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The Spectacle Blog
That’s what Yuval Levin advocates in a brilliant mini-essay at National Review Online: “[C]onservatives need what conservatism says societies always need: to be ourselves but better.”
Between his fine piece and a good one by Erick Erickson at Red State, which again explains to our moronic consultant class that we need to actually explain our ideas to voters, there is enough wisdom for conservatives to start the rebuilding process. It will be long, tough process, because we are in a worse position than most seem to think, facing a ruthless and corrupt foe who is bent on using the power of the national government to destroy conservatism forever. To survive, and eventually to prevail, we will indeed need to be ourselves (in terms of principle), but better.
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More Blog Posts by Quin Hillyer
http://spectator.org/blog/2012/11/09/be-ourselves-but-better
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Albert Constantine Jr.| 11.9.12 @ 11:18AM
"...facing a ruthless and corrupt foe who is bent on using the power of the national government to destroy ..."
While I don't disagree with the exhortation to "be ourselves but better", I believe many of us are also contemplating if we can be ruthless without being corrupt, and how ruthless will we need to be not only to get out the message of why conservative governance is superior, but how the disastrous consequences already experienced (with worse to come) is a result of the policies of the left.
Vance P. Frickey| 11.11.12 @ 1:22PM
It's a two-step process:
1) Clean house - conservative political parties should make every policy initiative, every campaign plank conform to the Constitution;
2) Tell the rest of the country what we've done and why. Make it understandable and a sympathetic story that encourages Americans to learn more;
3) Compare and contrast to what the Democrats have been doing - their compact with racketeering unions, their transfer of billions into the hands of their cronies (UAW's acquisition of big chunks of GM and Chrysler, for example), and Obama's war on freedom of speech (jailing the producer of "The Innocence of Muslims on a probation beef that would have gone utterly unnoticed - oh God, he used the INTERNET! - if he hadn't criticized the wrong religion), and his advisors' calls for more censorship of the Internet masquerading as copyright protection and "cybersecurity." Show how, in detail, conservatives and beltway liberals differ - in practical terms. And show how Obama's favorite unions are a much bigger part of the problem than the "1 %"
Vance P. Frickey| 11.11.12 @ 1:23PM
Ok, a "three-step" process.
C. Vernon Crisler | 11.9.12 @ 11:27AM
Well, why didn't AmSpec and NR do this before? Why did they and Ann Coulter sell out to the moderates and the Karl Roves of the GOP? Nothing made me angrier than when NR and RET came out for Romney and bashed Newt; it shows how truly conservative "conservative leaders" are when it's crunch time.
Connection Not Compromise| 11.9.12 @ 11:34AM
Well stated, Mr. Hillyer!
Mitt Romney and his amazingly dedicated, hardworking, patriotic family embody the conservative way of life. However, while his campaign desparately attempted to illustrate who the real Mitt Romney was, it did very little to articulate the message of what real conservatism is. In other words, the campaign failed to connect the dots for those whom Freedom is not their native language.
Quartermaster| 11.9.12 @ 12:58PM
Everyone needs to listen to the clip from Mark Levin embedded over at "The Other McCain." He lays it out for you. Quin Hillyer is one of those self defeating morons Levin talks about. Right along with Boehner, Romney, and the rest of the GOP establishment and moderates.
NRO and Ericson are pretty much lost causes now. neither is much worth ready as they too are part of the GOP problem.
Oldefarte| 11.9.12 @ 8:28PM
It's impossible to be "better" when facing the ultimate destruction that awaits us all. To be fooled once is IGNORANCE, but to be fooled again is STUPIDITY [and boy is this country STUPID]. We had it all, an intelligent duo professionally skilled in putting this derailed train back upon its tracks, and we were destroyed by the socialism and domestic terrorism wrapped up in labor unions who worked their magic knee-capping with every government employee and their families of voters [teachers, policemen, firemen, street/garbage/sewer/tax office etc workers all over this nation]. We didn't see the vice-grip of utter political control existing all around us. We can never again win a major political race, as their political influence is too far, too wide. This country is doomed!!!!!
Kingofthenet| 11.9.12 @ 8:59PM
You know that did make me feel warm inside...
Oldefarte| 11.10.12 @ 10:14AM
A heated branding iron and/or cattle prod is indeed "warm inside" to a vernerable cow perhaps!!!!
Vance P. Frickey| 11.11.12 @ 11:37AM
I'm a libertarian who left the Republican Party when I saw it was no more wedded to the Constitution than the Democratic Party. The GOP's unholy marriage to social conservatism and Bush pere's insouciance toward individual rights (Clinton's blamed for Waco when the BATFE besieged the Branch Davidians with George H.W. Bush's consent and aquiescence - Clinton and Reno inherited that mess) decided the matter for me.
As an outside observer who is a conservative on the things that matter - one man, one vote and indivdual liberty as much as possible - please take my advice. Cleave to the Constitution. Social conservatives can still contribute to policy discussions, but they have to recognize there are limits to the power they can wield and those limits are outlined in the Bill of Rights.
A national media campaign by the GOP might be helpful here, not just as a matter of internal house cleaning, but to show how Obama has failed every American regardless of party or income. Explain the Constitution to the people in a way they can understand and embrace.
Americans have always known that our first loyalty is to each other, through the lens of the Constitution. We're not perfect - the Constitution has been our teacher in how to become better.