Reflections From a Murky Pond

In the short time since the November 4th election in which America chose to install Barack Obama as the 44th President of the United States of America I made various comments across the Blogosphere. These comments have ranged from despairing through rationally dissenting and onward into anger. The responses from President-Elect Obama’s supporters have been - irrespective of my tone - largely vitriolic, rude and/or condescending. One non-inflammatory response though has been heavily prevalent:

“The People Have Spoken”

Apparently in the minds of the Democrats and other Obama supporters since an approximately 7% majority of the American electorate chose Obama, Conservatives - and quasi-Conservatives like myself - are supposed to just be quiet and join in to support President-Elect Obama’s agenda.

OK, I can understand that sentiment. Here’s a thought though. Also on November 4th the state of California passed Proposition 8 and added an Amendment to the California State Constitution that outlawed same-sex marriages. This referendum was passed by an approximately 5% margin of the California electorate despite the opposition having spent significantly more than the proponents.

Homosexuals and supporters of their rights are currently engaged in large scale protests across the state of California. They also intend to continue to fight against this constitutional amendment though the courts system - presumably all the way to the US Supreme Court if necessary.

If any of Obama’s supporters are so sure of the rightness and wisdom of the American electorate why don’t they tell the opponents of California’s Proposition 8 to be quiet and accept the outcome of the democratic process? After all -

“The People Have Spoken”

If they’re not willing to trust the wisdom of the American electorate, why should Conservatives do so? I’m fairly sure a large number of President-Elect Obama’s supporters do not approve of Proposition 8 and view its passing into law as an abject failure of the democratic process. I view both Obama’s election and Proposition 8 as failures of the democratic process.

If you’re not willing to tell the homosexuals in California to shut up and accept the outcome of the vote, show the same restraint towards those who supported Sen. McCain for President.

On Tuesday, November 4th 2008, Sen. Barack Obama was elected to be the 44th President of the United States of America. He orated a wonderful acceptance speech. Here is an important excerpt that every Conservative should read:

Let us resist the temptation to fall back on the same partisanship and pettiness and immaturity that has poisoned our politics for so long. Let us remember that it was a man from this state who first carried the banner of the Republican Party to the White House — a party founded on the values of self-reliance, individual liberty, and national unity. Those are values we all share, and while the Democratic Party has won a great victory tonight, we do so with a measure of humility and determination to heal the divides that have held back our progress. As Lincoln said to a nation far more divided than ours, “We are not enemies, but friends …though passion may have strained it must not break our bonds of affection.” And to those Americans whose support I have yet to earn — I may not have won your vote, but I hear your voices, I need your help, and I will be your President too.

This was a wonderful passage from a well written and well delivered speech. The promised - or at least inferred - bipartisanship of the passage was a much needed balm after a campaign filled with bitterness and acrimony.

That was Tuesday. On Wednesday, November 5th, 2008, President-Elect Barack Obama asked the Democratic Party’s “party attack dog,” Rep. Rahm Emanuel (D-IL) Chief of Staff for the Obama White House.

Rahm Emanuel aka “Rahmbo” is just about as partisan as it is possible to find, being the campaign “hitman” for the Democrats.  Emanuel is as a politician trained in dirty in-fighting by the Chicago politic machine under Daley and vetted under the Clintons.  He is hyper-partisan, vicious believes that “wining isn’t every. It’s the only thing.”

Rahmbo is the Democratic operative who once sent a dead fish - mafiesque style - to a pollster who displeased him. Rahmbo is the Democratic operative who gathered with Clinton supporter after the 1992 campaign to plot revenge upon various Politicians And Members Of The Press.

Suddenly Emanuel grabbed his steak knife and, as those who were there remeber [sic] it, shouted out the name of another enemy, lifted the knife, then brought it down with full force into the table. ‘Dead!’ he screamed. The group immediately joined in the cathartic release: ‘Nat Landow! Dead! Cliff Jackson! Dead! Bill Schaefer! Dead!

– Elisabeth Bumiller
The Brothers Emanuel, The New York Times, 6/15/97

President-Elect Obama’s choice of Rahm “rahmbo” Emanuel doesn’t bode well for Republicans and Conservatives. Choosing a hyper-partisan political assassin as his Chief of Staff has the appearance of putting the lie to Obama’s overtures of bipartisanship and outreach to Americans who didn’t support his bid for the Presidency.

I would suggest that every American keep this firmly in mind. When Pres. Obama or his supporters reach a hand across the aisle check it for a knife.

Remember always that We are Bowed, but Unbroken

America awoke today to a grim day. Last night, the American Left dealt a grievous blow to the America of Washington, Jefferson, Madison and their like. They elected Barack Obama as President of the United States. Worse, waiting for Obama in Washington will be a Congress more wholly liberal than any in US history - a Congress led by Pelosi and Reid.

The day is somewhat less grim than it might have been though. Republicans managed to hold enough seats in the Senate to ensure that Obama and Reid can be blocked by filibuster. This means we are bowed but unbroken.

Sinking into despair is both easy and seductive. Do not do it! We must continue to fight for America and American values. Whether with hope in our hearts or without it, we must hold the line and make the Left pay a high and painful price for each yard they take. Remember that the US lost the Battle of Bunker Hill, but we inflicted such casualties upon the enemy that they could not capitalize on their victory.

What We Need To Do:

Below are five (5) things that American Conservatives must do in the coming months and years in order to have a reasonable chance of saving America from the fate that is in store for it.

1 - Oppose Pres. Obama
We must fight against this lurch to the Left and its concomitant socialist policies. We must also respond strongly, relentlessly, and vocally when Obama fails to act correctly to defend America, its interests, and its allies.

What we must not do is to behave like the Left did under Pres. Bush. We must attack Pres. Obama’s and Congress’ failings without devolving into screaming and/or whining hordes who rant the same vitriolic rhetoric as America’s enemies. We must fight without mercy but we must hold ourselves above madness and above attacks that do more harm to America than to our enemies. We must be better than that, though I know it will be difficult to do.

2 - Don’t Blame People
This is going to be very, very hard to do, especially when one looks at what has been done to our country, but try not to behave as the Democrats did in 2004 with their vile ranting against Conservatives. It quite true that Pres. Obama got a lot of votes for truly stupid and/ or heinous reasons such as the racism implicit in voting for him because he identifies as Black. It’s also quite true that Pres. Obama lost a lot of votes for equally stupid and/or heinous reasons. No group has cornered the markets on ignorance, stupidity or prejudice.

3 - Toughen Up
We must all be ready to shrug off the vile attacks we will inevitably suffer as we defend this land. Always remember Joe “The Plumber” Wurtzelbacher and the vile and illegal smears, attacks, and invasions of privacy he suffered for standing up to then Sen. Obama. Such attacks can and will happen to at least some of us as well during the fight. Be ready for them.

We will be called racists for our opposition of Pres. Obama. Ignore the slur. We will be marginalized and discounted by the media and by the Left. Keep arguing and keep arguing reasonably. The Left will treat us horribly; they will be as vile in victory as they were during 8 years of defeat. Accept that and hold to the high ground.

4 - Communicate

We must learn from the Left. We must shrug off some of our reserve and come together as a movement, a resistance. What worked for the Left we must make work against them. This is critical.

Expect to be either ignored by the Left-controlled MSM or vilified by them. Under no circumstances trust them. We must communicate through Social Media and Blogging as well as through more traditional mediums. We absolutely must uncover the mistakes of Pres. Obama’s administration and communicate them to each other and to the general population - especially if the MSM refuses to do so.

5 - Seek Vengeance
Spend as much time and effort as you need to focus your anger into something cold and controlled. Blind, unreasoning rage is something to be avoided at any and all costs; it finds the ugliest and most counterproductive outlets far too often.

There’s a lot of work to do to prepare the ground for the Restoration. That work must be the vehicle of our vengeance, not thuggery or vileness. The Democratic Political Engine will provide us with a target-rich environment. We must coldly analyze those targets and attack them based on a sequence of priorities. We do not have enough time to squander our efforts on low-value targets or useless vitriol.

Remember that we must be ready in 2010, not 2012. We must enter into 2010 with our short list of Presidential candidates ready to roll. We must be ready to support any of them, so they’d best be chosen and groomed early so that we can feel comfortable doing so. We must make the Republican Primary as much of a de facto race as possible so that we can immediately begin the battle for General Election.

America woke to a grim day and we - bowed but unbroken - stare at the oncoming night that will be filled with terrors, with twilight’s last gleaming growing dim behind us. We must struggle bravely, coldly and stoically through the siege of that long dark night. We must give proof to that night that we are still there defending the land of the free and the home of the brave.