I have wondered often whether “conservatives” are just being ignored in this country, or whether there simply aren’t as many conservatives as we conservatives like to think (the latter view has gotten me in trouble in these environs).
Now I’m beginning to wonder whether there are even many merely sensible people left.
Though I unhappily conceded the Presidential election to Barack Obama by the end of September, I didn’t really anticipate it being the cakewalk it apparenlty is about to become:
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama has opened up a 10-point lead over Republican opponent John McCain two weeks before the November 4 U.S. election, according to Wall Street Journal/NBC News poll released on Tuesday.
The poll found 52 percent of voters favor Obama compared with 42 percent for McCain, up from a 6-point Obama edge two weeks ago, the Wall Street Journal reported.
As you know, a 10-point victory is not just a solid one, it traditionally boders on “landslide.” (I’m not sure those who have derided me for my “negativism” can blame the liberal media for this spin, since half of it was commissioned by the not-so-liberal Wall Street Journal.)
I no longer consider any of this McCain’s fault. I think it is a Republican problem, partly because of the way Republicans have acted, partly because of the terrible timing of the economic mess, and partly because of inevitable cyles in politics (remember back in the 1960s when being a Republican was mostly important when applying to membership at the country club?).
But that still does not excuse the fact that U.S. voters have to live with the consequences of their own Chicken Little-ness. Electing someone who will gladly stifle economic growth - and the well-being of the very “middle class” he claims he will help - for the sake of “investing” in government is tantamount to a repudiation of our modern free market system. Funny, the system works extraordinarily well for our citizens for almost all of the last 25 years, but a bump in the road, albeit a big bump, which happens to coincide with a Presidential election, has far too many voters reaching for the panic button.
It is embarrassing to behold an America which has become so afraid of its own shadow that an admittedly rough economic stretch presided over by a Republican President mindlessly drives millions into the arms of an empty suited, insipid rhetorician like Obama. It, frighteningly, is almost as if the once ambitious can-do American has devolved into the pitiful help-me Citizen-of-the-World, cowering in the corner of pessimism and begging for the government to solve his problems (a Democrat’s dream if there ever was one).
As apprehensive as we are, how can we not recognize that confiscatory taxes and indiscriminate government spending will send millions more to the unemployment lines, force health insurance into government control (because the private sector will no longer be able to finance it) and reinstate some of the darker (even if unintended) consequences of LBJ’s so-called Great Society, which resulted in such a mess that even Democrat Bill Clinton believed it had to be fixed?
I have argued against the “screw ‘em” philosphy, expressed at this site by some, that we should be willing to suffer another Carter to birth another Reagan. I have many quarrels with this line of thought, including that we cannot well survive another Carter and are unlikely to soon see another Reagan. But, given that the “screw ‘em” philosphy, whether by its own force or through combination with other factors, will apparently carry the day, I can only hope that there are enough strong Republicans and noble, like-minded Democrats in the national legislature to prevent a transformation of the world’s ultimate powerhouse economy into a sad imitation of a European hamster on a treadmill.
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33 Responses to “Obama is ours; can we survive Him?”Search
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Rick, I don’t think it was any accident our economic crisis came when it did. Paulson is a liberal. He knew about the pending problem for a year. It’s too convenient it happened two months before a critical election where ultimate power is brokered.
As to the polls, don’t fret until you look at the internals of the poll. Most are polling 60/40……. 60% likely democrat voters, 40% likely republican. The CBS poll with it’s 13 point lead is polling democrats 2 to 1. They have polled a little over 600 likely voters and the questions are just plain stupid. There are a couple of more reliable polls, that have the candidates literally tied. As to polls in general, I go with texpat on this…….. wait until the votes are counted. Remember how distressed the MSM were when all their exit polling was wrong?
The effect of all this fraudulent voting? I have no idea, how many who registered will actually vote. It looks like the Obama campaign has it’s people moving to swing states to fraudulent vote. It’s an interesting time, but don’t give up yet.
Remember if the MSM can convince you it’s already over, they can keep you from even thinking it’s worth it to go vote. GO VOTE. They are going to do their darndest to make us stay home.
Some of that seems to me to be the result of people having way more leisure time and an easier lif/lifestyle. This breeds complacency. When we have an easier time of things, we can focus on things that tend to be less important. For example, how much have we heard about global warming/climate change since gas prices shot up and the financial mess started? The Europeans jettisoned CO2 measuring, etc. quicker than a hooker ditches a sailor with no money.
If TOWBWF wins, many people who voted for him will likely quickly have their perspectives shifted to what’s really important, rather than the hollow, vapid hopey-changey crap with which they have become enamored.
One more thing Rick, Is your glass always half empty? hehehe
Conservative are being ignored but they are here.
Proof http://www.americanthinker.com/2008/08/the_biggest_missing_story_in_p.html
Maybe a problem that too many are in Texas. Some of you folks need to move back up north so we can win Illinois.
LOL, I’m catching flack for that view too!
I’ve rocked back and forth on the fence whether the American people need the pain of a leftest presidency to wake up. Sarah Palin has brought me on board for the most part though.
There is no doubt in my mind the people will not put up for long at all, the agendas of an Obama/Pelosi/Reid threesome. The problem is the damage they can do in a very short time.
I am still HOPEful of our chances, especially with the overconfident blunders these people are making.
jimb if conservatives are dead, who the hell has Palin, and McCain for the most part been campaigning to these last several weeks?
I didn’t say that Conservatives are dead, I say that they’re probably not as prevalent as they used to be, despite question D3.
I agree with that to a certain extent, and it was never a point of contention between Jimby and me. Honestly, I guess I really don’t fit the “conservative” category any longer. BigJ got me to thinking about that. Apparently “conservative” now includes an acceptance of massive government intervention in the market as well as an acceptance of massive deficit spending and a quasi-acceptance of illegal immigration as “jobs Americans aren’t willing to do”. Nope… I’m not a conservative. I’m a small ‘l’ libertarian.
I don’t see much sensible in what passes for conservative views among politicians these days. It’s truly sad how little conservatism - as I define it at least - Republicans are willing to accept. When Republicans as a group are willing to publicly insist that personal responsibility is the foundation on which a successful nation is built then I might start to take them seriously again. Until then, I’ll remain a small ‘l’ libertarian that votes for the occasional Republican bright spot in what has become a conservative darkness.
D3?
GJT: Read the link in number 4…
Dude, I agree with that. Whatever you want to call us, I see us being courted more than in the primaries.
How about the little “l”s are not dead?
Ah, D3, got it. Maybe just not many people willing to be “Joe Plumbered”.
Never give up and never believe everything you read or hear or see. Polls are not accurate given the situations in which the questions are asked, especially with such varied opinions those who are polled have. I refuse to believe them because the MSM wants us all to panic and sensationalism is one of their objectives. I don’t want to sound racist, but I believe there is extensive voter fraud because the blacks (most of them) want their man to win and they will do anything and everything to see that it happens. Most blacks only care about having a black president, because they need some type of leadership (Jackson, Sharpton, Farrakhan and Quanelle are poor examples of leaders) and think this is now their time.
Perhaps Joe “The Plumber” should run for office.
I’ll go along with that. Not dead… just not willing to put up with gift-wrapped feel-good crap mislabeled as conservatism.
Rick, at this point I am having very serious doubts and reservations about polling in the United States. I have reached the point where I don’t believe any of them anymore. Sampling opinion in a relatively consistent and homogenous Congressional District is not all that difficult, but trying to verify actual and solid opinion among 140 million across a continent is just becoming nuts. The polls are flying over and contradicting one another at a rate and pace like I have never seen before. The polls are crossing and affecting each other and the sheer number and ubiquity of them is creating an unstable and, frankly, ridiculous echo chamber. Forget the damn polls.
Anyone who really believes that probably also believes that getting lung cancer is a good thing if it causes you to quit smoking.
I don’t believe the polls. I’m still gonna be working, talking to people, and praying for John McCain to win. I know he’s not all that we hoped that he would be, and he’s sure not the quintessential conservative we would like, but compared to Comrade Barak, he’s wonderful.
I don’t listen to any major network news broadcasts or cable TV news. I rarely listen to talk radio except for a little bit of Mark Levin. I get up each day and scan the internet news aggregators, some limited reading of major newpapers and a number of political blogs. I also have a list of political, legal, business and cultural blogs I check into for news and commentary. I try to avoid the day to day wall of noise created by the media hurricane out there. There is no way to maintain a sense of proportion, perspective or relative sanity when you allow yourself to be submerged in the stormsurge of crap that rolls in each day.
For those supporting Barack Hussian Obama be careful what you wish for. With most of these supporters there is a disconnect between their want of government “Freebies” and the hidden costs. They are both not hearing that he’s a communist and not realizing what the cost is going to be sticking this absolute polar opposite of a good American into the presidency.
I have been pondering this nation, its ideals as well as to what keeps us together and what it takes to actually keep a free democratic nation together. I realize that a lot of hard work, sweat, tears and blood have built this nation. It did not happen over night.
In thinking about that I thought back to a time when I and others built a small structure to be used for various purposes. IT took a lot of planning, material, investment and time to get it built. A lot more time was spent refining the structure and then outfitting it. IT did not stay together by itself; it needed upkeep. We thought it was a strong and steady structure. Small damages could be repaired while others only got a patch. Vandals got to it one night and it was amazing how much damage can be done by so few in such a short time. I just thought about how much it took to build it up to how we wanted it or at least how close to perfection we got. Unfortunately these few vandals did enough damage that the place will never recover.
In remembering that I see how important this election is to this country. In think of the shear folly of those who have stated that “we need the pain of a leftist to bring back the country” or that “we will survive and then people will wake up”. Our country, as strong as it is took a lot of time, sweat, hard work and blood to build to what it is today, but is still so fragile that significant damage can be done by 1 term of this democrat. With the push towards socialism or fascism (depending on your view point) I serious question the ability of our country to recover! Remember, we never really recovered from FDR’s “deals” or LBJ’s great society or Carter’s incompetence. Can we really afford 4 years of Obama, Biden and Pelosi? I believe that the harm they will cause will never be undone. At no time previously has the danger of this socialism/fascism been present and so prevalent in our Govt.
I urge you all to remember that as you contemplate your vote. Remember it is easier to tear the country down that to build /rebuild it to what it was or should be.
My bad!!!
Don’t believe the media lies.. We. Will. Win.
Rick and jimb;
Conservatives are alive and well. McCain cannot win without their support and he knows it. Either that or he’s really stupid. Two bump ups in the polls as I see it:
First, after his trip to ANWR, McCain should announce that he’s been in ANWR, talked to the people there who want drilling and talked to oil experts who konw how to do it safely, I hearby fully endrose drilling in ANWR. This is a very strong conservative talking point. Turn right to win McCain!!!
Second, give us a conservative cabinet. Romney as treasurer (McCain’s thus far wasted such talent that Romney possesses). Giuliani, though not conservative, would make a fabulous AG. After announcing their cabinet posts, put them on the campaign trail. They can both ralley people behind McCain.
Together we can easily see a 3-5 point jump in the polls.
And I completely agree with american woman. That 10 point poll? I don’t give it much ceedence at all. I believe more in the tighter polls where there is aonly a few point lead. And a few point lead pretty much means the Republican is either ahead or pretty much tied.
Rick, any laws on the books to sue Obama over lying about not raising taxes?
#21 Tektite
I agree. Everytime we allow the Left to have the keys to Kingdom, they move all the boundaries and the game is never the same.
The Dude;
Dude (I had to say that), I know you are being facetious; but that is totally NOT a conservative. And that’s what’s gotten McCain in trouble in rallying people behind his campaign. He’s trying to be moderate to left at best. If he went right, he’d win for sure.
Media lies, conservatives die.
OMG, Obama wants to increase the marginal income tax rates for income over $250,000 to 39%; (McCain wants to keep it at 36%.)!!!!!! What a commie!!!
You’re detached from reality. There are plenty of things to worry about. This isn’t one of them.
I continue to be amazed at the Republican mindset! There have been no , I repeat , NO conservative Republicans for over eight years now! This group of comments sounds exactly like the party faithful in Louisiana that lost two Republican seats in heavily Republican areas within the past two years. They ran liberals like Mcbama and can’t figure out why they lost. Vietnam veterans know that McCain is a traitor to the country from POW days and that McCain & Kerry closed the records on POWs left behind in Vietnam. People in Arizona know that Mcbama is a liberal who is out for himself only. He has never been a conservative in his entire Congressional career. Did you notice that the only surge he got was when he put the Conservative governor of Alaska on his ticket? I wonder why that happened? McCain could have won this election by going to Washington and opposing the bailout but he is too much an old line country club Republican. We are Americans - Remember that - anyone who votes for Obama who voted for the bailout or McBama who voted for the bailout or John cornyn who voted for the bailout needs their head examined. We will eliminate Hutchinson when next she runs too! If you are a conservative and probably 65% of the United States are (85% in Texas) , You need to wrap your arms around the fact that the Republican party has sold out to Anti American influence just as the Democrats did 20 years ago. the only conservative Republican in the Primaries was Ron Paul and he was shouted down because he knew how to fight a fourth generation war without bankrupting the county like the liberal half wit we have in DC right now. Your party isn’t coming back. Find a new one. Remember what George Bush told you: “The Constitution is just a scrap a paper!” If you can stomach that, stay republican. I am marching forward with the Conservatives and taking my country back and YES Obama is gonna be the trigger. Baldwin ‘08
Tektite is at least half right…
.,,but omits the fact that once government grows, be that growth in spending, in taxing, or in the increase of their power at the expense of our freedoms, they seldom shrink, regardless of who’s turn it is to “govern.”
Will we ever recover from 8 years of a president and a party that says one thing on the stump, and does the opposite once elected? (At least the dems are honest about their socialistic government growth.)
Today, our country suffers from more centralized power and control, more spending, a more imperialistic foreign policy, an executive branch more powerful than ever intended by the Constitution, and a more irresponsible and unaccountable congress than ever before.
We have no real choice. Freedom is not on the ballot, and this is by design.
Heads they win. Tails we lose. Happy Voting!™
If McCain wins:
Liberals, move to New York, California, Massachusetts, Delaware, New Jersey, or Illinois. As soon as you get situated, we will allow you to form up your new “worker’s paradise” and resign your membership in the USA.
That’s right! You can show the world how your form of government can work and prosper for all to see. We will let you do this after the election, or right now if you want to…
If The Big Zero wins:
Time for the “red” States to resign and form our own government.
I don’t see much of a choice. I definitely do not want to live in a socialistic Nation and the USA seems to be heading there. We shall see on November 5.
Merci beaucoup as THAT ONE would say.
European hamster on a treadmill
Well written Rick
Just remember that the last two presidential races were all lost by the conservatives before the vote was counted. McCain & Palin still have a chance.
Read comment number one AW is right.
Prior to going to the polls. Forget party.
Ask yourself the following
What are my important principles?
What do I believe in?
What is good for my family?
What is good for my community?
What is good for my city?
What is good for my state?
What is good for my country?
Who will best do this in government?
Decide, then vote.
Simple