For Conservatives, Obama's Changes Would be Permanent and Devastating

Townhall.com ^ | October 19, 2008 | Michael Medved

[St. Louis Conservative]

Some conservative activists, despairing (prematurely) about the chances for victory on November 4th, argue that an Obama win could be a blessing in disguise. According to this logic, The One would occupy the White House for only One term and whatever big government, liberal programs he managed to enact could be swiftly repealed by some future "true conservative" champion.

Yes, it’s true that some changes by liberal presidents can be erased by future conservatives – for instance, George W. Bush cut the top marginal tax rate to 35%, after it had risen to 39.6% under Clinton (it’s sure to go back up to the Clinton rate – or higher – under Obama). Yes, the President and Congress tinker endlessly with details of the tax system or the levels of appropriation or regulation so that the growth in government and spending under President Obama could be adjusted after his departure, if not reversed.

But conservatives need to face the fact that Barack Obama has promised profound systemic changes that will be irreversible—absolutely permanent alterations of our economy and government where there is no chance at all that Republican office-holders of the future could in any way repair the damage.

[Dustbunny]

We have ourselves to thank for this. The Republicans wasted our votes, never fighting for us when they were in the Majority. Allowing the Democrats to pass more and more useless laws.

Then they of course went along with more useless laws that were passed during the Bush Administration. Going along just to get along. Weak and spineless.

Not enough of us voted in 2006, we did, and now we will pay dearly for it.

We will still vote a straight Republican ticket but doubt it will do any good.

Talk about depressing, it just breaks my heart.

[Hildy]

Australia is very liberal and their press hates us. We’re thinking New Zealand. We also considered Alaska. How about a bunch of us Freepers move to a small community somewhere and at least make our piece of the land a livable one?

[misterrob]

Yeah but the damage will have been done. Plus, if they can give amnesty to that many illegals then he is securing votes for the democrats for generations to come.

[Dustbunny]

Sounds good to us. We had thought of moving to Alaska years ago.

[Hildy]

Yea, 2006 worked so well for us. You “let’s teach em” Conservatives really showed ‘em.”

[Arkinsaw]

We are considering Ireland or Australia.

This site was disgusted at Alec Baldwin just a few years ago for saying the same thing, and rightly so.

Anyone who is contemplating going should just go ahead and go.

Leave your firearms behind though or you might get in trouble.

[T Lady]

I completely understand...and in no way advocate for an 0bama victory on November 4th.

Of course it would take years and years to undo the mess, and that's why Washington, D.C., that putrid pile on the Potomac needs to be completely purged.

[conservative cat]

I thought New Zealand was pretty socialist. My husband was about to move to Alaska with his roommate when we started dating. The roommate still went. He would move up there in a heartbeat, however, my sis-in-law who is from there says the winters are depressing and cold.

[GOP_Raider]

A triumph for Barack Obama, combined with Democratic gains in both House and Senate, could easily usher in a dark new era with decades of corrupt, welfare-state, bureaucratic leftist rule.

And that's if we're lucky.

[Hildy]

Pissant, you do realize that the GOP is us..the voters, right?

[GOP_Raider]

Mr. Cat has also suggested moving to Alaska and trying to secede from the Union, too. Any Freeper ideas?

I would suggest that multiple states secede the union. I've started reading more about the first War Between the States/Civil War, and even though we're in a dangerous nuclear age and there's always issues of diplomatic recognition, maybe it's time for Civil War II?

[anniegetyourgun]

Michael is a very smart man. I fear he is right.

[ggekko60506]

“America’s being ravaged by four years of an Obama presidency would surely guarantee another GOP landslide.....”

That is not what will happen,

15 million new citizens plus millions more new government workers will insure that the GOP WILL NO win another national election for a very long time.

This is a desperate struggle in which I have thrown all the available financial and time resources that I am able to put together.

The conservative pundits who are trying to find a silver lining in an Obama victory are whistling past the graveyard.

[St. Louis Conservative]

I was hoping for some optimism on this article.

[tanknetter]

America's being ravaged by four years of an Obama presidency would surely guarantee another GOP landslide.

Heard that all over DC right before and for a good while after the 1992 election.

It turned out to be half right. We got the Congress back in 1994, but were unable to evict Clinton in 1996. Had it not been for Clinton's personal scandals, Gore would have been elected to his third term in 2000.

From January 1993 until election night 1994 the GOP was blessed with a number of advantages. The Dems didn't get a supermajority in the Senate, which put real teeth into Phil Gramm's "Over my cold, dead, political body" speech. We had a true movement visionary and architect in Newt Gingrich, and a VERY effective Party leader who could make it happen in Haley Barbour.

The GOP was also helped by the failings of its opponants. Clinton-Mitchell-Foley over-reached and took the nation down a path other than what they'd promised. But the real reason for the swing of the House back to the GOP was Dan Rostenkowski and the check kiting scandal. The public can be somewhat forgiving on public policy failings ... but are incredibly hard when it comes to scandal (which the GOP learned in 2006).

My perspective is that the retaking of Congress in the mid-1990s was the result of a perfect storm, where all the stars aligned and allowed maximum return from an enormous amount of effort and hard work. My concern with the proposition that an Obama presidency will result in a sea change back to the GOP is that we are unlikely to see such a storm/alignment in the next several years. I don't see strong leadership on the GOP side, I don't think that the Dems are going to make the same mistakes they did back then, and even if they do I have little confidence that the new media will be able to overcome the reporting of the in-the-tank old.

[GOP_Raider]

Does the Fairness Doctrine apply to satellite radio?

No. Besides lots of money, it is the reason why Howard Stern went to Sirius.

[RWB Patriot]

Obama will just send a CART team after you for it.

[Arkinsaw]

By golly, the GOP should have thought of that before they nominated a milquetoast like Mccain.

Conservatives are not seriously considered in the Republican Party. Ronald Reagan is considered an anomaly. We are a herd that will vote because we have no other place to go.

Ronald Reagan was the guide. He was conservative but he was not angry. He was conservative but not a doomsayer. He was conservative but not serious all the time. He put forward conservative ideas with simplicity and humor. The people loved him.

This is why Sarah Palin has drawn the ire of Democrat and Republican pundit alike and must be trashed mercilessly. She summons up the ghost of Reagan....a smiling positive conservative.

Conservatives will not succeed until the follow Reagan's example within their own party. Until then they will have to vote for whoever the party leadership annoints, and that is proving unsuccessful also.

[T Lady]

Yes...we were royally screwed in 2006, especially when the GOP abandoned the principles that gave us the Contract With America back in 1994.

...That's why we need to redouble our efforts to purge RINOs as best we can...and in spite of having McCain as the president, we can at least count on Palin and others like her in the future.

But first, we have to drag John over the finish line.

[pissant]

No. They are not me. Me doesn’t annoint a three headed RINO as frontrunners in a primary. Me doesn’t vote for socialist bailouts, global warming, gun control, Romneycare, CFR or LOST. But someone did obviously. It just ain’t me.