the worst candidate possible at this time to wrest the presidency from Obama. He got the republican nomination because he wanted desperately to be president. It would be a crowning personal and family achievement. He was well organized in the primaries, well funded, and he knew how to work the system to his benefit. Plus, he knew how to go for the jugular when in a tight race with republicans. That was because his opponents were not going to aggressively challenge him on his personal wealth or business background. Romney also avoided any scandal or unforgiveable misstep. But the causes for his success in the nomination did not serve him well in the general election.
If you weren't in a swing state, you really didn't see much of Mitt Romney. He got about two minutes on the evening news; but wasn't really ever presented in a positive way. The aggressive Romney in the primaries turned into the passive Romney against Obama. He wanted to stay above the fray; and not get into any discussion about what he was going to do specifically. The only thing we knew is that he would sign a law that ended Obamacare before it could get off the ground. I keep wondering if this was his idea; or that of his campaign staff. I'll never know for sure, but observation suggests it was some of both. Governor Romney to me here in Oklahoma was asking for my vote simply because he wasn't Obama. There wasn't a whole lot else being said.
You see, you cannot just say you're going to cut taxes and spending. You have to say why you need to and provide details of how you're going to do it. You have to present a picture of what things will look like if it is not done, and one of what it will be if it is. And you gotta really believe it and be passionate about it. That's what I didn't hear and see. The conservative message of limited government and taxes will win every time if you have the right person saying it. He or she has to be articulate to be sure. But more important, you need to be passionate in your conservative beliefs; and not afraid to say something that will be chastised by liberals or the media. They're going to try to crusify you no matter what you say. Just the fact that you're not a liberal democrat will be all the justification they need. When the 47% comment Romeny said in a speech to donors came out, it was a golden opportunity for him to strongly explain exactly what he meant; and why an entitlement culture is so destructive to our country and to individuals and families. No...he just ignored it and hoped it would blow away in time.
When the democrats attacked him with accusations he didn't pay any taxes in the past 10 years; he should have immediately confronted the lie and turned it around on them. Andrew Breitbart (rest his soul) made a career out of turning around an accusation into an opportunity to embarrass his accuser. Exposing democrats as liars would have been more beneficial than hiding his tax information. Romney paid a relatively low effective rate on his taxes because they were on investment incomes rather than income from employment. Plus, he donated a lot of money to charities. Then...and this is a big one...why on earth didn't Romney say he would release his taxes one hour after Obama released his college records? That opens the door to suggest Obama has something to hide. Romney had to know that Obama has something huge in those records that he doesn't want people to know about. He could have just implied that there was possible fraud; which there very well may be. I guarantee this is what the democrats would have done. Romney wanted to play a gentleman's game; and if he had passions, he wasn't going to show them. At least not until the debates. Mitt Romney could have finished off Obama if he had stayed as aggressive in the second and third debate as he did in the first. But he chose to play it safe and likeable. It was astonishing to watch.
I think Governor Romney was also afraid to truly confront Obama. There were just lines he wasn't willing to cross. Was it Obama’s likeability or ethnic makeup? Probably both. I find it amazing that so many people really like Obama. He’s conducted some of the most underhanded schemes ever imagined in politics. He leads a party inherently corrupt, and his campaign was filled with lies and scams. But they still like him. I could write about this for a week, and I still wouldn’t understand it. You’ve got to believe there is some truth that the belief in liberty and freedom has been overrun by entitlements and a false sense of security. It's sad to watch, but doing nothing will only make the inevitable worse.
Take care.
Marcus
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