What is the answer to save the Republic?

 

When I express my grave fears for the future, I can be sure that someone will come out and tell me not to preach despair and how that is a sin and I should just be more positive. They deride me for “giving up”. Now, I am not sure what “giving up means” and here is why. 

For my whole political life, I have voted in the hopes that things will change for the better. Newt came roaring in and this was going to be what turned things around. Heh. I was appalled at the actions of Al Gore in 2000 when it was clear they were going to recount until he won. I was happy to have Clinton gone. Bush did some things I wanted, but a lot I did not want. Better than the alternative I told myself, even if they Senate could not confirm any judges. Then 8 years of Obama. Again, I was more than willing to keep voting Republican and vote for Romney. I stopped watching returns after that. Then, Trump. At last we would see some changes. Oh wait, they could not pass Repeal and Replace. And the GOP in Congress clearly did not want to work with Trump on anything. Glad we got some judges through, so it was not all bad. Still, the right stood by and let Trump twist in the wind. Not the support I would have liked to see. 

Don’t give up. Heh. 

I will keep voting GOP, but I have to say I don’t think voting is going to change the trajectory at all. It has not so far in my life. So, all you preachers, who tell me I am not holy enough in my despair, when you tell me not to give up, what actual action items do you have for making America a Republic again do you have?

And please don’t tell me “Focus on your family”. I do that now. Also not changing the direction. Got anything else?

 

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  1. Stina Inactive
    Stina
    @CM

    I wish I had any clue. I feel like our hands are tied until more people see what we see… which really means the un empathetic need to feel first hand what others are already experiencing.

    And that requires keeping our head down and being patient.

    • #1
  2. Bryan G. Stephens Thatcher
    Bryan G. Stephens
    @BryanGStephens

    Stina (View Comment):

    I wish I had any clue. I feel like our hands are tied until more people see what we see… which really means the un empathetic need to feel first hand what others are already experiencing.

    And that requires keeping our head down and being patient.

    Thank you

    • #2
  3. Jerry Giordano (Arizona Patriot) Member
    Jerry Giordano (Arizona Patriot)
    @ArizonaPatriot

    Bryan, I wish that I knew.

    In recent years, one of the key problems that I’ve observed is excessive focus on liberty.  We seem to have stopped promoting virtue, probably decades ago, and unsurprisingly, vice has run rampant.  But the conservative/libertarian focus on liberty has prevented the use of public policy to promote virtue and discourage vice.

    Another key problem is the effectiveness of the accusations of things like racism, anti-Semitism, sexism, homophobia, and the like.  It seems to me that we’ve elevated the significance of relatively small minorities, at the expense of the majority, and provided a weapon to radicals.

    • #3
  4. Gary Robbins Member
    Gary Robbins
    @GaryRobbins

    Bryan, you have so much heart.  Thank you for being you. 

    I would add to “focus on your family” to “be open to God to direct you to do your next right step,” however I believe that you do that already. 

    This is a great post.  I hope it is elevated to the Main Feed. 

    • #4
  5. Bryan G. Stephens Thatcher
    Bryan G. Stephens
    @BryanGStephens

    Jerry Giordano (Arizona Patrio… (View Comment):

    Bryan, I wish that I knew.

    In recent years, one of the key problems that I’ve observed is excessive focus on liberty. We seem to have stopped promoting virtue, probably decades ago, and unsurprisingly, vice has run rampant. But the conservative/libertarian focus on liberty has prevented the use of public policy to promote virtue and discourage vice.

    Another key problem is the effectiveness of the accusations of things like racism, anti-Semitism, sexism, homophobia, and the like. It seems to me that we’ve elevated the significance of relatively small minorities, at the expense of the majority, and provided a weapon to radicals.

    I would argue this is part of the ruling class wishes that are enforced on the rest of us and an example of how voting does not matter.

    • #5
  6. Bryan G. Stephens Thatcher
    Bryan G. Stephens
    @BryanGStephens

    Gary Robbins (View Comment):

    Bryan, you have so much heart. Thank you for being you.

    I would add to “focus on your family” to “be open to God to direct you to do your next right step,” however I believe that you do that already.

    This is a great post. I hope it is elevated to the Main Feed.

    Thanks

    • #6
  7. Red Herring Coolidge
    Red Herring
    @EHerring

    Mankind’s natural state is to live with hardship and oppression. The seven deadly sins are real and, when not controlled, return us to the hardship and oppression we recently rose above.

    You ask too much of yourself to think you can help others overcome the weaknesses exhibited in the human race for over 5000 years and are justified in your despair.

    I’m a realist. I believe liberty and prosperity aren’t free but must be earned. If the current generations won’t earn it, I won’t despair. I just accept it as the natural correction to sinful behavior that the Bible has documented throughout over 5,000 years of human history. I don’t celebrate it, either. Technology can do many things but it can’t touch the soul.

    I also don’t despair because humanity also rebounds. The US and the founders are proof humanity can rebound and improve over what came before. We might not live long enough to witness the rebound but our values will enable our descendants to create it. 

    • #7
  8. Susan Quinn Contributor
    Susan Quinn
    @SusanQuinn

    I think it’s only natural to be frustrated and disappointed; I don’t need to tell you that, Bryan. But there’s a point when we get stuck in the horrible outcomes and want to give up; those attitudes just don’t serve us well. I think maybe there’s some kind of balance with being as honest as we can be, and even critical, but not to let it destroy our resolve for trying to make the future better. Not an easy endeavor. And I struggle with it all the time.

    • #8
  9. Raxxalan Member
    Raxxalan
    @Raxxalan

    Talking strictly about electoral politics, and not about life in general.  Right now the right thing to do is to vote in GOP primaries for the person you think will take the party in the right direction and that can win.  That is I think that Kari Lake and Masters were good choices even if they weren’t able to win.  I am unsure Oz and Bolduc were good choices because I don’t think they had much chance of winning in the first place.  The jury isn’t in on Walker yet.  The right direction, for me, is away from the GOPe.   Which means away from the McConnel wing of the party.   The GOPe has no vision for the country, no conception of the fight, and no principles at all.  They are fine as part of the heft of the coalition, but they have to be junior partners.   Vote in local elections for the person who most shares your values, and maybe if you have the time and inclination get involved in local politics yourself.  We are going to have to get back to a concept of local governance and federalism.    

    Ultimately I think we are coming up on a three or four party moment.  Where one or both of our major political parties go the way of the Whigs.  I was hoping the Democratic party would fracture first; however, they appear to be holding together and are still quite capable.  The GOP seems to be in worse shape.  Once a viable third party emerges, assuming it represents your values better than the GOP.  It is probably time to shift to it.  Again I would start at the local level and build up rather than start at a presidential level and try to build down, but that is my preference I know others are calling for the other way around.   It will take a bit, perhaps quite a bit for a realignment to be completed, but it is coming. 

    The GOP had increases in minority support and virtually all demographics except for the college educated and young people.   The issues that concerned people favored the GOP; however, it seems like GOP candidates were not trusted by independents.  That is a branding issue that needs to be addressed.  Fortunately the democrats are not likely to change anything.  They are going to continue down the path they are on, which is increasing unpopular and will continue to cause misery and chaos.  That means that more people are going to move toward the GOP.  Keep in mind the reason the GOP is taking the House is because of gains in CA, AZ, and NY even if there is no luck at the statewide level in those places they are becoming more red in their congressional representation, so there is cause for hope.  

    It is a marathon not a sprint.  We aren’t going to save and rebuild our republic overnight.  It will take many years.  It isn’t going to be one person who fixes it either.  It is going to be many people working together over a long period of time.  

    • #9
  10. RufusRJones Member
    RufusRJones
    @RufusRJones

    Raxxalan (View Comment):
     The issues that concerned people favored the GOP; however, it seems like GOP candidates were not trusted by independents.  That is a branding issue that needs to be addressed. 

    Nobody is going to solve this consistently enough.

    • #10
  11. Old Bathos Member
    Old Bathos
    @OldBathos

    The whole point of being a conservative is to reduce the importance of elections.  A small, efficient federal government doing only that which needs doing at a federal level supported by taxes whose rates rarely change would mean that elections would be about the character and competence of the candidates, not an affirmation of ideological identity.

    Conservative think tanks ought to be drafting a detailed model of federal government structure with the elimination of some entire agencies and department sections.  That would require a very granular analysis, a long list of enabling statutes to be repealed or reformed to thus wipe out being chunks of the CFR.

    But that is a small political battle compared to the needed reform of entitlement programs.   To simply stop sending checks is a political impossibility.  I thought perhaps a program to deposit some amount at birth to create a savings fund, and also to pay for insurance for all manner of loss and essentially privatize the security net future generations.  How we pay for social security etc in the meantime without screwing the young would be the challenge.

     

    • #11
  12. RufusRJones Member
    RufusRJones
    @RufusRJones

    The mistakes were made in the 90’s. 

    I think Steve Bannon has some really good ideas but it’s really tedious to listen to. Also David Stockman, but everybody hates him.

    • #12
  13. Front Seat Cat Member
    Front Seat Cat
    @FrontSeatCat

    I think everyone shares your frustration.  I do.  It all seems bigger than anyone can deal with, but I think back during the last world wars that my family had to battle, throw in The Great Depression, many left everything in Europe (if they survived) to start here with nothing. Same with parts of Asia and Latin America. They never gave up. Regimes and leaders come and go – they die off.  Many local boards flipped red this year in our area and it was due to local efforts. This changes school systems. That’s something.

    We’re also up against a spiritual battle.  I have to think my ancestors didn’t give up the ship, so who am I to think I have it so terrible. We are strong collectively.

    • #13
  14. Raxxalan Member
    Raxxalan
    @Raxxalan

    RufusRJones (View Comment):

    Raxxalan (View Comment):
    The issues that concerned people favored the GOP; however, it seems like GOP candidates were not trusted by independents. That is a branding issue that needs to be addressed.

    Nobody is going to solve this consistently enough.

    It certainly isn’t going to be solved by one person, or by the removal of one person from the party.   It is going to take a long time.  It may ultimately be impossible and lead to the Three party moment I was talking about.  That is what ultimately happened to the Whigs.  

    • #14
  15. Bryan G. Stephens Thatcher
    Bryan G. Stephens
    @BryanGStephens

    Susan Quinn (View Comment):

    I think it’s only natural to be frustrated and disappointed; I don’t need to tell you that, Bryan. But there’s a point when we get stuck in the horrible outcomes and want to give up; those attitudes just don’t serve us well. I think maybe there’s some kind of balance with being as honest as we can be, and even critical, but not to let it destroy our resolve for trying to make the future better. Not an easy endeavor. And I struggle with it all the time.

    I am not wanting to give up. 

    I just don’t know what to do to move forward. Hope and Prayer is it?

    • #15
  16. Bryan G. Stephens Thatcher
    Bryan G. Stephens
    @BryanGStephens

    Raxxalan (View Comment):

    Talking strictly about electoral politics, and not about life in general. Right now the right thing to do is to vote in GOP primaries for the person you think will take the party in the right direction and that can win. That is I think that Kari Lake and Masters were good choices even if they weren’t able to win. I am unsure Oz and Bolduc were good choices because I don’t think they had much chance of winning in the first place. The jury isn’t in on Walker yet. The right direction, for me, is away from the GOPe. Which means away from the McConnel wing of the party. The GOPe has no vision for the country, no conception of the fight, and no principles at all. They are fine as part of the heft of the coalition, but they have to be junior partners. Vote in local elections for the person who most shares your values, and maybe if you have the time and inclination get involved in local politics yourself. We are going to have to get back to a concept of local governance and federalism.

    Ultimately I think we are coming up on a three or four party moment. Where one or both of our major political parties go the way of the Whigs. I was hoping the Democratic party would fracture first; however, they appear to be holding together and are still quite capable. The GOP seems to be in worse shape. Once a viable third party emerges, assuming it represents your values better than the GOP. It is probably time to shift to it. Again I would start at the local level and build up rather than start at a presidential level and try to build down, but that is my preference I know others are calling for the other way around. It will take a bit, perhaps quite a bit for a realignment to be completed, but it is coming.

    The GOP had increases in minority support and virtually all demographics except for the college educated and young people. The issues that concerned people favored the GOP; however, it seems like GOP candidates were not trusted by independents. That is a branding issue that needs to be addressed. Fortunately the democrats are not likely to change anything. They are going to continue down the path they are on, which is increasing unpopular and will continue to cause misery and chaos. That means that more people are going to move toward the GOP. Keep in mind the reason the GOP is taking the House is because of gains in CA, AZ, and NY even if there is no luck at the statewide level in those places they are becoming more red in their congressional representation, so there is cause for hope.

    It is a marathon not a sprint. We aren’t going to save and rebuild our republic overnight. It will take many years. It isn’t going to be one person who fixes it either. It is going to be many people working together over a long period of time.

    I get is it is a marathon. I am 52. It is has been a marathon my whole life. 

    Other than voting, what else? 

    • #16
  17. Raxxalan Member
    Raxxalan
    @Raxxalan

    Bryan G. Stephens (View Comment):

    Raxxalan (View Comment):

    Talking strictly about electoral politics, and not about life in general. Right now the right thing to do is to vote in GOP primaries for the person you think will take the party in the right direction and that can win. That is I think that Kari Lake and Masters were good choices even if they weren’t able to win. I am unsure Oz and Bolduc were good choices because I don’t think they had much chance of winning in the first place. The jury isn’t in on Walker yet. The right direction, for me, is away from the GOPe. Which means away from the McConnel wing of the party. The GOPe has no vision for the country, no conception of the fight, and no principles at all. They are fine as part of the heft of the coalition, but they have to be junior partners. Vote in local elections for the person who most shares your values, and maybe if you have the time and inclination get involved in local politics yourself. We are going to have to get back to a concept of local governance and federalism.

    Ultimately I think we are coming up on a three or four party moment. Where one or both of our major political parties go the way of the Whigs. I was hoping the Democratic party would fracture first; however, they appear to be holding together and are still quite capable. The GOP seems to be in worse shape. Once a viable third party emerges, assuming it represents your values better than the GOP. It is probably time to shift to it. Again I would start at the local level and build up rather than start at a presidential level and try to build down, but that is my preference I know others are calling for the other way around. It will take a bit, perhaps quite a bit for a realignment to be completed, but it is coming.

    The GOP had increases in minority support and virtually all demographics except for the college educated and young people. The issues that concerned people favored the GOP; however, it seems like GOP candidates were not trusted by independents. That is a branding issue that needs to be addressed. Fortunately the democrats are not likely to change anything. They are going to continue down the path they are on, which is increasing unpopular and will continue to cause misery and chaos. That means that more people are going to move toward the GOP. Keep in mind the reason the GOP is taking the House is because of gains in CA, AZ, and NY even if there is no luck at the statewide level in those places they are becoming more red in their congressional representation, so there is cause for hope.

    It is a marathon not a sprint. We aren’t going to save and rebuild our republic overnight. It will take many years. It isn’t going to be one person who fixes it either. It is going to be many people working together over a long period of time.

    I get is it is a marathon. I am 52. It is has been a marathon my whole life.

    Other than voting, what else?

    Depends on if you are inclined to run for office or not.  I am not so that limits me to primarily voting.  I did also say I was confining myself to electoral politics.  You can also get involved in campaigns or in poll watching.  We are going to need people on the ground for GOTV efforts and in the polling places to ensure no hijinx ensue.   In a broader sense advocating for you preferred policies and candidates in public is something that may need to be done. 

    You and I are about the same age.  It has been this way my whole life too.  I just included that because some folks seem to think that if we get Trump or get rid of Trump that everything will be magically fixed.  At the moment I am agnostic on the Trump issue, but I am dead sure that either way it won’t magically fix anything. 

    In an even broader sense which is beyond the scope of my original answer.  We have to address the culture  I am not sure exactly how we accomplish that, but it has to be done at some point.  I suppose if you are creatively inclined that is a project that could be embarked upon. 

    • #17
  18. Bryan G. Stephens Thatcher
    Bryan G. Stephens
    @BryanGStephens

    If Voting does not work, there is only one option left. 

     

    • #18
  19. Raxxalan Member
    Raxxalan
    @Raxxalan

    Bryan G. Stephens (View Comment):

    If Voting does not work, there is only one option left.

     

    True, but that option is fraught.  It is also unlikely to lead to a conclusion that we would like.  Once that genie is out of the bottle it isn’t possible to put it back in.

    • #19
  20. RufusRJones Member
    RufusRJones
    @RufusRJones

    Bryan G. Stephens (View Comment):

    If Voting does not work, there is only one option left.

     

    The opportunity starts after the bond market collapses or the populace freaks out from what they do to prevent it. Just my amateur opinion.

    • #20
  21. Bryan G. Stephens Thatcher
    Bryan G. Stephens
    @BryanGStephens

    Raxxalan (View Comment):

    Bryan G. Stephens (View Comment):

    If Voting does not work, there is only one option left.

     

    True, but that option is fraught. It is also unlikely to lead to a conclusion that we would like. Once that genie is out of the bottle it isn’t possible to put it back in.

    Too bad. I am coming to the conclusion that all is lost. It is all that is left. 

    • #21
  22. Raxxalan Member
    Raxxalan
    @Raxxalan

    Bryan G. Stephens (View Comment):

    Raxxalan (View Comment):

    Bryan G. Stephens (View Comment):

    If Voting does not work, there is only one option left.

     

    True, but that option is fraught. It is also unlikely to lead to a conclusion that we would like. Once that genie is out of the bottle it isn’t possible to put it back in.

    Too bad. I am coming to the conclusion that all is lost. It is all that is left.

    I fear you are right but hope you are wrong.  

    • #22
  23. Bryan G. Stephens Thatcher
    Bryan G. Stephens
    @BryanGStephens

    Raxxalan (View Comment):

    Bryan G. Stephens (View Comment):

    Raxxalan (View Comment):

    Bryan G. Stephens (View Comment):

    If Voting does not work, there is only one option left.

     

    True, but that option is fraught. It is also unlikely to lead to a conclusion that we would like. Once that genie is out of the bottle it isn’t possible to put it back in.

    Too bad. I am coming to the conclusion that all is lost. It is all that is left.

    I fear you are right but hope you are wrong.

    Me too.

    But the people we vote for refuse to help.

    They hate us as much as the Democrats.

    • #23
  24. Raxxalan Member
    Raxxalan
    @Raxxalan

    Bryan G. Stephens (View Comment):

    Raxxalan (View Comment):

    Bryan G. Stephens (View Comment):

    Raxxalan (View Comment):

    Bryan G. Stephens (View Comment):

    If Voting does not work, there is only one option left.

     

    True, but that option is fraught. It is also unlikely to lead to a conclusion that we would like. Once that genie is out of the bottle it isn’t possible to put it back in.

    Too bad. I am coming to the conclusion that all is lost. It is all that is left.

    I fear you are right but hope you are wrong.

    Me too.

    But the people we vote for refuse to help.

    They hate us as much as the Democrats.

    Some do.  I am fortunate that most of the people that represent me and who I vote for don’t, but I subscribe to a quote from Dan Bongino “Most Republicans are Democrats”,  so I don’t get my hopes up too high.  

    • #24
  25. RufusRJones Member
    RufusRJones
    @RufusRJones

    Raxxalan (View Comment):

    Bryan G. Stephens (View Comment):

    Raxxalan (View Comment):

    Bryan G. Stephens (View Comment):

    Raxxalan (View Comment):

    Bryan G. Stephens (View Comment):

    If Voting does not work, there is only one option left.

     

    True, but that option is fraught. It is also unlikely to lead to a conclusion that we would like. Once that genie is out of the bottle it isn’t possible to put it back in.

    Too bad. I am coming to the conclusion that all is lost. It is all that is left.

    I fear you are right but hope you are wrong.

    Me too.

    But the people we vote for refuse to help.

    They hate us as much as the Democrats.

    Some do. I am fortunate that most of the people that represent me and who I vote for don’t, but I subscribe to a quote from Dan Bongino “Most Republicans are Democrats”, so I don’t get my hopes up too high.

    This is why —-> 

    http://financialrepressionauthority.com/2017/07/26/the-roundtable-insight-george-bragues-on-how-the-financial-markets-are-influenced-by-politics/

     

    Government Is How We Steal From Each Other™

     

     

     

    • #25
  26. Buckpasser Member
    Buckpasser
    @Buckpasser

    I agree Bryan.  We aren’t going to see an improvement in my lifetime (I’m 66).  I’m not worried about me.  I know the kingdom that awaits me.  What I don’t appreciate is people who are supposedly on my side basically telling my grandkids…..nothing you can do, sucks to be you.

    • #26
  27. Red Herring Coolidge
    Red Herring
    @EHerring

    Bryan G. Stephens (View Comment):

    Raxxalan (View Comment):

    Bryan G. Stephens (View Comment):

    If Voting does not work, there is only one option left.

     

    True, but that option is fraught. It is also unlikely to lead to a conclusion that we would like. Once that genie is out of the bottle it isn’t possible to put it back in.

    Too bad. I am coming to the conclusion that all is lost. It is all that is left.

    Like chemotherapy, destructive but sometimes necessary. You don’t wish it on anyone nor wish it for yourself. 

    • #27
  28. Red Herring Coolidge
    Red Herring
    @EHerring

    I’m not a fan of forming a third or fourth party. The people who want you gone will still be in power and forming coalitions. I’m for slowly but surely assuming control inside the better of two evils party. 

    • #28
  29. Judge Mental Member
    Judge Mental
    @JudgeMental

    Red Herring (View Comment):

    I’m not a fan of forming a third or fourth party. The people who want you gone will still be in power and forming coalitions. I’m for slowly but surely assuming control inside the better of two evils party.

    Think Milton Friedman.  Stop trying to elect the right people and create the conditions where the wrong people are forced to do the right thing.

    I don’t know how.  Maybe a general strike?  The right tends to have a lot of people doing things that people need.  A bunch of businesses would close.  Trucks would stop.  Canada on a larger scale.

    • #29
  30. DrewInWisconsin, Oik Member
    DrewInWisconsin, Oik
    @DrewInWisconsin

    Judge Mental (View Comment):

    Red Herring (View Comment):

    I’m not a fan of forming a third or fourth party. The people who want you gone will still be in power and forming coalitions. I’m for slowly but surely assuming control inside the better of two evils party.

    Think Milton Friedman. Stop trying to elect the right people and create the conditions where the wrong people are forced to do the right thing.

    I don’t know how. Maybe a general strike? The right tends to have a lot of people doing things that people need. A bunch of businesses would close. Trucks would stop. Canada on a larger scale.

    How’d that work out for the Truckers?

     

    • #30
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