by RightHandMan
A few weeks prior to the elections of 2008, prior to the blog’s creation, John and I were talking about a potential Obama win and what that would mean for America. I think that tonight confirms my thoughts at the time, which were that an Obama win would be the best thing that could happen to this country. Allow me to explain.
When Carter won in 1977 the country was in ruins – and more to the point of this post, so too was the GOP. Ford was the leader was by default only because Nixon and Askew turned out to be crooked. Being called a republican was an insult. The GOP couldn’t even keep their HQ’s open because they couldn’t pay the power bills.
Luckily the state of the GOP produced two things – the opportunity for a boob like Carter to win the presidency and a necessity for the people to redefine the GOP. The party became more conservative and eventually welcomed Ronald Reagan. Reagan destroyed Carter in the election, the economy turned around, America’s worldwide respect was regained, and the people began to believe in their nation again. It took a Carter to underscore the need for a Reagan.
Since Reagan, the leaders of the Republican Party have moved further and further away from conservative principles. In 2008 the GOP was once again becoming a bit of a joke. McCain might have been the most accurate face of the Republican Party, but he was far from the face of the republican constituents. What America needed was another Carter – in came Obama.
Over the past two years we have seen a true grass roots movement that has changed the course of this country. The GOP has been redefined, they’re going to win record numbers in the House and Senate, and the country’s entire psyche regarding politics has changed. The Republicans are beginning to look more like the people they represent.
We were all riding on a track that led off a cliff but moving just slow enough that nobody really did anything about it. It’s as if we assumed that once we got too close something or someone would stop it. It took an Obama/Reid/Pelosi to step on the accelerator and wake us all up. Suddenly we’re not only aware, we’re scared. Someone has got to do something! It is then that we remember those courageous words of Ronald Reagan, “If not us, then who? And if not now, when?” …and a flame began to flicker in the hearts and minds of many Americans, and it was there that the Tea Party was born.
I know that many of you are still upset that Reid, Boxer, Frank, etc. won their elections, but never mind that. Remember, we need people like Reid and Boxer. It is unhealthy to take too much power – it tends to get to your head. We need the contrast. Think about how much California and Nevada will learn through their next few years of suffering. We need people there to push on the accelerator every once in a while so that we don’t grow comfortable in our downward spiral.
A good portion of the fight has been won, not so much in this election, but in the education of the American people. Sure, we did well last night, but the minds and hearts of Americans is the most important element in our survival. Continue to fan that flame within and the grass roots path we are on will catch fire and burn bright for all to see.
