The American Spectator

Reader Mail

(Page 6 of 14)

br> Re: Jeffrey Lord's So Much for the Ideology of Tactics : /p>

Mr. Lord almost, but not quite, completed the circle of logic. The missing piece was an explanation on the main difference between tactics and strategies, and how that difference is applied to politics.

Tactics are used by liberals specifically to achieve a short term objective -- reelection or, in some situations, a specific power grab. Strategies, on the other hand, are used by the conservative movement to effect long term goals. Note that I didn't say that strategies were used by Republicans who, these days, are no different than liberals -- re the latest Omnibus monstrosity.

To expand upon this difference, one could say tactics were used by the Clintons to great success due to the very short timeframe experienced by each occupant of the Little Rock mansion (2-year increments). When the timing was right, they then applied the principle of tactics on a national level. They succeeded because they were able to change the definition of "short term" in our national discourse. BC (before Clinton), a four year time horizon was "beyond the horizon" for most of Middle America. In the AD era, time became compressed, as history and events compressed. Bill's peccadilloes compressed his White House occupancy to nothing more than a flash in the pan.

The conservative movement, by contrast, is a life-long goal. The main emphasis is not reelection or the latest power grab, but rather, the effort to "re-ground" and "re-direct" this great country to the principles promulgated by our Founding Fathers. The strategy, therefore, is akin to turning an aircraft carrier within the span of a bath tub.

p>Tactics will still work for the liberals in future (flash-in-the-pan-itis), but for those who care deeply about the long term direction of this country, they had better give the grownups the time they need to effect the greater strategy -- to return this nation to its position as a constitutional republic with limited governmental powers. br> -- Owen H. Carneal br> Yorktown, Virginia /p> p> Wow! Once again Mr. Lord ably identifies and articulates that which makes the liberal (or are they "progressives" now? No matter a rose by any other name...) mind work. It has amazed me, especially in the last 5-6 years that these so called adults are so pathologically committed to getting and staying in power that they assume there are no consequences for the effluvia which emanates from their pie holes on any number of issues in any and all venues. These past 6 years and the tactics employed by the "loyal" opposition has been a disservice to America and her interests. Almost as sad is the wedge it has driven between me and life long friends who in the past participated in spirited, honest discussions on policy and philosophy but now always, always, revert to the lib/Dem talking points. br> --

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