Brad Turner
Conservative grassroots effort key to 2006
By Brad Turner
2006 marks a critical year for the cause of conservatism in America. With the Senate confirmation of Samuel Alito, who withstood blistering personal attacks from the radical left, to achieve Senate confirmation, it should remind the conservative movement of what we are up against, and how high the stakes have become.
2006 could very well be the last grasp at power for the liberal left. The Republicans have been in firm control over the last few years, and the country has seen a conservative tilt in many policies and voting patterns. With all of this leaning the conservative way, now is not the time to relax. Now is the time for action and it starts at the grassroots level.
As the President delivered his State of the Union address last night, it was stunning to see how relatively disinterested the Democrat side of the aisle was with what the President was calling our nation to do. The reaction of the Democrats was more disheartening when the President said we don't want the attacks to happen here again, and there was little applause from that side of the aisle, and maybe two people rise to agree with the President.
Has it come to this? Do we really have a political party in this country that does not care if we are attacked again by people who want us destroyed? Has the thirst for power overwhelmed our sense of patriotism and responsibility to country? When a major party in any political system will do whatever it takes, including borderline anti-American behavior, the line has been crossed, and a new threshold has been crossed.
The conservative movement needs to use 2006 as a springboard to bigger things for the rest of the decade. As the mid-term elections rapidly approach, we must ask ourselves what made us successful in 1994 with the Contract with America. Are these same goals still attainable? What does our country need us to do right now? The answer is simple, take the message to the people, and let them decide.
Our focus should be simple: Win the argument, and then win the election. The people need to understand what we propose, and why we stand firm in our beliefs. The President laid out a bold agenda in his State of the Union address, and it is clear the vision he feels is the right one for America. Now the job of spreading that message falls at the feet of the grassroots movement. It is our responsibility to help the President carry the message in a clear and focused way to the American people.
The conservative movement is united behind the goals the President laid out before us. We believe in lower taxes for families. We believe you can spend your money in a far better manner than the government. We believe in national security, to protect our freedoms and liberties that we enjoy, both for those who support the President's goals, and those who are against them. We believe that America is still the greatest country in the world, and that freedom is not something designated by secular governments, but a gift from God with His blessing.
The grassroots movement will be critical to success in the 2006 mid-term elections. The foot soldiers will be critical in the communication of the conservative vision, and the direction this country needs to head if we are to maintain our status as the beacon of hope for the world. We need strong conservatives in Washington to stand up against those who believe that America should not lead, but rather be led. We need leaders of conviction, not leaders whose decisions are based on the prevailing political winds.
The direction of our country is at stake, and now is not the time for us to rest on the fact the Republicans control Congress. This fragile majority that is currently enjoyed can no longer be taken for granted. We must always be on the offensive, because the divisiveness, contempt, and angry rhetoric from the left will be unlike anything we have ever seen in congressional politics. I encourage each one of us to stand up and make a difference. Get involved in your local political groups, parties, or auxiliaries. Let us put our talk into action, and do what we can to ensure a conservative majority extends beyond 2006. Our very future depends on it.
© Brad Turner
2006 marks a critical year for the cause of conservatism in America. With the Senate confirmation of Samuel Alito, who withstood blistering personal attacks from the radical left, to achieve Senate confirmation, it should remind the conservative movement of what we are up against, and how high the stakes have become.
2006 could very well be the last grasp at power for the liberal left. The Republicans have been in firm control over the last few years, and the country has seen a conservative tilt in many policies and voting patterns. With all of this leaning the conservative way, now is not the time to relax. Now is the time for action and it starts at the grassroots level.
As the President delivered his State of the Union address last night, it was stunning to see how relatively disinterested the Democrat side of the aisle was with what the President was calling our nation to do. The reaction of the Democrats was more disheartening when the President said we don't want the attacks to happen here again, and there was little applause from that side of the aisle, and maybe two people rise to agree with the President.
Has it come to this? Do we really have a political party in this country that does not care if we are attacked again by people who want us destroyed? Has the thirst for power overwhelmed our sense of patriotism and responsibility to country? When a major party in any political system will do whatever it takes, including borderline anti-American behavior, the line has been crossed, and a new threshold has been crossed.
The conservative movement needs to use 2006 as a springboard to bigger things for the rest of the decade. As the mid-term elections rapidly approach, we must ask ourselves what made us successful in 1994 with the Contract with America. Are these same goals still attainable? What does our country need us to do right now? The answer is simple, take the message to the people, and let them decide.
Our focus should be simple: Win the argument, and then win the election. The people need to understand what we propose, and why we stand firm in our beliefs. The President laid out a bold agenda in his State of the Union address, and it is clear the vision he feels is the right one for America. Now the job of spreading that message falls at the feet of the grassroots movement. It is our responsibility to help the President carry the message in a clear and focused way to the American people.
The conservative movement is united behind the goals the President laid out before us. We believe in lower taxes for families. We believe you can spend your money in a far better manner than the government. We believe in national security, to protect our freedoms and liberties that we enjoy, both for those who support the President's goals, and those who are against them. We believe that America is still the greatest country in the world, and that freedom is not something designated by secular governments, but a gift from God with His blessing.
The grassroots movement will be critical to success in the 2006 mid-term elections. The foot soldiers will be critical in the communication of the conservative vision, and the direction this country needs to head if we are to maintain our status as the beacon of hope for the world. We need strong conservatives in Washington to stand up against those who believe that America should not lead, but rather be led. We need leaders of conviction, not leaders whose decisions are based on the prevailing political winds.
The direction of our country is at stake, and now is not the time for us to rest on the fact the Republicans control Congress. This fragile majority that is currently enjoyed can no longer be taken for granted. We must always be on the offensive, because the divisiveness, contempt, and angry rhetoric from the left will be unlike anything we have ever seen in congressional politics. I encourage each one of us to stand up and make a difference. Get involved in your local political groups, parties, or auxiliaries. Let us put our talk into action, and do what we can to ensure a conservative majority extends beyond 2006. Our very future depends on it.
© Brad Turner
The views expressed by RenewAmerica columnists are their own and do not necessarily reflect the position of RenewAmerica or its affiliates.
(See RenewAmerica's publishing standards.)
