This Is Not The Most Important Election Of A Lifetime
The Christian Science Monitor has an opinion piece by John J Pitney, Jr making the obvious points that every election is described as the most important ever, that the President doesn't have that much power, and that there isn't that much difference between the candidates anyway.
That is not my argument. My argument is that it is too soon for the seismic change in (a good portion of) the public's intuition about the proper role of government to have matured into a vision, let alone a set of policy prescriptions, and it is only when that stage is reached that voters will be faced with a real choice of futures.
The phenomenon that usually gets called the Tea Party is real, and is fundamental. The changes it reflects are deep (if not yet deep seated). Things that were conservative orthodoxy a decade ago - individual mandates, for example - are now seen as unwarranted intrusions on liberty.
The conclusions to be drawn from the new focus on individual liberty for Wall Street bailouts and for Obamacare are simple ("Kill it with a shovel!"), because these are the issues that crystallized the new thinking. But to confuse the catalyst with the problem - to think that repealing Obamacare makes everything all right - is to misunderstand how wide ranging the effects of the shift in thinking are.
How this new liberty-centered thinking will impact policy on other matters - entitlements, regulation, federalism, law enforcement - is trickier to know. Some of the best conversations on Ricochet were and will be about these matters. But it's too early to know what the (range of) answers will be.
This is why 'Tea Party' candidates get picked on their general dispositions rather than their policy positions. It's also why candidates wishing to assume the 'Tea Party' mantle seem so unconvincing. There isn't (yet) a 'Tea Party' platform to adopt. (Also, many seem like folks who have heard that the straw broke the camel's back so they start yelling 'repeal straw!' to get in on the action.)
Soon enough - although perhaps not in 4 or even 8 years' time - there will be a choice between a 21st century liberty-centered ideology and the discredited 20th century government-centered one. That will be an important election. But this is not it.
- Comment (23)
- · Quote
- · UnfollowFollow (2)
- Pages:
- 1
- 2
- Pages:
- 1
- 2
Comments :
Dec '11
Re: This Is Not The Most Important Election Of A Lifetime
[starts slow clap]
clap....... clap......... clap
Jun '10
Re: This Is Not The Most Important Election Of A Lifetime
This may not be "the" most important election, but I submit it is one of many opportunities to move the compass a few degrees at a time toward a liberty-based worldview. If we fail to treat this election (and all elections) as critical to the nation's future, we might as well sit back and pop some popcorn.
Seismic change may be a ways off, I agree. But elections offer those with a liberty-based ideology to broadcast that worldview, in the hopes that such ideas will take root somehow in an attention-deficit electorate.
The fiscal danger is real. The arguments need to be made now, and soundly. And to be sure, decisions need to be made wisely in order to create the environment for the spread of liberty-centered thinking.
Jul '11
Re: This Is Not The Most Important Election Of A Lifetime
Soon enough there will be a choice between a 21st century liberty-centered ideology and the discredited 20th century government-centered one. That will be an important election. But this is not it.
I wish it were so, but I'm not convinced that such a choice is at all inevitable. Regardless, this election will be a watershed event in American politics one way or the other. In 2008 the country elected a poorly defined, but attractive (to many) President who promised much. In 2012 we get to see if the public approves of his now much more well-defined view of where the country will go. If he is re-elected, that vision is cemented in place. Hopes of repealing Obamacare vanish, our position in the world will have four more years to decay, and a couple of Justices will solidify the liberal view of the role of government for decades. This election is a choice between continuing the ever-quickening slide toward a European-style, all-encompassing, welfare state or a rejection of that vision.
What we do with the reprieve an Obama defeat grants us is the next challenge, but let's get there first.
Feb '11
Re: This Is Not The Most Important Election Of A Lifetime
If you don't stop ObamaCare before it hits its full stride and you have four more years of the kinds of judicial appointments we have seen lately and debt doubles again, the situation may be irreparable by the time your cavalry gets its act together.
Edited on Feb 1 at 8:02amMay '10
Re: This Is Not The Most Important Election Of A Lifetime
"Soon enough - although perhaps not in 4 or even 8 years' time - there will be a choice between a 21st century liberty-centered ideology and the discredited 20th century government-centered one." If we elect a managerial progressive President with an "R" behind his name, we push this time for choosing even farther down the road, And allow the slow rot to continue during the intervening years.
Oct '10
Re: This Is Not The Most Important Election Of A Lifetime
I agree the emphasis on the presidential election may be overdone.
In fact, Republican presidential campaigning and fundraising is sucking both cash and especially attention from house and senate races.
If I could choose between having a President RomGingSant or have 61 conservative leaning Senators and 290 conservative leaning Representatives, I'd be happier with the latter.
Mar '11
Re: This Is Not The Most Important Election Of A Lifetime
The thing is, one never knows which elections history will cast as most important. This is why we should take them all seriously.
Dec '10
Re: This Is Not The Most Important Election Of A Lifetime
Seismic change will only happen in the event of catastrophe (Great Depression, for instance) or a deprivation of liberty (slavery, Civil War.) For the latter to occur the people must see fiscal insanity as a grave threat to their liberty. As of yet they do not. Therefore, seismic change is not possible in this election. Sadly, we're headed towards both the catastrophe of the government bubble popping and deprivation of liberty when confiscatory taxation kicks in to deal with the catastrophe. When we get those together it will be too late. Aren't I just a bundle of giggles this morning...
Jul '11
Re: This Is Not The Most Important Election Of A Lifetime
And as the example of Greece shows, when enough of the population depends on government for their income, even fiscal insanity is not enough to make them willing to even consider touching the spigot. Four more years of Obama will make it that much more difficult for us to tackle the problem down the road. Neither Romney, Gingrich nor Santorum is particularly well-suited to offer real long-term solutions, but you fight with the Army you've got and I'm thinking this is a battle worth fighting. Rationalizing that a second Obama term "wouldn't be so bad" (I know you're not doing this, KP) is whistling past the graveyard.
Dec '10
Re: This Is Not The Most Important Election Of A Lifetime
Cobalt Blue
And as the example of Greece shows, when enough of the population depends on government for their income, even fiscal insanity is not enough to make them willing to even consider touching the spigot. Four more years of Obama will make it that much more difficult for us to tackle the problem down the road. Neither Romney, Gingrich nor Santorum is particularly well-suited to offer real long-term solutions, but you fight with the Army you've got and I'm thinking this is a battle worth fighting. Rationalizing that a second Obama term "wouldn't be so bad" (I know you're not doing this, KP) is whistling past the graveyard. · 5 minutes ago
A second Obama term would be the catastrophe and the death of liberty all rolled into one. With Romney we might be lucky enough to get only one, but just barely.
Jan '11
Re: This Is Not The Most Important Election Of A Lifetime
Given our sorry crop of candidates, I'd like to believe that this election isn't all that important. But if Obama gets another four years, there may not be enough left of the country to salvage.
As for electing right-leaning senators and representatives, yeah, sure, that's preferable to left-leaning ones... I guess... but can we elect some with backbones this time, just for a change? Besides Allen West, I mean.
Nov '10
Re: This Is Not The Most Important Election Of A Lifetime
I agree that subsequent elections will be more important. In my conspiratorial moments, I think that we should practice jujitsu (or whatever): as the Left lunges, help them on their way, pull them along in order to crash them into the wall of tyranny, the quicker the better. Otherwise we will continue our sleepy drift into the welfare state.
Dec '10
Re: This Is Not The Most Important Election Of A Lifetime
This was arguably the most important election of our lifetimes. That's no longer the case. We've squandered the best opportunity in a generation to make real inroads toward smaller government. None of our candidates is apt to deliver on that ripe promise. Instead of a game changer, we're down to a simple referendum on Obama. Any "R" will do.
That's not to say this election isn't important. I'm not as frightened by the specter of a second Obama term -- second terms tend to be far less ambitious -- as I am by the consequences of failing to soundly and fully rebuke the doctrine of "fundamentally transforming America." If 2012 is seen as an endorsement of that wicked prospect, we're burnt toast whether it's at the hands of Obama or those that follow in his wake.
Dec '10
Re: This Is Not The Most Important Election Of A Lifetime
genferei
Soon enough - although perhaps not in 4 or even 8 years' time - there will be a choice between a 21st century liberty-centered ideology and the discredited 20th century government-centered one. That will be an important election. But this is not it.
That election will come much too late to make a difference. I'm rather convinced that we've already missed our window.
Dec '10
Re: This Is Not The Most Important Election Of A Lifetime
Just to point out the obvious, we continue to play a losing game. A full repeal of Obamacare is not at all likely. There will be a demand to replace it with something. And that something, no doubt, will entail more government. Even the best outcome, an all out, full repeal of Obamacare, with no new government in it's stead, just puts us right back where we were.
It's the same old Republican playbook: Lose ten yards; gain back two; celebrate "victory." Rinse and repeat.
When is the last time we actually moved the ball in our direction as opposed to fighting tooth and nail for what was lost?
Sep '10
Re: This Is Not The Most Important Election Of A Lifetime
Bravo and well written! I'm struck by the focus on Obamacare that so many conservatives seem to cling to. What about Sarbanes Oxley? Why aren't we pushing to repeal that steaming pile of hooey? Or the non-legislative tyranny of the EPA/FDA/Interior/Etc regulatory behemoth?
I'll be happy with any of the three candidates, but unless Obama gets a solid drubbing in the popular vote, and the senate turns our way, then the necessary changes are still a long ways off.
Jun '11
Re: This Is Not The Most Important Election Of A Lifetime
genferei,
...."too soon for the seismic change."
You are making a very perceptive point in one of the most thoughtful posts I've read on this site.
What the heck do you do for your day job?
Jul '11
Re: This Is Not The Most Important Election Of A Lifetime
This is the usual stuff that gets written when people realize their side is going to lose.
May '10
Re: This Is Not The Most Important Election Of A Lifetime
Don't mistake the "most important election everr" for the "most important election in a long time." The 2012 election will easily be the latter, if it is not the former, because we have higher, more clearly defined stakes than we have before. Obama's vision is clearly a more drastic one than was Algore's or even Hillary's or Bill's.
If you could set the Way Back Machine for 1936, and intervene effectively to defeat and undo Roosevelt's agenda (knowing what has grown therefrom) would that be important? I suggest that we are at one of those kinds of times.
There is a host of things that need to be undone. Newt rattled off a bunch of them off the top of his head last night. It truely isn't all about the Presidency. But the Presidency is a totem for all the rest of that.
Jul '10
Re: This Is Not The Most Important Election Of A Lifetime
ObamaCare was Pearl Harbor. The giant is now wakened. The war is not over until it is won. And they think Romney is the answer and the Tea Party is done.
Stupid Stupid Stupid Party.