The Patriot Post brought this quote from Mercy Warren to my attention earlier today:
It is necessary for every American, with becoming energy to endeavor to stop the dissemination of principles evidently destructive of the cause for which they have bled. It must be the combined virtue of the rulers and of the people to do this, and to rescue and save their civil and religious rights from the outstretched arm of tyranny, which may appear under any mode or form of government. —Mercy Warren, 1805
It’s a pretty amazing quote, as so many quotes are from the founding-era generation. Most conservatives know well the “principles evidently destructive of the cause.” One caveat applies to it, obviously, in that few Americans today have “bled” for the cause.
Setting that aside, I still love the quote… “every American, with becoming energy…” “It must be the combined virtue of the rulers and of the people to do this…” As I keep saying, we’re all soldiers in the information war whether we like it or not. Just how many of us decide to actually fight will determine the future of the republic.
Ask the military historians. There are many factors that contribute to the outcome, but one that is always there involves numbers. Bringing superior forces to bear so often turns the tide of battle.
Seven years into the Obama Administration it has never been more clear that those who adhere to the values of the nation’s Founders as outlined in the Declaration of Independence and U.S. Constitution face a mismatch of resources. We must work hard and smart to overcome the advantages of the left.
Part of the problem has been that our best writers and talkers have no idea what we’re supposed to do about the problem. Even guys like Glenn Beck regularly sound despondent. Rush Limbaugh often comes across as very frustrated. Rarely is practical positive action prescribed by anyone. Instead what we mostly hear and read is wonderful analysis about how everything is going to hell, the culture has deteriorated, and the electorate is no longer what it once was.
How could it be any other way when only the political left is involved in effective political outreach?
The result of all this lack of knowledge is despair.
Now it’s 2016 and there’s another huge opportunity for the kind of people that “formed up” into what was called the “tea party” in early 2009. During the past seven years, more Americans than ever have shown that they are willing to enter the political fray. What’s often been lacking, however, is good leadership that puts these would-be soldiers to good labor.
Few political people give any thought to the fact that there are mass communications experts out there that currently assist businesses, non-profits, and other non-political organizations in the private sector. Their efforts are aimed at winning the attention of the public in a crowded marketplace.
One necessary step is to unite the two — the idle political army with the communications professionals. Conservative individuals and groups must learn how to impact their communities and market their ideas. They need to learn what any business of any size has to know in order to effectively bring positive attention to a new product or service.
The goal isn’t to have the communications pros do the work for the army. The goal is to have the army learn how to do the outreach for themselves.
It’s seems obvious to me that if the conservative groups and organizations understood how to effectively do outreach — we’d win the argument and the day — and there would be a lot fewer low information voters.
There are so many “tea party” type organizations, local GOP committees, as well as informal and often un-named local and regional networks of individuals who meet, share information, and actively volunteer during campaign season. Most desire to be more effective but don’t know how to. How many of them genuinely impact the public debate in their area? Not nearly as many as can.
Let’s continue this next time.
