A Conservatives Viewpoint - Will The 2008 Elections Be The Most Important Ever?

Article by Bob Steinburg
- Edenton, North Carolina: Cradle of the Colony

On a recent visit to my hometown in upstate New York my mind reminisced the years since 1960 when I first became aware of the role politics plays in our lives. I thought about all that has transpired since then, and how those events have brought us to the crossroads we will face in next Novembers elections. The path we choose will either start the return of our nation to its conservative roots or continue taking us down the road toward socialism.

The 1960s were turbulent times. “Camelot” was a phrase often associated with John Kennedy’s presidency. His stirring inaugural rhetoric and inspiring challenge to “ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country” instilled a sense of responsibility, duty, and purpose unrivaled since Franklin Roosevelt’s call to arms following the attack on Pearl Harbor in 1941. The assassinations of President Kennedy, Martin Luther King, Jr. and Bobby Kennedy spelled the loss of innocence and set the wheels in motion toward a more secularized society.

In the 1960s the “hippie” movement with Woodstock, the Vietnam War protests, the “make love not war” mantra of the times, rejected many of the rules and order of a civil society. One of the reasons behind this rebellious behavior was undoubtedly a heightened distrust of government. Kennedy, King and Kennedy were visionaries who were advocates for social justice, fairness and equality. After their murders many became disillusioned. Some would initially embark upon a course of protest only to find their impact marginalized by those who were appalled by this form of dissent, while perhaps agreeing with its purpose. These were the pilgrims of the left who eventually came to realize they had to work within the system to have any meaningful impact on advancing their cause through a socialist agenda.

Have they been successful? Yes. Are we better off as a nation today because of it? You be the judge. God is being removed from our public buildings and town squares. Students praying in school is taboo. Much of our education system is failing. Colleges employ professors who question or oppose the founding principles of our republic and feed this propaganda to our children. The military is often ridiculed and demeaned. Questioning illegal immigration is seen as selfish and uncaring. American work ethic is challenged by “What’s in it for me” and “Sacrifice is fine as long as I’m not the one sacrificing.” The entertainment industry continues to pollute the minds of children and adults with images, music, and lyrics that degrade humanity and the value of life while presenting killing and immorality as the norm. Major television networks and newspapers are often controlled by those with extreme liberal positions [CNN]. They no longer report the news, but spin it to serve their interests and agenda. Fox News is not exempt from spin either. Community service organizations are shrinking or disappearing, and many of our churches are being held hostage by those with untraditional views.

In North Carolina we used to be known as a pay-as-you-go state. Our state constitution requires a balanced budget. Yet the Democrats who control Raleigh ignore our traditionally fiscally conservative past. We are the 14th highest taxed state in the nation and highest of any state in the southeast. Spending in Raleigh and Washington are so out of control our children and grandchildren may become indentured servants to the state and federal government for generations. Fiscal responsibility is an oxymoron.

The 2008 federal, state, and local elections will determine if we continue down this slippery slope or return to the sound fiscal logic and moral compass of our founding fathers. Will we regain control of our public schools, or continue to abdicate our responsibility to the liberal, self serving National Education Association’s agenda? Will patriotism and military service be admired or frowned upon? And perhaps most importantly, will we once again assume personal responsibility, or will we continue to succumb to the lure of an ever inefficient and swelling government bureaucracy that drains our nation’s financial resources, giving us in return a false sense of security that encourages mediocrity and dependency? As citizens who vote, the choice is ours.

Bob is correct when he views this election is a chance to return to the things that work. Ronald Reagan took office at one of the blackest hours of our nation, the national malaise identified by, even praised by, Jimmy Carter was becoming our future. With humor and intelligence he showed us a different path. The American people responded and we took that better path.

Socialism has failed everywhere it has been tried. The "me" generation is being replaced by a generation of kids who see things clearly and are willing to personally pay the price to lead our nation to a different future. The war by the Islamo-fascists is making some in our nation look at what is important. Their response is to stand up and defend our nation. They will be the leaders of the future. They are something else. Ronald Reagan would be proud.

With their example in mind, let us stand up and do something to help them. Get involved. Find the candidates who promise you the American Dream, hard work and sacrifice for a glorious future. Support them. The American Dream still works.