Out of the Ashes

While tonight is certainly a depressing night for the Republican Party, one thing it clearly was not was a defeat for conservatism. That's because the McCain campaign never gave conservatism a chance. His opponent, the most liberal candidate ever, consistently talked about middle class tax cuts and catching Osama Bin Laden. That's because even liberals know that you better talk a conservative game, at least in part,if you want to get elected.

There's no doubt that this was a terrible defeat, but it could have been worse. The Republicans retained enough seats to filibuster, and filibuster they must for the next two years. If we as conservatives do the right thing, we can turn this temporary defeat into long term victory.

As for now it's time for us to go, and pay the price for spending like drunken sailors just like Democrats do. Not to mention getting involved in numerous scandals, just like Democrats do. Thanks Messrs Foley, Craig, and Stevens. While I continuously rail at the double standard in the dinosaur media, there's no doubt that the public holds Republicans to a higher standard than Democrats. That's as it should be, because we are a cut above.

The first order of business is for us to get back to our conservative roots, and tell the moderates that they have cost us enough elections for one century. The 2010 race for congress begins tomorrow. We need a grass roots conservative movement to find good candidates to run in the primary and general election. We need a leader to step up like Nixon did between the 1964 Goldwater defeat and the 1966 Congressional elections, when Republican gains were made heading into the 1968 Presidential election. We need an inside leader,a John Cornyn for example, and an outside leader. I nominate Newt Gingrich for the latter.

Second, they're coming for our First Amendment rights folks. Up - chuck Schumer today compared talk radio to pornography, saying that if you regulate pornography you should be able to regulate talk radio. If they can't get the Fairness Doctrine passed in its original form, they will try to accomplish the same goal through local regulation of radio stations. We must not let them win.

Third, let the pain of this loss really sink in until you feel it in your bones. It should sting severely, because the future of our country is at stake. We are driven more by our desire to avoid pain than we are by our desire to experience pleasure. Let's learn from our mistakes for once.

Fourth, in the words of the late, great Jim "Jimmy V" Valvano " don't give up, don't ever give up." The survival of our country is at stake.