The American Spectator

Print Email

Text Size

Political Hay

The American people showed on Election Day that this is still America, and that everywhere except on the West Coast we are still able to govern ourselves. But, unfortunately, it was only a first step on a long journey to save our country, the last, best hope for mankind, as has been said.

Even though the American people generated an epic, 1932-style, political earthquake this year, because our system is so thoroughly infused with checks and balances, it has not nearly solved the whole problem. All that has really happened is that the 1960s New Left that seized control of our country in 2008 has lost its ability to ram its socialist vision through Congress.

The American people, though, still have not gained control of Congress to make policy themselves. That will require still another political earthquake in 2012. The odds are set up for that, as Democrats must defend 23 Senate seats that year, the Republicans only 10. With the right mix of political leadership, message, and continued grassroots activism, by January, 2013, there could be an even bigger Republican majority in the House, with conservatives back in control, a Reagan-style Republican President, and a filibuster proof Republican Senate.

You Can Make It Happen

But achieving that is going to require even more sustained grassroots activism over the next two years. And there is more to come after that. With such sweeping political control in 2013, we will finally have the opportunity to restore the rule of law with judges who know their role is only to apply the law, not make it up. We were getting close to control of the Supreme Court before the Obama detour, and have now lost the chance to replace two very aged liberals with younger Justices who understand their role. But 2013 holds the prospect for regaining control in time to put us back on course.

And such dominant political control creates the opportunity for sweeping, fundamental tax, spending, budget, and entitlement reforms. But grassroots activism will be needed to keep the pressure on to make sure all of this comes to pass. In particular, at least one or two hopeless establishment Republicans like Mike Castle, Charlie Crist, or Lisa Murkowski will have to be beaten in every election cycle to keep grassroots control over the Republicans.

But as indicated in my discussion last week of Newt Gingrich's speech at the IPI Annual Dinner, there is still more work to do after that. America needs a news media that understands the country it is covering, and is even capable of reporting the actual news, not party propaganda talking points, as it mostly does now. Revolution there is already under way as well, with the shocking rating results that Fox News actually beat free network news broadcasts on Election Night. And today's talk radio is going to go down in history as the phenomenon that changed politics in America, and saved the country.

The criticism we hear of Fox News is actually quite shameful. Because it is the only broadcast TV news outlet that does include both sides. Watch it and you will see how the straight news during the day includes coverage of conservatives as well as liberals, and how the opinion discussions in the evening are carefully structured to include the perspective of liberals and conservatives. It seems different just because it includes both sides, while we are otherwise used to dishonest establishment TV news which covers only liberals. What the critics of Fox News are really saying is that conservatives should not be covered, and allowed to present their views to the public. In other words, the critics are anti-free speech fascists.

America also needs an honest academia, rather than the brain-dead hotbeds of Marxist revolution we see too often today. We also need to reform unions to actually represent the interests of working people, rather than outdated, 100-year-old Marxist philosophy, which would only lead to stagnation and decline for working people and America, as it has always done throughout history.

And we need a new vision of civil rights to bring liberating capitalist prosperity into America's inner cities, barrios, neighborhoods, and farming valleys and plains, in place of the socialist political machine the Left now offers.

What You Can Do

This sweeping and complete revolution depends on each one of you reading this website today, and your friends, neighbors and relatives. The brilliance of the Tea Party is precisely its grassroots mystery, with no identifiable spokesman or leader. That means it is wide open for you to start your own local chapter, beginning precisely with your own friends, neighbors and relatives.

Start calling them together for a regular, monthly, social gathering, where you can lead a discussion of the major issues of the day. This will only better connect you with your family and friends any way. Ask them to invite their family, friends and neighbors. Start inviting speakers who can address the issues. Invite potential and actual candidates for local, state and federal offices. Collect everyone's name, address, phone numbers, and email addresses. With this alone, given how most people are not much involved politically, you would be more than half way there to being a major local political influence.

Activate the group to contact your elected officials on the major issues. The group can also be a source of volunteers and contributions for campaigns. If you start regular meetings, every candidate up to Congressman will want to come, and maybe further up beyond that. Run your own get out the vote drive among them on Election Day.

More broadly, grassroots conservatives should promote more aggressively "buycotts," urging purchase of the products and services of the advertisers and sponsors on Fox News and talk radio. Complain to the old media outlets regarding stories, facts and developments they are not covering. Recommend aggressively and persistently that they invite as guests conservative, free market advocates to present the other side. You can get on the phone and call reporters directly. Check out the bylines in your local paper. This is what the Left is doing all the time.