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A Further Perspective
Don’t Give Up
As if you were going to.
It was a rough and bitterly disappointing week for conservatives with the re-election of Barack Obama. After all, many conservatives had reason to believe that Mitt Romney would be in 2012 what Ronald Reagan was in 1980. Instead Romney ended up with fewer votes than John McCain received in 2008. Obama was no Jimmy Carter. This resulted in both record levels of smug amongst liberals and the depths of despair amongst conservatives. This despair was perhaps best summed up by Charles C.W. Cooke of National Review Online in an essay appropriately titled, “Why I Despair”:
In 1980, when faced with a set of policies that demonstrably hadn’t worked and a president who wanted to take America leftward, America chose a different path; in 2012, it doubled down. That says a lot about a people. The central problem, then, is not that Obama will be president for the next few years, but that the American people — knowing him — chose to reelect him….That this was not a clear-cut repudiation of the president should sound the alarm.
I was certainly not immune from this despair. Following the election I wrote that “conservatives must recognize that the American electorate has changed and that 1980 has come and gone, never to return.”
While it could be said that America once again got the President it deserved, conservatives must resist the temptation to embrace this argument. The simple reason for this is that conservatives can’t give up.
Not now, not ever.
Let me put it this way. What if conservatives had decided to pack it in after Barry Goldwater won only six states in 1964? Well, it’s quite simple. If conservatives had given up in 1964, Ronald Reagan would never have triumphed in 1980. The last thing we should be telling young conservatives is that it’s all over and that this country isn’t worth the fight anymore. I hate to say that this is for the children but this is about the future. What kind of example would we be setting if we threw in the towel, took our ball, hung our heads and went home?
That doesn’t mean we should be under any illusions that things are going to be easy over the next four years. They won’t be and it may very well not be for many years. It also doesn’t mean conservatives won’t have tough choices to make. We conservatives are going to have to choose our battles wisely. The course of choosing those battles will no doubt be bruising. But as the old saying goes, “What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger.”
The upside of this is that the liberal euphoria over Obama’s re-election will recede. If America continues to lose the respect of it allies, the fear of its enemies and if the economy continues to stagnate while the deficit continues to increase, Obama’s legacy is that he will have spent eight years in the White House blaming George W. Bush for his failures while presiding over the decline of the greatest country in the world. Since President Obama is unwilling to accept the responsibility for a mess of his own making that means someone else is going to have to clean it up because that mess will still be here after he leaves office in January 2017.
While his policies will leave America worse off than when he took office there will be life in America after Barack Obama. While his policies may very well transform America beyond recognition it must be said that America is far more than the sum of the cult of personality that is Barack “I…Me” Obama. No man, no President is forever.
Nevertheless, Barack Obama will be in the Oval Office for another term. If one is need of inspiration then consider the words of 17th century English poet John Dryden, who wrote:
Fight on, my merry men all,
I’m a little wounded, but I am not slain;
I will lay me down for to bleed a while,
Then I’ll rise and fight with you again.
And if that doesn’t work for you then we can always look to what George Gipp said to legendary Notre Dame coach Knute Rockne on his deathbed (as famously portrayed by Ronald Reagan in Knute Rockne, All American):
Some time, Rock, when the team is up against it, when things are wrong and the breaks are beating the boys, ask them to go in there with all they’ve got and win just one for the Gipper.
Well, America is surely up against it and there’s no guarantee conservatives will win. But one thing I know for certain is that conservatives can’t win one for America unless we go in there with all we’ve got. So don’t give up.
About the Author
Aaron Goldstein writes from Boston, Massachusetts.
Letter to the Editor View all comments (28) | Leave a comment
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Nancy in NC| 11.14.12 @ 7:09AM
I'm not giving up. It's apparent we need to find a different way to fight this war. For a war it is. A war of survival of our freedom against those who want to be the ruling class. Tyranny and liberty are not willing partners.
It's simple. We're right. They're wrong. History has proved it over and over. These misguided folks with their inflated egos are on the wrong track. There's nothing new under the sun, and we have the responsibility to continue to fight, just as all those who went before us have fought.
GobBluthe| 11.14.12 @ 8:10AM
History might be on our side, but history is slow to play out. Every conservative alive today may be dead by the time we are vindicated. After all it took 74 years for the USSR to collapse.
Alan| 11.14.12 @ 9:04AM
And tens of millions of lives under Stalin and Mao.
Joellen| 11.14.12 @ 8:49AM
We cant give up - we are here on this earth to promote Goodness and fight for it. It is an everlasting battle, that since Adam & Eve has been our plight. Make it a personal battle, understand that we wont always win and we, unfortunately, may not live to see the tide turn. But if we keep planting the seeds, and if it is GOD's plan, we can change it.
Both Nancy in NC and Albert are so right - it is our responsibility to continue the fight, but we need to be prepared and have a battle plan - for we do not do justice to those who faught, sacrifice and even died for us to live in a country that was an inspiration to the world. Keep fighting my AS friends -and keep praying.
GobBluthe| 11.14.12 @ 9:01AM
After hurricane Sandy and how it helped Obama, I think we should question either the existences of God or whose side God is on
Al Adab| 11.14.12 @ 10:47AM
Mene, Mene, Tekel, Pares
It is distinctly possible that we have been weighed in the balance and found wanting. His kingdom will endure forever, but there is no gurantee that ours is as secure. Our moral relativism and our idolotrous worship of gods such as Gaia, Choice, Diversity and so on may have placed us outside His protection. He judges the nations after all.
That being said, the voters have chosen a preference for central planning and the Social-Welfare State. That is a prefernece for the gurantee of subsistence over the potential for success. Call it the, "We were better off in Egypt" (as slaves) mentality. Our choice to continue the battle now becomes one of individual accomodation to, or avoidance of, the results of such a State
SUBVET| 11.14.12 @ 8:08PM
Leadership.....Leadership ! We conservatives need strong leadership someone with backbone, morals and willing to do or say whatever it takes to WIN.
We have some young leaders that are willing to step-up and do battle, but they need our support.
We need to drain the swamp and get rid of the dead weight. We are on a train to nowhere with these weak, no morals POS.
I say FU no vote and let "SHAFT" do his dance.
Albert Constantine Jr.| 11.14.12 @ 7:49AM
While pep talks are supposed to help morale, they are no substitute for victory. While we want to encourage one another, let us try to accurately analyze while we failed, and develop plans to prevent further setbacks, gain back what we have already lost, and achieve the government we think we ought to have.
TLP| 11.14.12 @ 5:29PM
I disagree.
Now, is the Perfect Time to "Give Up".
I say: Give him what he wants.
Grab one of those Jumbles books, take out your pencils, and go to town.
That's the only way we win.
LET HIM raise taxes. LET HIM close more Coal Mines, Shut Down more Drilling, and put out MORE REGULATIONS.
What's the Down Side?
America will become Ungovernable, because everyone who Voted for this Historical Mistake, will FINALLY, come face to face with the Full Brunt of what they have wrought.
Gas will be more Expensive. Food will be more Expensive. They'll be Denied Medical Attention, in Favour of The Pain Pill.
They won't have any Job above Minimum Wage. They won't be able to afford to Heat Their Homes. And, a lot of them will Lose Their Homes.
I think they call it: Tough Love.
People in the Cities will find themselves UNDER SEIGE, by Eric Holder's "People". Vacations will become just a Memory of Days Gone By. And, their Very Existence will be one of Bare Bones Neccessities.
Only THEN, willl they come to their senses.
Get outta the way, and LET HIM DIG.
SUBVET| 11.14.12 @ 8:28PM
Tim.....I am surprised at your idea to "give up". Yes I can see you are pissed just like the rest of us but, brother those of us that have served our country cannot let this happen we are fighters we were born to take the fight to the enemy.
"All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing."........Edmund Burke
Give up ME..............never
Damn the torpedoes.....full speed ahead
GobBluthe| 11.14.12 @ 8:08AM
The author misses the point. The reason conservatives didnt give up in 1964, was there was nothing wrong with America then. In 2012 there is a sense that the clock has run out on Americanism.
It was one year after the assassination of JFK
Unemployment was 4.5%
GNP growth was 5%
America was 90% white
The WW2 generation was 45 years old
There was no Immigration Act of 1965
The Counterculture was still hidden away
Vietnam was not a major issue
How could LBJ not win?
In short 1964, America had nothing wrong with it. 2012 America just re-elected Obama in the worst economy in 70 years. A president that is openly hostile to not just the USA but to Western Culture in general. America is less than 70% white today, public schools have poisoned at least 2 generations against the values that made the USA great.
What happens in the Permanent Democratic Majority, is the USA become like a giant inner city. The normal failures that turn out incumbents, no longer apply. The electorate is Democrat period. Not like in 1936, due to economics allegiance, but to tribal allegiance. That tribal allegiance cannot be undone.
Pandering to the tribe wont work for the GOP. But neither will explaining to the tribalists the principals of conservatism. They simply wont be receptive. The result is the GOP dies and the US becomes a third world one party state. Corrupt, bankrupt and intellectually braindead.
PolishKnight| 11.14.12 @ 10:15AM
Exactly.
Three words: Demographics is destiny! Repeat until understood!
The only way to defeat the Democrat paradigm of buying votes via race and gender entitlements is to address them head on and give white males a reason to show up AND delegitimize the left's way of buying votes for this reason. After all, they did it by abolishing Jim Crow but the left just reversed it. It's now time to abolish ALL forms of Jim Crow!
Simon Templar| 11.14.12 @ 1:05PM
The great early sixties.....
Yes, and this did not stop the Left from marching on and pressing forward, did it? I do not seem to remember them whining and throwing up their hands and surrendering. In fact, they did just the opposite, they infiltrated the Democratic party, took over the educational systems and began cranking out today's journalist. They protested, they marched, they exaggerated their numbers, they pushed and pushed again.
We have the power in our hands as we are the producers and we pay the bills. Want to stop the insanity, then starve them.
Unplug. Cancel the cable.
Stop going to movies.
Barter, and find ways not to pay taxes.
Send your kid to private schools.
Do business with conservatives.
Move your investments to companies that represent your values.
Join a Tea Party.
Become a member of your PTA or school board.
Stop giving donations to your college Alma mater which now teaches socialism.
Buy a gun and learn how to use it.
Buy land and become more self sufficient.
Pay off your debts and stay withing your means.
Cut off those that refuse to listen and put your energy in those that might.
Move your donations and charity to new media support, organizations like Freedom Works, etc.
Buy gold, at least 20 percent of your portfolio.
Stop listening to liberal narratives.
Organize protest, boycotts, workshops, etc. and resist every liberal initiative at your local level.
GobBluthe| 11.14.12 @ 8:13AM
Has anyone noticed it is the foreign conservatives living in the USA who are the deep pessimists, while American conservatives continue their optimism. Who do you think is correct?
Simon Templar| 11.14.12 @ 1:12PM
Actually, I thought it was the opposite. I find American conservatives to be pessimist and whiners and the foreigners more willing to fight the good fight as they have already actually lived the nightmare of socialism. Take a look at most of the columns here at TAS.
Demand recounts and investigations into voter fraud in your area and state. Perhaps that could be a positive start. You have to make your own breaks, not wait for them to drop into your lap. Optimism is fueled by positive actions and a willingness to play to win and do what ever it take to win.
Whig| 11.14.12 @ 10:08AM
Um GobBluthe, what may happen is something like the breakup of Yugoslavia. Tribal voting by some minorities leads to tribal voting by other groups. Obama received the lowest percentage of white voters for a Democrat ever (at this point just under 40 percent). One of the reasons that the South is Republican is that white voters refused to vote for Dem's anymore while black voters stayed with the party.
stmichrick| 11.14.12 @ 11:03AM
Give up; NOT.
The Obama regime failures and modus operendi are more blatant than ever. The results of his flawed worldview are on display in the Middle East and will be demonstrated, I predict, with Russian belligerence and Chinese aggression. His re-election stats tell us where the work needs to be done, which also applies to the miscalculations of the establishment Romney political operators.
However, the smoke needs to clear on the big lies formulated by leftist politicoes. What has damaged our side since the Bush years is reticence to go after those who spread them. These individuals deserve harsher treatment; concerted efforts are in order to PERMANENTLY discredit folks like Stephanie Cutter, Joe Biden and Axelrod.
Spoonman| 11.14.12 @ 12:18PM
Win one for the Gipper could never be more appropriate! Persistence and diligence will eventually allow conservatism to carry the day.
Joe D.| 11.14.12 @ 12:37PM
No Aaron the demographics has not changed. We did not have a Reagan in Romney. He was a moderate nice guy who finish last in politics. He showed his colors many times throughout the election season. And because of it, he stuck to one issue and did not go after Obama on this well. So no we should fight hard on everything. The congress had a bigger mandate than 50.3% including fraud and suppression of the military vote.
We need to note over and over again that 50.3% is not a madate.
Bill8472| 11.14.12 @ 12:47PM
"Win one for the Gipper."
That's the most inspiring thing I've ever heard.
Occam's Tool| 11.14.12 @ 1:27PM
"Jews for West 2016."
SUBVET| 11.14.12 @ 8:31PM
OT...funny you don't look jewish
Paul McGrath| 11.14.12 @ 2:37PM
I am, frankly, in a state of despair because I don't know what to do. Instead of simply saving my money and investing it carefully, as I've done for thirty years, I no longer trust that this is going to do me any good. Inflation, taxes, and the declining value of the dollar are almost certain to diminish if not destroy the purchasing power of those dollars I have been saving in my 401K for all of these years.
Should I invest in gold? Stocks? Leave it in cash? I really don't know what to do. And the problem is, I know I have to do SOMETHING.
I do know that I do not trust my government. I do know that my interests are no longer their interests. I do know that their only interest is to increase their power, and if they could skin me clean without consequenses they would do so in a heartbeat.
I know that every single thing they say and every single thing they do is a lie; complete, lying, dishonest bullshit. They do not care about the law, they do not care about the constitution, they do not care about American history or its founding: they care only about increasing power. And they will do anything they can get away with to do so.
And every goddamn thing they do affects me. My health, my welfare, my wealth, my sense of well-being, everything. They are going to systematically destroy everything I have worked for in my life. And I do not know what to do about it.
There is no one looking out for me. No one.
Butch| 11.14.12 @ 7:38PM
That's about as well as you can express my own thoughts, Paul. I have talked to my two wealth managers, and they are looking for a bad situation, but not as bad as I. I am calling my accountant, the closest thing I have to a personal financial advisor, next week. He'll also talk like we'll survive. I have to plan for the worst, because I have others dependent on me. Gold? Silver? Both? Guns and ammunition? I guess. Shooting lessons and concealed carry? I guess. I do have land, but it's managed timberland. Guess I might have to clear it and build a redoubt there; it would be prudent. Ammunition, weapons, all of that.
Here I am, at my advanced age, thinking this way. I have never felt so on-my-own in my whole life: I now perceive my government as being my committed enemy. And with way more power than I have, power I have acedeed to it. Never thought it would wind up in the hands of an anti-white, anti-American.
I can't believe I'm going through this on my own. Our only hope is secession.
Paul McGrath| 11.14.12 @ 10:23PM
Hi Butch,
I have never owned a gun. My parents never owned a gun. My grandparents on both sides never owned a gun. I really don't know about my great grandparents, but I suspect they never owned a gun either.
I asked my wife about ten years ago if she would mind if I bought a gun. Not that I had a concern about anything, I thought it might be fun to go out in the woods and blast away at a tree or something. She said, "No, we will not have a gun in this house."
After last week? We're getting a gun. Her idea.
Freedomfighter_99| 11.15.12 @ 6:29AM
There are plenty of us out here. You are not alone. Remember - the nitwits who've created most of this mess would recoil at the thought of picking up a weapon. They don't fight - they hire others to fight for them. Kinda like the Saudis. Keep in mind also that a lot of the men wearing cami's think like us. A lot of their officers do, too. Local & state police - all took an oath to preserve and protect the constitution. We're all on the same side. I don't know if I could point a weapon at a member of the military and pull the trigger; or a police officer. I can't see myself doing that. I pray that if things get that bad THEY'LL realize that I'm not the domestic enemy - their civilian commanders are. And they'll do the right thing. But I don't think I'd have trouble taking out any of the liberals around me. To paraphrase one of THEIR heroes, "There'll be fewer Americans, but better Americans".
Louis Jenkins| 11.14.12 @ 3:32PM
The sky is falling. Well, not quite, but the clouds sure look heavy. It's not so much that Romney lost, but instead it's what Obama will do with his next four years of freedom. Yes, freedom. He is free at last to do the Devil's work, and not to give a "rat's rearend" towards the Consitution, nor towards the middle class, nor towards those who have invested so much time and treasure into these United States, and that is just the tip of the iceberg. By the time he is finished we will be a mere shadow of what was once a great nation. So what are we to do? Build tribes, get the good stuff while you can, love your family, and build a defensible place. When they come for me they will know that the task has been hard, and that I planned on not going softly into the night, or morning for that matter.
Freedomfighter_99| 11.15.12 @ 6:13AM
When I think of the morons who gladly hand over their - and MY - freedom in exchange for what amounts to a blanket and a pack of smokes, I have to keep reminding myself of this thought from Jefferson, now burned in my head;
"May it be to the world, what I believe it will be, (to some parts sooner, to others later, but finally to all,) the signal of arousing men to burst the chains under which monkish ignorance and superstition had persuaded them to bind themselves, and to assume the blessings and security of self-government. All eyes are opened, or opening, to the rights of man. The general spread of the light of science has already laid open to every view the palpable truth, that the mass of mankind has not been born with saddles on their backs, nor a favored few booted and spurred, ready to ride them legitimately, by the grace of God".
They will find THIS citizen a most unpleasant ride, I can assure you of that! God did not make me a slave and I would not easily hand his creation over to be one!