It strikes me odd to listen to many politicians make a call for an America that should return back to basics.  In an advancing society, where decisions are split second and billions of dollars are moved with the push of a button, a back to basic society seems archaic.  However, many GOP campaigns nationwide thought this was a message to send to the American people, believing that a return to what we had, was the best decision for everyone. 
Reality must settle at this point, for what we use to have, came from a long path of triumphs and failures.  Settling for what we use to have is no way to engage in forward thinking.  Times were simpler and easier, but it was a firefight to even get to that point.

A forward thinking party, is one whose values are set in stone, but her ideas can forever change.  It is much easier to make decisions on a set of ideas than beliefs, because many have died by their beliefs with nothing but failure to show for it.  Our return to basics should focus on the very needs of the people and the ideals of what made America an exemplary country to the world. 

The Republican Party once conveyed conservative ideas with plain language that caught the ear and support of many people.  It’s message, which conveyed no double meanings, asked for people to put their faith in their country, show restraint in affairs, and adopt a proactive attitude to help benefit themselves and others.  At the same time, it made a promise that government would construct a system that did not interfere with the daily lives of Americans, and would uphold the context of the Constitution that our founders hoped for.

Unfortunately, the party has become complacent, believing that answers to problems can come from demagogues who provide glib answers to tough problems, and who would easily point a finger at the problem and problem solvers than offer a constructive solution or criticism. 

Conservatism, before Goldwater, was a progressive campaign that introduced social services that lifted people from their desolate beginnings, and gave them the strength and skills needed to produce a better self and a better country.  That spirit of service has been long lost, as the party has lost track of priorities, often forgetting that the people are their responsibility.
Our values have gotten weak, because we’ve let our ideals die.  Let’s bring our agenda back home and help solve the problems here, before we engage with the rest of the world’s dilemmas.

I’m not asking for catch all solutions, but I am asking for consideration of problems that do exist and ways we can work to solve them.  There are a number of worthwhile issues that our nation and government must engage in, because if we allow these problems to go unanswered, then we failed ourselves and the ideals America represents.

Education, Healthcare, Poverty, Defense, and Environment are all issues that are multi-faceted and interconnect to one another to have impacts on our lives.  Government has legislated and thrown money into a number of these issues, with mixed results.  Unfortunately, where human capital is involved, such results are lower and always beg the question of how much more?

The foundation of democracy, or American democracy, stands upon loose ground. Our Founding Fathers’, using precise and definite language, gave birth to a nation free from ideas of tyranny and oppression. Their language, while precise and written for beauty of its simplicity, can be considered almost crude at best. Reading the Bill of Rights, we are engaged by the simple rights extended to all Americans, free from government tyranny. However, we stand repulsed by the loose definition given by the Amendments. It’s language, remains in principle but lacks original intent.

The Declaration of Independence, as eloquently written by Jefferson, gives reasons as to why a people are to revolt against their government. It states that Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness are unalienable rights, endowed from our Creator. And subsequently that it is man’s job to secure such rights. And that if those rights are hampered by tyranny, it is not only man’s right to end such abuse, but their very responsibility, so that they may secure the blessings given by our Creator.

As plain as it may seem, the language given provides a concept that glances past many Americans today. Self-reliance, a word not thrown around often, was the foundation of this country. It took a people, who very invariably challenged, to take a stand for what they thought was right, and to take a stand for what they wanted. These words have fallen on deaf ears not just in Washington, but also in the nation.

Self-reliance is not a commonly used term. It’s practices and principles are dying out with an age that understood that stability was something you created and not relied upon another to create. This government, the American government, is a great government. It has provided the safeguard in securing the blessings of liberty. However, this country has not realized its full potential. Our Founding Fathers’ understood it as self-reliance.

This principle is quite simple. It’s euphemisms, often shared by the Greatest Generation, precluded to simple sayings of “waste not, want not” or “a fool and his money are soon parted”. These people believed in self-reliance, as they carried a nation far beyond its roots of liberty, to share a simple, yet powerful message of democracy, capitalism, and good government. This message should be honored.

Self-reliance should be the execution of democracy, the exercising of liberties. Our reliance upon one another, upon ourselves, should be expressed in the most uplifting way. Do not just depend upon government, but depend upon yourself. It will be, through our means, that we see ourselves through many crisis, as been past and present. Our Founding Fathers’ did so in creating something greater beyond their selves; this was something they understood. 

And we, while not taking on the task of creating a country, will in turn create a better nation, guided by the principles that have overseen a country; a people, through the tumults our past and present, and with aid from our positive insight, our future. 

Conservatism is dead. The ideas of Goldwater and Reagan have seen better days as they fall on deaf ears with America. The vehicle for conservatism in the United States has been the Republican Party. The party’s message of conservatism; her ideals, values and goals, have created gaps within America. Since the Contract with America, conservatives have put too much emphasis on party and not enough on country. Our message has been commandeered by demagogues, who have taken the country in a downward spiral since 2004.

What does it mean to be a conservative? What are the goals and ideas of a conservative?

Conservatives believe in five things; strong national defense, limited government, individualism, citizens rights, and free markets. These ideas have served the foundation and support of a movement that held not only the government accountable, but also the governed.

Strong National Defense
• Diplomacy
• Provision for the Armed Forces
• Support of Allies
• Support of Democracy and Liberties Abroad

Diplomacy

The cornerstone of any democracy is not diplomacy, but the readiness to exercise diplomacy. The United States must exercise diplomacy under the most stringent conditions. We cannot easily justify our actions for war without exhausting diplomatic talks. Violence should not be an accepted answer to a problem where consideration and courtesy will go farther than force. Force should be the last mechanism used in any civilized society.

Provision for the Armed Forces

A strong defense must come from a strong offense. The men and women of the Armed Forces, who volunteer life and limb for country, must be well prepared. They are the ambassadors of the United States in extending freedom and we must hold them in the highest regard not just in combat, but also in peacetime.

The preparation of the military must come from support of the government in trusting the capable minds of the leaders and the capable hands of the soldiers. We must allow them the benefit in executing decisions concerning troop preparedness, troop deployment, and troop withdrawal. Such support comes from Congress allowing the military discretion over their budget, and comes from a leader trusting not just the advisor, but knowing that the advisor is also a soldier.

We must allow the Armed Forces easy procurement of tools for the battlefield, deliver the best technology to their hands, and allow them to perfect the techniques necessary to protect not only America, but their person.

Support of Allies

The United States would not have gotten far without the help of those who supported our message of democracy. Our efforts in maintaining good relations with our friends must continue and must make efforts to support their goals in reasonable assistance.

Support of Democracy and Liberties Abroad

The American Revolution sparked a chain of events that led many countries to throw off the bonds of oppression and engage government and governed to cooperate in efforts that respected the rights of each other. The United States will be there to support fledgling democracies that are pushing for a brighter future, in the respect of government for its citizens and citizens for its government.

Limited Government

In our federalist system, a governing body, merely supports not dictates. The government must begin to respect the privacy of the people and rights of the states, by removing itself from the large to smaller aspects of state governments. The ideal of citizen legislators is the right of the people to govern their persons, free of intrusion. The municipalities and states have far better thermometer of feelings than government intervention provides.

The federal government must remain behind the scenes, by only guiding the states and citizens through actions that encourage, and not mandate. When government sees a clear interest to protect the state; the citizen, then government may intervene. But government must allow individualism to grow.

Individualism

Liberty guides us to believe that we are free, from unnecessary and necessary force, to perform actions according to personal will. To begin a better country, we must begin to respect the opinions of fellow Americans and their actions, and trust to them, that their goodwill and judgment extends beyond commonplace idiocracy.

The rights of the individual, to be protected from harm, extend not just from civil law, but also from the respect of their fellow citizens. Our laws should be fair and consummate with all citizenry, with no special preferences set before one another. 

Citizen Rights

As an American citizen, we believe that we are born with certain inalienable rights that create a bond between God, man, and country. We should be cognizant of the diversity of citizenry within our borders and accept them as purely American, without special subtext. We must also realize that while the state and country have a special interest in protecting the citizenry, it is ultimately the citizen that holds special rights that cannot be violated by man or country. These rights are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness in all things that are good and productive to their person and country.

Free Markets
• Lower Taxes

Lower Taxes

One of the founding reasons of the United States was to free itself from the taxes imposed by Great Britain. These taxes, under the Intolerable Acts, taxed colonist for goods and services that they used for a charge of little to nothing. The average American is taxed three-ways, by the local, state, and federal government. Often feeling the pinch when purchasing basic goods and services to live their lives.

The government should focus on a smaller government by collecting fewer taxes. Leaving the money in the hands of the people who earn their dollar, individualism and responsibility will be encouraged through simple savings and spending, working to make the average American savings rate a positive and not a negative. 

The corporate tax rate is entirely too high. For the services provided by the federal government and the high taxes on corporations, Americans aren’t seeing better government, but job loss, as corporations find it too expensive to conduct business within the United States. In principle, to make better business, you must make limited government. In lowering our corporate tax rate, we’re encouraging jobs to stay home, production to grow, and jobs to grow. 

At the very brink of history, America stands renewed in its confidence that it is a progressive country, undaunted in its attempts to show what “one person, one vote” can accomplish. On November 4, America spoke in volume by casting their God given, natural right in electing Illinois Senator Barack Obama as the 44th President of the United States.

At that point the United States, and the world, celebrated the beacon of democracy; where through determination, hard work, and faith, one can achieve their dreams. Senator Obama, through his message of better politics, grabbed the public’s imagination and illustrated a time in American politics where consensus building, and conciliatory attitudes were not just the de rigueur, but were shared values of the members in the institutions of government

He grabbed America’s attention by presenting the absolute ideal of the Founding Fathers; that government is at the command of the governed, and that the populous can voice, free from discouragement or threat, their approval and disapproval. That the essential count of the people is their voice, and that their voice will become thunderous.

His victory isn’t just personal, nor does it belong to his supporters. His victory goes to the American spirit, showing what one person can accomplish; given the opportunity,and that no one’s personal circumstances can circumvent him or her from achieving their goals.

President-elect Obama will endure hardships through his presidency. The sea of troubles he will encounter will plot the course of his presidency. Some of these hardships, he has already traversed and will sail them again with a better eye. Others will come and present new challenges. May he traverse those will a clear and level mind.

What does this mean for the Republican Party?

This election, this campaign, should show just how the American spirit is ever changing, being the true genius of individualism. It should also show us that the politics of fear would never prevail over the politics of hope. And finally, it should show us that we, like America, must change.

The people have spoken and made their choice clear.

This election has exhausted us, and left us weak. We will come back one day, not soon; but when we are ready to lead, by example and not by definition. When that time comes, may we present a message, led by our actions, that will resound to the highest mountains and lowest valleys, cherishing individualism and the true American spirit, where no one remains outside, but still holds a place at the table of the American family. May our message move forward as progressive, extending to all Americans and not the special few. It is my hope that we stand a party united with all America.

Let us move forward with our good faith and support of President-elect Obama. And may he lead through example of good faith and strong integrity.