In a brilliant column last month Walter Williams wrote about a “Constitutional Awakening.”
If there is anything good to say about Democrat control of the White House, Senate and House of Representatives, it’s that their extraordinarily brazen, heavy-handed acts have aroused a level of constitutional interest among the American people that has been dormant for far too long.
He’s right. The entire column is worth reading. Of course, part of that Constitutional awakening process is the necessary political awakening. We have a President Obama and Speaker Pelosi in large part because when the GOP held power it failed to successfully advance key reforms. Jonah Goldberg recently wrote – and I agree – that the tea parties are “a delayed Bush backlash.”
Williams also noted this:
While the odds on favorite is that the Republicans will do well in the fall elections, Americans who want constitutional government should not see Republican control as a solution to what our founders would have called ‘a long train of abuses and usurpations.’
So reform supporting Americans don’t just need Republican majorities in the General Assembly and Congress, and a Republican in the governor’s mansion and in the White House. They need Republicans in leadership that understand how to actually get the reform policies enacted.
One consultant/pundit, Karl Rove, seems to be doing a little waking up himself. I agree with Bruce Donnelly’s review of Rove’s recommendations for tea party supporters (see Donnelly’s post here). Too bad Rove didn’t understand this much four and a half years ago (see article here).
Don’t think that because the momentum is with conservatives the job ahead will be easy. It won’t be. It’ll be the closest thing to war that most conservatives will ever experience. To take just one issue, the Heritage Foundation’s Brian Darling believes it’s going to be a long, tough battle to repeal ObamaCare. He was recently quoted here:
“There’s basically a three-front fight going on right now — one being the legal, one being the electoral, and one being the legislative,” he explains.
He contends that the upcoming elections in November will, in part, be a “referendum” on the president’s healthcare reform…
Darling says ultimately a new Congress will try to completely repeal the law. But that, he laments, will take years — and certainly not until a new president takes office.
Everyone can help start laying the groundwork for November and its aftermath by engaging constructively in the political process. If Republicans gain ground in Illinois and nationally, they’re going to need the fear of God in them – or at least fear the consequences from an angry electorate if they fail to stick to principle.
For some of us, the best news in a long time has been reflected in reports like this one:
38% More Likely To Contribute Time or Money To A Political Campaign This Year
As I noted last week – voters all live the consequences of bad politics. And we all can play a role in the process of change. Even if it’s just the aggressive use of emails, social media like Facebook, or getting groups together to deliver informational materials door to door.
I’m not good at the door knocking – but I know people who both enjoy it and are good at it. My preferred “door to door counterinsurgency” involves hanging those clear plastic bags filled with good information.
Regardless of your time, financial resources, or talents, “democracy” means you, too. This political fight is all about about the effective distribution of persuasive information. We can all start with our friends, family and neighbors.
