Coming Back to Ricochet
Today's my 37th birthday.
Needless to say, Tuesday night's election results weren't the present I was hoping for. So, as a gift to myself, I'm re-subscribing to Ricochet after a lengthy absence.
Why? Because I need an outlet for the frustration I am feeling about last night's election and Ricochet is the best place I know for some honest conservative conversation.
After all, where else would you find someone like Rob Long, willing to admit that conservative media has its own echo chamber? At no point in this election cycle did I ever see a sign that Romney was about to pull off a sweep. Sure, there was a clear, short period of excitement when he selected Paul Ryan as his vice presidential candidate, but even that was excitement mostly because I had steeled myself for someone worse. And then there were the debates, yes, but even that only seemed to close a gap, and one had to worry about what holding the ball and letting the clock run (after Hurricane Sandy hit) would net. In the final weeks we had countless conservatives saying the polls were wrong, the turnout models were undercounting Republicans and overcounting Democrats, and that we could all safely shift percentage points from the blue column to the red column to get the real result. It got repeated so much you couldn't help start to believe in it because you wanted it to be true. But it was all based on an assumption.
I have to admit that I listen to talk radio and watch Fox News in part because I need a refuge from the dishonesty and smallness of what passes for journalism and objectivity in other outlets. Maybe not the best reason to choose to listen to a program, but certainly not a horrible one. Still, can't we all admit that there's a degree to which conservatism has fell a little too much for our cult personalities, thinking their rhetorical style is more persuasive than it is, more rigorous than it is? We believe in the power of truth and reason, but we need to be able to be truthful about ourselves as much as we are about the state of the country.
Similarly, where else can you find someone like Adam Schaeffer who is emphasizing the importance of the get out the vote effort, the new science on what works, and the need to understand techniques that enhance persuasion in the ultimate measure of whether you persuaded: did the person get up and take a step to go vote? I think many conservatives have personalities that are persuaded by ideas alone, and thus have a tendency to think its only a matter of time before the substance of our ideas will break through and persuade others. But, if we are honest, we know that's not the case. In other aspects of life, many of us are quite conscious of how persuasion often has to rely on packaging, finding influencers, etc., and not just the substance of the message. And when turnout is such a key, what's wrong with doing everything we can to have the best ground game, in addition to having the truth on our side?
So, I'm back and hopeful to find in Ricochet much conversation that goes beyond what comforts us conservatives. We certainly will need some solace over these next four years. But most of all, we need to get in the game and figure out how to win.
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Comments:
Jun '10
Re: Coming Back to Ricochet
Happy birthday!
May '10
Re: Coming Back to Ricochet
Happy birthday and welcome back.
Jun '12
Re: Coming Back to Ricochet
Happy Birthday. Nice to know there are more of us around. :)
Re: Coming Back to Ricochet
Love this post! Nice to have you back.
Mar '11
Re: Coming Back to Ricochet
Welcome home.
Re: Coming Back to Ricochet
Nice to have you back, Jack!
Jul '11
Re: Coming Back to Ricochet
The Grand Bargain over our budget and debt issues is coming up. Whatever is decided upon will be woefully inadequate and our credit ratings will drop, followed closely by our creditors willingness to lend us money at decent interest rates. This debt contagion will spread across the globe.
Our ground game should include a big fat I told you so with a few simple graphs comprehensible for those with sixth grade educations and beyond to ponder as their jobs evaporate and commodities soar.
Sep '10
Re: Coming Back to Ricochet
I guess its true. I don't know Jack.
Mar '11
Re: Coming Back to Ricochet
I was just checking my luggage in as you were checking out, but its good to see a '10 member back.
Nov '11
Re: Coming Back to Ricochet
Happy birthday and welcome back!
Re: Coming Back to Ricochet
Welcome back, Jack. We on the Right have a lot to discuss over the coming months. Ricochet is a great place to have that conversation.
Aug '11
Re: Coming Back to Ricochet
Happy birthday to you and welcome back.
Apr '12
Re: Coming Back to Ricochet
"persuaded by ideas alone, and thus have a tendency to think its only a matter of time before the substance of our ideas will break through and persuade others."
Bingo!
Jack, welcome back.
Ricochet is being invaded by Canadians, hope you do not mind...
Re: Coming Back to Ricochet
Hey Jack, thanks for the kind words and happy birthday!
Nov '12
Re: Coming Back to Ricochet
Small world Jack. After lurking on the outside for over a year I joined Ricochet yesterday which also happens to be my birthday. After taking a thorough trouncing in my home state of Minnesota joining Ricochet just seemed like the right thing to do.
Sep '10
Re: Coming Back to Ricochet
Indaba: "persuaded by ideas alone, and thus have a tendency to think its only a matter of time before the substance of our ideas will break through and persuade others."
Bingo!
Jack, welcome back.
Ricochet is being invaded by Canadians, hope you do not mind... ยท 40 minutes ago
With universal health care, you're really Canadians already, so I'd say a merger is just around the corner.
Mar '11
Re: Coming Back to Ricochet
Better luck next birthday, Jack! (Maybe next time you should try registering for the gifts you want?)
After nearly 2 years of greatly enjoying the podcasts and occasionally commenting, I mean to get more active here too. -- Right after I have my head examined for fleeing one deep blue state (CA) only to move to another (NJ). :-)
I've been straining to avoid distractions from my day project of starting a new company, but things have gone too far off course in the US, and it's past time for me to repay the debt I owe to preceding generations and contribute to finding solutions.
I look forward to future discussions and maybe even some Northern New Jersey member meetups!