Posted on 10/20/2006 7:05:29 AM PDT by Interesting Times
Dispirited conservatives and Republicans rightfully appalled at the Cunningham, Abramoff, and Foley scandals should remember history as they contemplate not voting in the 2006 elections because of disillusionment.
In early 1973, the Dow approached new highs in a booming economy. In the 1972 election, the new left was rejected in almost every state. The Paris Peace Treaty was concluded with North Vietnam memorializing its pledge not to interfere militarily in the affairs of South Vietnam. The nation was prosperous and at peace.
Worst President
Within a short time, the mainstream media were able to dismember and destroy the Nixon Administration, using as their sword the Watergate affair. In the congressional elections of 1974, Republican candidates were pounded, losing 48 House seats and five Senate seats.
Until the 1990s, the so-called “Watergate Babies” (i.e. left-wing Democrats) ruled Congress. As its first act after the 1974 election, the new Congress cut off all aid to South Vietnam. Within a short period of time, this led to Communist conquest of all of Indochina, the massacre of at least 4 million of our friends in the killing fields of Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam, and the displacement of millions of “boat people.”
In 1976, the left wing captured the White House with the worst President of modern times—Jimmy Carter. By 1979, the U.S. economy was in shambles with 12% inflation, 11% unemployment, and vast deficits. Our military was reduced to a shadow. With even our embassy officials held hostage in Tehran, the United States became a powerless joke to the world. It may be fairly said that but for Ronald Reagan the days of our democracy might well have been numbered by the consequences of the 1974 election.
It is not clear why the voters of 1974 thought it wise or just to indirectly cause the destruction of millions of allies in Southeast Asia because of the cover-up of a minor burglary at the Watergate. They certainly did not know that by their votes they would punish themselves severely, leaving, by the end of the Carter years, a U.S. economy that was a burned-out hulk and a nation that was humiliated.
I wonder whether history will repeat itself this year. Despite mainstream media distortion, the economy is in its strongest condition since the Reagan years with low unemployment and inflation rates and diminishing fiscal deficits. We have recovered from the implosion of the Clinton Internet bubble and the shock of Sept. 11, 2001. We have crippled al Qaeda, assembled an international coalition to deal with North Korea and made reasonable progress in defeating at least the foreign insurgency in Iraq. We have seen no terrorist attack on our heartland in more than five years.
Despite the second-guessing by Democrats who have no military experience and by a few veterans who question the Iraq policy, an overwhelming majority of active-duty personnel support the Bush policies and the Republican administration. For example, in 2004, an Army Times poll of active-duty military personnel showed less than 15% voting for Kerry and more than 80% voting for Bush. Despite the token military veterans trotted out by the Democratic Party as Trojan horses in Republican areas, it is clear that a large majority of veterans and active-duty personnel reject the “cut-and-run” policies of the fringe element now in control of the Democratic Party.
In the spring of 1975, I watched in horror our refusal to aid our South Vietnamese friends and their collapse. I watched our friends die by the millions in the gulags of Cambodia and Laos and in frenzied attempts to escape on the high seas, and I remembered my friends, who died in Vietnam, and whose sacrifice was so casually discarded by the “Watergate Babies.” I lost faith in the United States for many years.
I wonder now if we are so blind and ignorant of history to actually allow a new crop of “Watergate Babies” to install clearly unfit leaders such as Nancy Pelosi (D.-Calif.), John Conyers (D.-Mich.), and impeached Alcee Hastings (D.-Fla.) as the guiding force in our nation. Considering that a Democratic win could mean the rise of John Murtha (D.-Pa.) from Abscam to majority leader, and Hastings from impeached federal judge to House Intelligence chairman, it is no exaggeration to say both parties have bad actors. The distinction is that the Democrats promote them and the Republicans fire them.
Finally, I wonder if voters (like those in 1974) are going to actually vote for the betrayal of our Iraqi and Afghan allies and the sacrifices of our troops. I wonder if our Iraq War veterans will watch the mass execution or flight of those who fought with them and believed in us. If so, history teaches us that in the end we will suffer terribly ourselves. This is particularly true here, where we face adversaries who have said they will not stop at the waters’ edge but have already reached across the ocean to destroy our nation’s largest buildings and thousands of our people.
It is a amazing to me that the GOP candidates haven't been shouting this from the rooftops.
Instead, who is speaking out??
Warner and Hagel, practically saying it is unwinnable...and we may have to just cut and run after all....blech..
And THEY are vets!
Get off your butt. If you have competitive races around you, volunteer where it will do the most good. If you have all secure races around you. Donate $10 or such. Make more of a difference this year. Take 3 votes to the poles on top of your own if you can.. This is what it takes.
Don't count the remaining days, USE THEM TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE. Our fighting kids deserve citizens who will give what they can to support them. More than just a few words on a screen.
bump
BTTT!
Great article. Sums up the stakes nicely.
fyi
By 1979, the U.S. economy was in shambles with 12% inflation, 11% unemployment, and vast deficits.
I agree that Carter shouldn't get all the blame for the late '70s economy. The '74 election did seal the fate of Southeast Asia, though...
Great article. I do believe, however, that if we lose the House or Senate that they were lost this spring when illegal immigrants stormed the streets of our cities and the GOP welcomed them.
The out of control spending had already disappointed many conservatives but that was certainly a tipping point. The Foley scandal wouldn't have even mattered if not for the events this spring.
If republicans aren't re-elected the only people to blame are themselves, the Senate republicans and the whitehouse.
Hopefully, we can still pull this out and I truly think we will as the Foley coverage probably motivated more conservatives to vote than discouraged them.
I don't think it's the media manufactured scandals that's the reason any conservative would consider not voting. Rather it's the crappy job they've been doing, with their looking the other way on illegal immigration, unrestrained spending, capitulating to the Dhimmicrats on every issue, etc, etc...
Even still, any conservative who would consider not voting in this election is an utter fool.
You said it John!
BTTT
ping for future reference
Because people cannot see the ripples their actions will cause.
Good for you! There have been two calls from Ohio in the last couple of days about apathy and reminded me of the Burke quot that evil flourishes when good men do nothing. Ohio Republicans will be in bettr shape is people like you get involved. And, you have a great governor candidate!
Fixed it for you.
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