A.M. Siriano
Unleashing latent conservatism
By A.M. Siriano
In the aftermath of another political smackdown, Republicans can still be very positive about the future of conservatism. We have an opportunity before us to reshape and expand the base. The way forward can be found in the deep traditional values that have been lying dormant in various constituencies for too long ...
The GOP must immediately identify "latent conservatism" in groups of people who have been voting Democrat — then target them for conversion. While true liberals are largely unconvertible, most Americans are not true liberals. More than ever before, we have a chance to peel back the onion and expose the core of groups long believed lost to Democratic control: blacks, Hispanics, young voters, single women, single mothers, third-party dissenters, etc. I believe we will find in each group a conservative heart — a heart unique to its culture, yes, but thumping with strong, traditional, and at times uniquely American, values.
There are plenty of groups to consider for inclusion, and here's a start:
African Americans
I have nothing good to say about Barack Obama's political designs, but his triumphant election provides one reason for celebration: Obama has dealt a serious blow to the politics of race. No longer can a black boy (and soon a black girl) claim to be barred from the classic American dream of growing up to be President.
Listen to the words of one black female of my acquaintance: "I'm proud to live in a country where my son's dreams are entirely possible. I'm delighted that he knows that his life isn't relegated to playing basketball or prison." Or consider this remark by columnist Juan Williams in a recent editorial:
Our mandate is to seek out black conservatives (especially young black conservatives) and bring them to prominence by pouring money into their careers and campaigns. The voice of black conservatives can do wonders to add a 10, even 20, percent voting block to the GOP in the next election — if we act now.
Thanks to African-American adherence to Christianity, blacks are already socially conservative, as evidenced by their overwhelming 70-percent opposition to gay marriage in California. According to a 2008 Zogby poll, they are also against abortion, backing "the pro-life perspective 62-38." And despite the bad taste in our mouths left by Jeremiah Wright and Louis Farrakhan, black churches are mostly fundamentalist, embracing the tenets of the faith and eschewing "black liberation theology."
We can also be happy about Barack Obama's strong fatherly example — much needed in the black community — along with his wife's equally influential presentation of career-oriented motherhood. Republicans are in the perfect position to elevate other responsible black men and woman, particularly those who are out-of-the-closet conservatives, to reinforce the Obamas' model — and to win blacks over to the GOP.
The woman that I quoted above is not a Republican, but she is a Christian who cries out for traditional values. On the eve of the election she said, "Today I'm comforted knowing an intelligent, educated, black father will be the symbol of hope and change. I want our black men to see that the excuse of being a product of their environment is just that, an excuse."
With victimhood crushed, and affluence bolstered, it cannot be too tough to translate socially conservative values into fiscally conservative ones. After all, everyone wants to increase personal wealth, and blacks can now take Obama's "Yes, we can!" mantra to heart. When the sky is the limit, the urge to fly in that space is only natural.
Hispanic Americans
The fallout from the immigration hubbub was the serious loss of Hispanic numbers for the GOP. This factor alone had much to do with our defeats in the last two elections. In 2004 Bush carried nearly half of all Hispanics; this year, Obama carried two-thirds. Naturally, economic woes and other causes contributed to this shift, but the reality is, perceived racism was the core reason (ask any Latino you meet). We let that problem lie unaddressed at our own peril.
Bush's comprehensive immigration reforms fomented anger and hatred among conservatives, leading us to the situation we are in today. John McCain supported Bush's efforts, but conceded, late in the game, that the better approach would have been to first secure the borders. Had security been the only topic, we would have Hispanics on our side today.
Water under the bridge. Browns, like blacks, are deeply conservative, fueled by Catholic roots and love for a conservative Pope. They are pro-family, pro-traditional marriage, and pro-life — which puts them at odds with Democratic cynicism. We need to bring them home to the GOP by proving that we want them back, that we need their voice, that their thinking is our thinking.
Again, the key is to find young Hispanic conservatives and bring them to prominence. Let them be the voice of securing the borders, let them be the voice of traditional values, let them be the voice of fiscal responsibility — and yes, once they are well situated in the Republican party, let them lead the debate about the problem of illegal immigration.
Young Americans
Everyone remembers Churchill's oft-quoted aphorism: "Show me a young Conservative and I'll show you someone with no heart. Show me an old Liberal and I'll show you someone with no brains." As much as I love that, it isn't always true, and doesn't have to be true. We should be heartened by the lively crowds of young Republicans who turned out at nearly all campaign stops, who expressed great respect for John McCain's history of sacrifice and Sarah Palin's message of American individualism.
Despite conventional gloom that paints our youth as ignorant sponges for the Left, young people today are both caring and bright, willing to listen to anyone who can persuade without provocation. Start a conversation out "Here's what we have in common," and you'll have their attention.
The best efforts of Leftists over the last 40 years have not ruined the independent spirit of American youth. The radicals of the Sixties may still have a stranglehold on academia, but they haven't been able to brainwash most of their students. "Country first" resonates with them (hence, our powerful volunteer military); church remains a critical factor in their development; and morality still matters (drug use, for example, has plummeted during the Bush years and sexual promiscuity has been — with only minor setbacks — on the decline).
In the fiscal arena, our youth may flirt with altruistic feelings about income redistribution, but they are capitalists through and through. Young people are like anyone else: they are fine with progressive tax policies until they get their paychecks. The more they learn (from intelligent young leaders) the faster they will understand the conservative precept that helping is all about enabling others to help themselves.
Again, the trick with this group, as with all others, is to unleash their latent conservatism, pouring money toward exciting, fresh talent who are able to draw it out. If we start now, we will have a fighting chance at tackling our first priority — the 2010 election.
© A.M. Siriano
November 14, 2008
In the aftermath of another political smackdown, Republicans can still be very positive about the future of conservatism. We have an opportunity before us to reshape and expand the base. The way forward can be found in the deep traditional values that have been lying dormant in various constituencies for too long ...
The GOP must immediately identify "latent conservatism" in groups of people who have been voting Democrat — then target them for conversion. While true liberals are largely unconvertible, most Americans are not true liberals. More than ever before, we have a chance to peel back the onion and expose the core of groups long believed lost to Democratic control: blacks, Hispanics, young voters, single women, single mothers, third-party dissenters, etc. I believe we will find in each group a conservative heart — a heart unique to its culture, yes, but thumping with strong, traditional, and at times uniquely American, values.
There are plenty of groups to consider for inclusion, and here's a start:
African Americans
I have nothing good to say about Barack Obama's political designs, but his triumphant election provides one reason for celebration: Obama has dealt a serious blow to the politics of race. No longer can a black boy (and soon a black girl) claim to be barred from the classic American dream of growing up to be President.
Listen to the words of one black female of my acquaintance: "I'm proud to live in a country where my son's dreams are entirely possible. I'm delighted that he knows that his life isn't relegated to playing basketball or prison." Or consider this remark by columnist Juan Williams in a recent editorial:
-
The Jesse Jacksons, Al Sharptons and Rev. Jeremiah Wrights remain. But their influence and power fade to a form of nostalgia in a world of larger political agendas, such as a common American vision of setting the nation on a steady economic course and dealing with terrorists. The market has irrevocably shrunk for Sharpton-style tirades against "the man" and "the system." The emphasis on racial threats and extortion-like demands — all aimed at maximizing white guilt as leverage for getting government and corporate money — has lost its moment. How does anyone waste time on racial fantasies like reparations for slavery when there is a black man who earned his way into the White House?
Our mandate is to seek out black conservatives (especially young black conservatives) and bring them to prominence by pouring money into their careers and campaigns. The voice of black conservatives can do wonders to add a 10, even 20, percent voting block to the GOP in the next election — if we act now.
Thanks to African-American adherence to Christianity, blacks are already socially conservative, as evidenced by their overwhelming 70-percent opposition to gay marriage in California. According to a 2008 Zogby poll, they are also against abortion, backing "the pro-life perspective 62-38." And despite the bad taste in our mouths left by Jeremiah Wright and Louis Farrakhan, black churches are mostly fundamentalist, embracing the tenets of the faith and eschewing "black liberation theology."
We can also be happy about Barack Obama's strong fatherly example — much needed in the black community — along with his wife's equally influential presentation of career-oriented motherhood. Republicans are in the perfect position to elevate other responsible black men and woman, particularly those who are out-of-the-closet conservatives, to reinforce the Obamas' model — and to win blacks over to the GOP.
The woman that I quoted above is not a Republican, but she is a Christian who cries out for traditional values. On the eve of the election she said, "Today I'm comforted knowing an intelligent, educated, black father will be the symbol of hope and change. I want our black men to see that the excuse of being a product of their environment is just that, an excuse."
With victimhood crushed, and affluence bolstered, it cannot be too tough to translate socially conservative values into fiscally conservative ones. After all, everyone wants to increase personal wealth, and blacks can now take Obama's "Yes, we can!" mantra to heart. When the sky is the limit, the urge to fly in that space is only natural.
Hispanic Americans
The fallout from the immigration hubbub was the serious loss of Hispanic numbers for the GOP. This factor alone had much to do with our defeats in the last two elections. In 2004 Bush carried nearly half of all Hispanics; this year, Obama carried two-thirds. Naturally, economic woes and other causes contributed to this shift, but the reality is, perceived racism was the core reason (ask any Latino you meet). We let that problem lie unaddressed at our own peril.
Bush's comprehensive immigration reforms fomented anger and hatred among conservatives, leading us to the situation we are in today. John McCain supported Bush's efforts, but conceded, late in the game, that the better approach would have been to first secure the borders. Had security been the only topic, we would have Hispanics on our side today.
Water under the bridge. Browns, like blacks, are deeply conservative, fueled by Catholic roots and love for a conservative Pope. They are pro-family, pro-traditional marriage, and pro-life — which puts them at odds with Democratic cynicism. We need to bring them home to the GOP by proving that we want them back, that we need their voice, that their thinking is our thinking.
Again, the key is to find young Hispanic conservatives and bring them to prominence. Let them be the voice of securing the borders, let them be the voice of traditional values, let them be the voice of fiscal responsibility — and yes, once they are well situated in the Republican party, let them lead the debate about the problem of illegal immigration.
Young Americans
Everyone remembers Churchill's oft-quoted aphorism: "Show me a young Conservative and I'll show you someone with no heart. Show me an old Liberal and I'll show you someone with no brains." As much as I love that, it isn't always true, and doesn't have to be true. We should be heartened by the lively crowds of young Republicans who turned out at nearly all campaign stops, who expressed great respect for John McCain's history of sacrifice and Sarah Palin's message of American individualism.
Despite conventional gloom that paints our youth as ignorant sponges for the Left, young people today are both caring and bright, willing to listen to anyone who can persuade without provocation. Start a conversation out "Here's what we have in common," and you'll have their attention.
The best efforts of Leftists over the last 40 years have not ruined the independent spirit of American youth. The radicals of the Sixties may still have a stranglehold on academia, but they haven't been able to brainwash most of their students. "Country first" resonates with them (hence, our powerful volunteer military); church remains a critical factor in their development; and morality still matters (drug use, for example, has plummeted during the Bush years and sexual promiscuity has been — with only minor setbacks — on the decline).
In the fiscal arena, our youth may flirt with altruistic feelings about income redistribution, but they are capitalists through and through. Young people are like anyone else: they are fine with progressive tax policies until they get their paychecks. The more they learn (from intelligent young leaders) the faster they will understand the conservative precept that helping is all about enabling others to help themselves.
Again, the trick with this group, as with all others, is to unleash their latent conservatism, pouring money toward exciting, fresh talent who are able to draw it out. If we start now, we will have a fighting chance at tackling our first priority — the 2010 election.
© A.M. Siriano
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