A old friend of mine from the Hill -- a Democrat -- giddily reported to me last night that the President was going to do something new in his second term to promote fitness and competition among the country's youth, starting next year. The program, which he can implement via Executive Order, had been on hold pending his re-election. Apparently, starting in the summer of 2013, regions of the country will be organized into twelve districts, then each district will send a boy and girl to compete in a kind of national Olympics. My friend said the EO will provide that the rules of these games will be such that they can be altered from year to year in case they start to get boring.
Jusk kidding.
To be honest, I'm quite puzzled as to why this tired, jaded hack feels the way he does about last night. As a Republican, I have more heartbreak than consummation for my trouble; as a consultant I definitely have more Ls than Ws. So why do I have a sense of foreboding about the totals from yesterday? Why am I not resting on the comfort that the House of Representatives has been bolstered in its role as stopper to the Obama agenda?
I think because last night we saw America say, "Yes, I want what's mine and some of what you have, too." It was raw. It represented a paradigm shift, permitted by the financial bailout starting four years ago. We are becoming a statist nation. It's real, and it's here. We no longer have to warn and whine about it. We are, in fact, there.
But I don't want to scrawl out some kind of lament, either, because I'm not sad. Politics has never given cause to depress me. I actually think this is a good thing, chiefly because Christians who have taken on the duty to get engaged in the process can finally begin to separate their American-ness from their faith, their house from their true Home. We can jettison this hackneyed, specious attitude of exceptionalism that's been around in various forms for the past 175 years and finally celebrate our country's true virtues for what they are. We can accept the gross defects along with those virtues and truly understand God's right purpose in our lives, communities and nation. And if persecution develops as a result of observing and celebrating these virtues, well, then, we as American Christians can officially say we have joined the human race.
Many of my fellow activists are verbalizing their preparation for the next fight. Certainly, this is a duty that should not be avoided. But the old style of conservatism found in the old Grand Old Party is dead, and it will not return. The nation is not listening to us. Governor Romney was an as articulate rock star of business and fiscal policy as we've ever put on the ballot at ANY LEVEL, and he could not close the deal. This is because the people don't even want the deal; they are not even in the room. Empathy and concern within public policy positions is part of the solution, but this has been tried overtly before in Compassionate Conservatism with ridiculous results. Neither is the solution in picking "tougher conservatives" to lead us. For every Ted Cruz there's a Todd Akin and Richard Mourdock - two nincompoops who failed us miserably. And as capable as Mr. Cruz is, the nature of his service will be one of vocality and confrontation, not stewardship. Pontificating will become the nature of Senate service as never before for both sides.
Former Speaker Newt Gingrich got a burst last winter because he is a man of ideas who can get your attention with them. He more than anyone got Romney the nomination because he forced the Governor to take on the language of problem-solver and creative thinker during the GOP debates. This is indeed Newt's great legacy to the Republicans. But America has chosen to reject ideas. They only want benefits. To borrow a phrase from the President during the second debate, "There's nothing wrong with that; that's just what they do."
Sorry to be a downer, but I think it helps for us all to understand exactly what we're dealing with as we move...well...Forward.
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