I know I'm bucking the trend with this post. If you've listened to "Primary Issues," you know I'm concerned about how the campaigns are conducted.
Conventional wisdom among pundits, strategists, and other political types is to ride the voter's anger to electoral victory. By all appearances, this strategy is being used to a lesser degree in the GOP primary. Some candidates are doing this more than others.
Liberals are, generally speaking, bitter, angry, and thin skinned. Their first response is almost always outrage and to attack anything that doesn't fit into their worldview. Every survey about life habits, happiness, and general satisfaction with life indicates that conservatives are far happier and more optimistic than our liberal counterparts. This is, of course, contrary to how the MSM portrays us.
Remember the tactics used by the left. Demonize your opposition and accuse them of being exactly what you are to inoculate yourself against these same attacks. This is the root of the baseless accusations of violence, ignorance, and outrageous conduct just to name a few. Liberals seek governmental control of society but are the first to call conservatives fascists in direct opposition to our beliefs.
The only real tactic the left has is the personal attack. They know that their ideas do not stand up to the light of truth and are in direct conflict with the Constitution as written. So, instead of actually countering the ideas, they call us stupid, brainless, evil, and a whole bevy of other names to silence us and end the debate. Without actually providing a counter argument, they merely call our ideas nutty or just shout their soundbites louder in hopes of intimidating their opponents.
Personal attacks have served them well. They rode Bush hatred into 2006 and 2008 electoral success. Because they were louder and make up the bulk of the MSM, they we able to cover up all of their fault in our current economic problems and place all of the blame on Bush and Republicans. Anger worked for them. This is one of Alinsky's basic principles.
However, anger fades. Worse, it will turn on its head and direct its ire back upon the ones who stirred it up to begin with. I'm beginning to think that's where we are right now. I've been listening to the rhetoric from the GOP camps and from their supporters. I don't like what I hear.
It wasn't long ago that I was listening to a national radio program. I'll leave out the name to protect the perp but let's just say that his name rhymes with yawn. He was wondering if the anger with the current administration could kept up until the election and how he could help. This is not a strategy I can endorse especially since the anger is currently being used to attack primary opponents in the GOP.
The anger and the rage are starting to take over the conservative movement. We are becoming everything we are supposed to hate. I cannot stand by and not speak at this juncture.
Anger will not lead to victory in the long run. I know it's tempting to use the tactics of the left given the recent electoral successes our side has seen using them. However, seeing the left turn their backs on the President for not being liberal enough proves that rage, once deployed and kept in play, will eventually lead to problems with the ones who are supposed to support you. Anger always leads to mistakes and division.
We do not want to become like the liberals. If we continue on this track, we will lose. Sure, we might win in the next election cycle but rest assured, we will lose the war. If you want to see our nation restored to the level of freedom and prosperity we once enjoyed, we must act in a manner that reflects that greatness.
I know this is difficult. I understand the anger very well. Every time I read the news and all the lies from the left I see red. But also when I read the Twitter feed and all the bile from my allies against those who are supposed to be on the same side but have chosen a different candidate. I am angry that we are becoming divided over something as foolish as a single election.
I am convinced that if we want to win the war we must be statesmen who are above the name calling, muckraking, and other political nonsense. I am not referring just to the candidates either. We must also be above the foolishness. Truth, honor, integrity, and respect must be our watchwords. This is especially true when directed at those who are needed as friends and allies.
Love Ron Paul? Fine. Stop calling people who support anyone else brain-dead. Hate Ron? Same thing applies to you. If we are to keep this movement alive and win consistent victories we will need each other to work together. In reality, the candidates are secondary to their ideas and the probability of implementing them. Let's face it, on most issues, the front runners all agree.
If we start acting like statesmen and reasonable men and women, we will demonstrate to the American people that honor still exists. Honor will win the day. Remember, we're all on the same side. Yes, vet your candidates and their beliefs. Don't attack people who choose differently. We will win and will continue to win because our ideas are based on truth and have the light of history to back them up. Truth will win the day.
Could not agree more!
ReplyDeleteSometimes passion is mistaken for anger. I see a lot of passion and desire to replace Obama more than I see anger. And when there is anger, it is quite justified seeing that the man has run our country into the ground. There is nothing wrong with well placed anger, even Jesus used it against the money-changers of his time. I would rather see anger than people ignoring reality and being civil. If a GOP candidate is acting like a liberal, they should be called out on it. I don't agree with "personal attacks" however if someone is doing something personally bad (like entertaining interns) that will be discovered by Dems later on, it needs to be EXPOSED NOW rather than later. So what may be considered personal attacks can also be construed as vetting, that is, letting the GOP electorate know EVERYTHING about this candidate that would hurt their chances against the Democrats. If we don't do a good enough vetting job now, then we may as well go ahead and give Obama back the White House for another 4 years.
ReplyDeleteJames,
ReplyDeleteI understand your perspective but calling supporters of a different candidate names, as often happens, is not coming from a place of passion or good character. Of course, we need to vet the candidates and we need to hold them to their ideas and check their character. However, even that can be done in respect and with civility.
Passion is no excuse for the conduct I have observed from both candidates and their supporters. Too often I have seen name calling, insults, and other attacks on those who should be friends and allies. Jesus would have never engaged in this kind of behavior. He never sinned in His anger. Passion is no excuse for Karl Rove, who I respect, to attack Sarah Palin as a diva.
Anger, properly directed, can spurn one to action (read the previous post) but is not reliable as a long term motivation. Anger began the Revolution but would not have resulted in freedom had not conviction and firm resolve taken the place of rage.
This is about more than one election. It's about ridding our nation of the rule of the left and all their tyranny. If anger is all we have, then we will win the next election but lose the one after that. Anger fades or turns back on itself. It is an unreliable long-term motivator.