November 20, 2008
INSTA-POLL: Since I mentioned it last night there’s been some talk of having some sort of rightroots conference to organize things post-election. (Call it a counter-Kos if you want, but not exactly). What do you think? I’m polling, and I’m also going to open comments for a while. If you’ve got a better idea, share it!
Meanwhile, I’ll be on Hugh Hewitt in a few minutes to talk about the subject.
UPDATE: I like the suggested name “freeroots” from the comments.
ANOTHER UPDATE: Comments are closed now. Thanks to those who commented!
Would it be helpful to have a conference bringing different rightroots together to discuss what to do post-election?
- Yes, learn from the Kossacks. (67%, 2,594 Votes)
- No, sounds too much like the Kossacks. (33%, 1,265 Votes)
Total Voters: 3,851
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Darrell says:
In!
Sure, we need a battleplan.
November 20, 2008, 6:55 pmMister Snitch! says:
You… you have COMMENTS now? I’m so stunned, I cannot comment.
November 20, 2008, 6:59 pmlorien1973 says:
The kos is only good at getting their stories pushed to the media somehow - Palin’s baby hoopla would have never reached the media if kos didn’t start and encourage conspiracy theories for a week. And I think that happens through various forms of sock puppetry. The actual influence of kos (to drive votes) is probably very minor.
November 20, 2008, 6:59 pmstan says:
I’ve got a suggestion for a battleplan. Let’s go.
November 20, 2008, 6:59 pmdre says:
Do something different, interesting and fun.
November 20, 2008, 6:59 pmBeruang says:
I can’t see it doing much good, but you never know. And since I can’t see it hurting, either, then why not? How’s that for a tepid response?
November 20, 2008, 7:00 pmClaude Hopper says:
Having a net usage conference is a good idea. However, I would not have made a Kos connection in your appeal. That gives the conference idea a negative image.
November 20, 2008, 7:01 pmRon says:
I’m commenting here on Instapundit, just to say I have! It’s almost like ‘wooden iron’ or, if you prefer, the Thomistic ‘most purple.’ I now ascend to blog commenter Valhalla…
I’m sorry what’s the topic again? Oh, sure, yeah, let’s call it ‘KnotKos .’
November 20, 2008, 7:03 pmBrahma says:
The plan should include figuring out what worked, and determining how to replicate and distribute. We ran the table in Oklahoma, even in local elections, and this is a yellow dog Democrat state, populist though from it’s very origination.
November 20, 2008, 7:07 pmJason says:
I’m against a conference if it has even the slightest similarity of purpose to Kos and his mission. About the worst thing the right can do at this point is to simply try and copy them, and particularly now, given their lame and empty victory. We laughed at them in 04 and a bit less in 06…now, because we lost, we’re ready to simply try and mimic their ascention?
Instead, why not think about new ways to reach people rather than simply planning how to out-scum the other side at their own game just for the sake of victory? Instead of simply trying to rip off the ways they make money, why not spend some time formulating some principles that money would be used for?
November 20, 2008, 7:07 pmChris Dannenmaier says:
It is painful to check a box that contains any reference to Kos in the title.
November 20, 2008, 7:07 pmAmerican Muslim says:
Just give it up. Your man-made, depraved, and corrupt systems of government and finance are crumbling and doomed. The triumph of Islam is at hand.
Renounce your false religions. Embrace Islam now and live in peace in submission to the will of Almighty Allah (swt).
Your grandchildren will be Muslim.
Allahu akbar!
November 20, 2008, 7:08 pmWellspring says:
We need to organize politically, but more importantly, we need to get organized intellectually. How long did it take to get the real story of the housing crisis from the think tanks and economists to the grassroots? By the time people understood what was happening, we’d already passed the bailout and the narrative was fixed in place that it was somehow a problem of “deregulation”.
What I don’t want are witchhunts like the kos people do against lieberman and other “infidels” that challenge their orthodoxy. Or stuff like Accountable America that hunts down conservatives to harass. We’re better than that.
November 20, 2008, 7:12 pmfustian says:
If it was me, I’d recommend that the Republicans do everything in their power to strip the mantle of objectivity from the leftist partisan press at the networks and major papers. I’d have every Republican treat those news organizations just like the dems did Fox.
Sure, it would feel like tilting against windmills at first, but if pursued, the average schlunk that decides elections these days would eventually get the idea.
Until the national “mainstream press” loses the “mainstream”, their ability to set the agenda will prevent conservative ideas from getting any kind of a fair hearing at all.
How can you get your message out, when you are forced to rely on your worst enemy to be the message carrier?
November 20, 2008, 7:17 pmLetalis Maximus, Esq. says:
Sure, but the keynote speaker has to be Senator Tom Coburn (R-OK), and he has to promise to spend his time 80% on economic issues (like earmarks and pork) and 20% social issues. The GOP would not be in the mess it is in today if more GOP congressionals had listened to Dr. Coburn more and to Trent Lott/Ted Stevens/their ilk less.
November 20, 2008, 7:19 pmJames Bennett says:
Forget about whether it’s like or unlike the Kossacks. Think of it as the Continental Congress of the 21st Century American Revolution.
It’d be a hell of a party, any event.
November 20, 2008, 7:21 pmHEWLESS says:
NO NEED TO CONFERENCE. JUST CLEAN UP ELECTION LAWS, ACORN, AND GET POLLS BEEFED UP BY REPUBLICANS ON THE GROUND. O STOLE AND BOUGHT THIS ELECTION PERIOD THE END. CONSERVATIVE IDEAS ALWAYS WIN, JUST GET SOMEONE WHO IS ACONSERVATIVE TO RUN. LIKE SARAH AND A VERY FEW OTHERS.
November 20, 2008, 7:21 pmStoutcat says:
I’m torn. Your mention of Kos, of course, brings up negative connotations, as I’m sure you intended. Despite that, or perhaps because of it, I’m inclined to say yes, we should gather, if not physically, certainly virtually.
I’d bet large money on the brainpower of the “Rightroots” against the Nutroots any day of the week, and twice on Sunday.
Perhaps the vid-kids at Pajamas Media could help organize a video conference, which would be tech-savvy and eco-friendly as well.
Topics could include:
The Big Tent–Who Stays/Who Goes?
Social Cons vs. Neo Cons
McCain: Maverick or Just Cranky?
Is Harry Reid an Alien?
Would You Have Flown a Lear Jet to DC to Beg for a Bailout?
Those are just for starters. I’m sure we could come up with more.
November 20, 2008, 7:23 pmCarl H says:
Can we also quit calling those whiney yokels ‘Kossacks’? With their current leftie-stockmarket debacle, let’s start calling them ‘Kosigners’
November 20, 2008, 7:24 pmChoey says:
Yes we need something similar to get everyone pulling in the same direction but without the sickos. It does not have to be nasty and hateful to accomplish our goals.
We also need to start our own “long march through the institutions” or nothing we do will have any permanence.
November 20, 2008, 7:30 pmBendSkier says:
Yes. The internet, and online community organizing, is key. And they did it well. We also need to do that online donation thingy, where foreign nationals like George Soros can donate unlimted funds with thousands of Donald Ducks donating $500 a pop.
November 20, 2008, 7:30 pmRobin Goodfellow says:
The left has proven quite adept at co-opting self-organizing communities and converting them into direct party communication channels. This seems to have been a very successful model for helping the Democratic party gain power.
If power is all one cares about and blind obedience to the party line is A-OK, this is a great model.
Personally, I think the success of this model is a tragedy for American democracy and is something to be countered and fought, not emulated.
November 20, 2008, 7:32 pmMark in Dayton says:
After I clicked to vote I got a message telling me I had already voted (”ID #2″…?). For the record, I had not voted and no one else has access to this commuter.
Anyway, I’m okay with having a conference provided it’s in a warm climate. Las Vegas would would be nice in March.
November 20, 2008, 7:35 pmCRL says:
With all due respect, don’t sign me up. I consider myself a libertarian. I do not have a strong connection with the Libertarian Party or any other movement, rightwing or otherwise. Instinctively, I would not feel comfortable joining in a movement or being a part of some rightwing group. To me, it seems…well, un-libertarian. Just sayin’.
November 20, 2008, 7:36 pmspiffy says:
Make up your mind, is it “rightroots” or “anti-Kos”? When you define everyone who opposes socialism and command-and-control government as “right,” then you’ve already played into their hands. Everybody who opposes them will have to share a single time-slot when the “fairness” doctrine is re-instated.
November 20, 2008, 7:38 pmTmack says:
We don’t need a conference. We already know what we,excuse me*, Republicans did wrong. Republicans became democrats, it is that simple. I voted for McCain and then the libertarians down the line. If Republicans start acting like conservaties again, libertarian conservatives, not social conservatives, the party will win again.
In the immortal words of Ronald Reagon, “Conservatism at its heart, is libertarianism.”
*I am a Libertarian.(big L that is)
November 20, 2008, 7:39 pmChris May says:
I volunteered for foot soldier duty with the McCain campaign and saw first hand how Obama kicked our ass with on line organization. Let’s not think of it as fighting the Kossacks, but co-opting the single greatest advantage of our opponents.
November 20, 2008, 7:39 pmTypewriter King says:
Mark in Dayton:
Maybe you have cookies turned off in your browser. *Shrugs*
November 20, 2008, 7:39 pmDon in Arizona says:
Yes, but let’s have a clear eye about what the objectives are:
1) To find an *essentially* (not completely) unifying set of principles around which a 51%+ coalition can agree.
2) To discuss how those principles can be communicated positively and effectively throughout the year, election cycle or not, without any reliance on the MSM
3) Discuss how every faction of the coalition has to understand that not every element of their wish list can be satisfied
That is *not* reduction to a lowest denominator … that is, in fact, exactly what Ronald Reagan did, and in fact exactly what the Democrats did this past cycle.
The problem with the GOP, and “Conservativism” in general, is that nobody really knows what it means any more. The brand image is at *best* simply obscured; at *worst* it has been redefined.
Regain the definition; drum-beat the message; circumvent the MSM.
November 20, 2008, 7:41 pmSydney Weinberg says:
The real power behind the Left wing internet efforts is evident in the organization called ActBlue. Check out opensource.org and see how ActBlue carved out a leading role in the Democratic Party. Their power lies in recruiting and funding “down market” local election races on a national scale.
Historically, both parties relied on local political machines or self-selected candidates. ActBlue is influencing that model. The Club for Growth attempts to act similarly from the right, but is not active in recruiting, screening, vetting and training candidates like ActBlue and operates more on an ad hoc basis. Nor does the Club for Growth go down to the State level.
If the rightroots want to imitate something from the Left then imitate ActBlue. ActBlue regularly promotes State legislature candidates on the DailyKos and other Lefty sites to drive donations and build their bench.
Here is a link to an interesting chart from opensource.org regarding the top contributors to the respective political parties.
http://www.opensecrets.org/overview/topcontribs.php
Yes, as an aside the chart does provide a pretty good explanation for Hank Paulson’s TARP. The dollars represented by the chart clearly represent the best investment the Wall Street banks ever made…
November 20, 2008, 7:41 pmLiberty Girl says:
We need to do something. Those currently in charge haven’t a clue what we want, nor do they care.
November 20, 2008, 7:42 pmDougW says:
Comments on instapundit; the world’s ending! May I get off, please!
OBTW: Organization, why do that, we’d just lose anyway, wouldn’t we?
November 20, 2008, 7:43 pmPopcorn says:
Yeah, do the virtual thing. And let us “meet” at state and local levels at first, just to get that community thing going.
November 20, 2008, 7:43 pmEowyn says:
It’s an interesting idea… in a way, I agree with what Robin Goodfellow said, that the Kossacks are not to be emulated– one of my biggest frustrations with the Dems during the election was their willingness to let a bunch of whack-jobs run their primary season.
That said, getting the different factions of the right together to sit and talk isn’t a bad idea. Not for a year or so, though– give people time to see what happens with a liberal House, Senate, and President, and hopefully they’ll be more willing to cooperate. I think the goal should be building a coalition, not laying down dogma a la Kos. No more looking at libertarians as outliers, no more eliminating Romney-esque candidates on religion or conversion dates, no more identity politics… that would be a rockin’ awesome coalition, and near unstoppable on a local and state level.
November 20, 2008, 7:43 pmbains says:
Glenn, your automatic refresh kills comments.
November 20, 2008, 7:45 pmMr. Bill says:
I give the Kossacks no credit for creative thinking, but I do give the Obama campaign credit for their innovative use of the internet in advancing his message (what little message there was) and their ability to build grass-roots support. It is the Republicans (the conservative wing) that needs to develop a message and a rightroots conference couldn’t hurt since the Republicans apparently can’t do it for themselves.
November 20, 2008, 7:49 pmDamian DeWitt says:
Too bad you mentioned Kos. What a waste-of-time red herring. We need to start talking and sharing ideas. Rick Moran has an excellent take on this:
And the netroots are even farther ahead now. They are organizing not just at the state level but all the way down to the precinct level to make the gains they made in 2006 and are going to make next Tuesday into a permanent, liberal majority. This will drive the Republican party to the left – much as conservative success eventually drove the Democrats to the right – and make conservatism an ideology that will be on the outside looking in.
Unless our online conservative wise men like Ruffini, Hawkins, and Henke can figure out a way to tap the enormous potential of the rightosphere and turn its energies toward creating a network of conservatives that can challenge the left at every digital turn.
http://rightwingnuthouse.com/archives/2008/10/30/remaking-the-rightroots/
November 20, 2008, 7:49 pm-
James Flanagan says:
We do need a conference and we need to unite for the next four years. Currently, the 3 groups that made up the Reagan Revolution (Libertarians, Social Conservatives, and Pro-Defense) are fighting each other. I can see that with many blog postings.
Let’s settle our differences before the next election. The best way to do this is through a grass roots effort.
The problem, that you might find, is that conservatives (especially bloggers) tend to be very independent folk and might resist. The best bet is to create better communication between the various blogs but not restrict or form a cult like community like Daily Kos.
November 20, 2008, 7:50 pmHartley says:
Yes there is strength in numbers, but only if those numbers are going in the same general direction..
November 20, 2008, 7:50 pmRebeccaH says:
I believe it’s imperative that the right get its act together and pursue new strategies, and the best way to begin that is an online community. But it should be an online community that does not tolerate lunatics and fringers. Even Kos was surprised and appalled at the depth to which the weirdos inhabiting his site fell, and that is saying something indeed, but he tolerated even them. “Rightroots” (I hate that term) shouldn’t fall into that trap.
November 20, 2008, 7:52 pmTigerHawk says:
I’m really only commenting so that I can tell my grandchildren that “I once commented on Instapundit!”
That said, who could be against a blogger conference? We need a shot in the arm, and with sufficient grape and grain it could be a lot of fun to boot.
November 20, 2008, 7:54 pmBarnacle Bill says:
Their victory isn’t “lame and empty”. They worked for it. 8 years of howling seems to have paid off for them, so why not us?
November 20, 2008, 7:54 pmStan says:
I really don’t see why we are even debating whether to do this. The new media is clearly the future and increasingly influential. We should have done this sort of thing years ago.
November 20, 2008, 7:58 pmDavid says:
I am for this, but isn’t this a bit like herding cats?
November 20, 2008, 8:00 pmJay_AutoX says:
Yes, we need something to get us together.
It would be nice to have a central place to exchange ideas.
As an example, we all know how biased the MSM is.
We also know, and they know, that they’re going out of business.
But powers that be in the MSM are convinced that they’re dying because of the Internet - not because of the quality of their product.
As long as they have the stockholders buying that argument, they’ll continue to fade away.
One way to get their attention, however, would be if a large number of conservatives, libertarians, etc. would cancel their subscriptions all on the same day.
Just letting our subscriptions expire doesn’t send a message that the MSM can understand. Thousands of cancelled subscriptions all on the same day might get their attention.
The virtue of a forum for exchanging these ideas is not only that they could be organized but that they could be improved upon. Perhaps it would be sufficient if thousands of people suspended their subscriptions for a couple of weeks around the time the subscriptions audits are conducted. I don’t know.
One additional idea is to ask the Weekly Standard to carry straight news as we would like the MSM to report it in addition to their regular fare. If they did, then many who have dropped Time and Newsweak might pick up the Weekly Standard.
Maybe these ideas are good - maybe they’re bad - but it would be nice to have a forum for them.
Jay
November 20, 2008, 8:00 pmMoose-olini says:
The Kos kids lack the ability to self-mock. It is easy for them to “gee-whiz-let’s-put-on-a-show”.
I’d be willing to take a chance at looking silly and gather for an InstaCon, provided it takes place in Knoxville.
November 20, 2008, 8:02 pmJ says:
I voted against, but am open to being convinced. It needs an agenda and focus or all you get is a free for all. A free for all just feeds the extremists. Think of that as a lesson from the Kossacks.
Conservatives have to get active locally.
1. School boards. Get our kid’s brains back.
November 20, 2008, 8:03 pm2. Election commissions. Are we loosing elections at the county level?
3. GOTV at primary time. If you want to get rid of the dead wood in the party, you have to get rid of them in the primaries, a la Palin ousting Murkowski for governor. The party machines get the party insiders to vote in the primaries. That’s how Stevens got back in. Primary turnout tends to be very low.
Two Dogs says:
Getting the base together is a great idea, we should have it in Knoxville or Memphis is even better.
November 20, 2008, 8:06 pmHarry says:
All social con issues decided on the local level.
November 20, 2008, 8:10 pmAll economic issues decided on free market basis.
Defense strong, government small and efficient.
Permanently out of the Obama lite, rainbow stew business.
All illegals out now.
Jail time for all the con men, thieves, crooks and commies that have screwed with the American system, I am talking about you ACORN, and Jefferson, and Stevens and all the crooks. Toss them in jail and toss the key away.
Mister Snitch! says:
“I am for this, but isn’t this a bit like herding cats?”
David: You decide.
November 20, 2008, 8:10 pmCannoneer No. 4 says:
“Rightroots” is not a term the disparate coalition of American Exceptionalists, libertarians, people who want to be left the hell alone, Gulchers, Constitutionalists, Appleseeds, bitter clingers, Christians, Patriots, and entrepreneurial frontiersmen who oppose the Left should accept for themselves.
Community organizing is what the other guy does. We need autonomous swarms of distributed information operators, digital Army of Davids, non-hierarchical, loose-cannon counterpropagandists attacking the other side’s narratives from multiple directios.
November 20, 2008, 8:11 pmJay_AutoX says:
One additional thought.
For now all the comments on this issue have been quite civil which is great.
But it will only be a matter of time before the trolls show up. If such an online forum becomes a reality, there will have to be some means of policing and excluding the trolls.
That censorship and will take time and resources or limited posting access.
Is there a way for readers to block posts with key words or from particular posters?
Jay
November 20, 2008, 8:12 pmkende says:
A conference with workshops, PJTV interviews, “speed-dating” style mixer events, panel discussions, and other opportunities for talent and money to brainstorm together (most of all tech, communiations, and battlespace organizing talent) would be very valuable. It being anything like the Kossacks? Not so much.
I think the tone of an event like that is what really matters. It shouldn’t be a gathering of the wild eyed fringe. Show up to build a winning coalition and winning campaign infrastructure, or don’t show up.
November 20, 2008, 8:17 pmarmadillo says:
Call the organization whatever you want, but the slogan should be –
No — screw you, Markos.
November 20, 2008, 8:17 pmajacksonian says:
First folks have to realize there was only a 51% turnout of the adult voting age population in this last election. Trying to appeal within that is playing the Left zero-sum game and turning off more people. Perhaps it is time to start talking to those who don’t vote? If 8 million voting age americans were added between 2004-8, and 4 million fewer show up, that is a net loss of 12 million, 4 million traditional voters and 8 million new ones that didn’t bother to join in. That is no longer representative democracy.
If you believe, as the founders did, that the answer for a sick democracy was more democracy, then perhaps it is time to foster an unsticking of the House from its 1911 size? You cannot get to know a politician when there are districts over 500,000 people in size. That ratio has to go down, to get more people involved and change ‘Representative’ from a perpetual incumbent position to something known as a ‘Job’. The Constitution allows 1:30,000… the House gets to set its size: this is broken. This will get money *out* of politics as the number of politicians rises quickly. The closer you get to the Constitutional limit, the more fractionated all these influence groups become and fighting over single seats becomes a lost cause. Remove the House personal staff and make these politicians actually have to talk directly to their neighbors, handle their own damned calls and not be able to ‘flack’ anyone. If you add the staff size of the House to the House members you get very close to 1:30,000 as the ratio. The *staff* could represent you *better* than the Representatives can at this point. Do that, get citizens to actually know they can run and even win a seat and get their hands on the process and representative democracy starts to mean something again. Until then you are just pushing elites around, and they know each other better than they will ever know *you*.
November 20, 2008, 8:18 pmSAM says:
We need a conference that will start the process of
Finding young, dynamic candidates that understand and can articulate the importance of limited government, low taxes and a strong defense. McCain was a weak candidate who was in love with his maverickness and has never been a fiscal conservative.
Establishing a better internet network of individuals and organizations.
Finding a way to blunt the power of the MSM, which will only get stronger having assisted their preferred candidate get elected. In particular, finding ways to diseminate information the MSM refuses to publish if it may damage a democrat. The MSM sat on stories this election season more than ever before and we were powerless.
Learning that with a braod coalition we won’t get all our wishes met but to prioritize what’s best for the nation.
November 20, 2008, 8:19 pmStephen says:
Sure. We begin by going BizarroAyers… nah, we are three generations too late.
November 20, 2008, 8:19 pmThere will be blood.
JWF says:
I don’t necessarily think conferences are the answer. The right needs to present a coherent alternative to the left with much better leadership than they currently have. Recruiting and developing some younger candidates, closing the primaries and hammering away on the Democrats when they deserve it is necessary.
November 20, 2008, 8:20 pmbains says:
I think it was Bill Whitttle who suggested that such a convention ought to be held in the geographic center of the nation. Right direction (away from DC), wrong state (Kansas). Try Colorado, Iowa, Montana, New Mexico, or Nevada. Here in Colorado, our state GOP is abysmal (stunningly stagnant). There are no state-wide candidates who engender widespread passion – primarily because there are no true grassroot organization.
Additionally, I don’t think any convention held by the “rightroots” would have the condescending contentiousness that Koskiddies foster. While both hold in contempt folks from both parties, the right is far less susceptible to building caricatures – strawmen – out of our perceived political enemies. (Revisit how the right dealt with Lincoln Chaffee vs. how the left dealt with Joe Liebermann if in doubt.)
As for the message, I am more put off by Huckabee’s socially conservative economically populist positions than I am by Romney or Palin’s heartfelt conservative social values and economic libertarianism. I am more put off by Kathleen Parker’s condescending cocktail-circuit elitism than I am by Rush Limbaugh’s conservative dogmatism. Yet I think homosexual couples chosing to enter a partnership commitment should not have to go through the extra efforts to enjoy both benefit and pitfall. While I would like to see Roe .v. Wade overturned, I will still fight for a woman’s right to abort a child. Especially during the first trimester – But I have no problem protecting the unborn from fickle late term decisions and abortion as a post hoc contraceptive.
In short, our message ought to be economically and socially conservative, without the browbeating, and in fact governmental intrusiveness championed by progressives.
Irrespective of the narrative that the McCain campaign allowed to be built regarding Sarah Palin, she is emblematic of what I think a conservative candidate should be.
One final point - one that many should think deeply upon. Thank goodness we will not have to defend McCain’s peculiar version of conservatism – eight years of Bush should show the folly of accepting faux conservatives.
November 20, 2008, 8:21 pmSalamantis says:
Poll registered Repubs first, nationwide. And I don’t mean with slanted push-polls; I mean with unloaded questions. And ask about everything; social, fiscal, and foreign policy. Any subsequent modifications of platform, accentuation or focus should be based upon the returns.
November 20, 2008, 8:22 pmchairman says:
It’s time for a Million Gun March on Washington. Not an insurrection, mind you, but a show of numbers, and sincerity. All other ideas should be disregarded.
November 20, 2008, 8:23 pmCharlie Domino says:
I’d like a seat at that table. It’s time to establish a game plan that doesn’t involve the Republican Party; not after their trashing of Sarah Palin (which was motivated by fear of the conservative base). If the party doesn’t want us, then we don’t want it. Seriously, ask yourself how many years out of the last 44 have we conservatives actually run the party?
Since Barry Goldwater? Eight. The first six of Reagan’s terms, and two years under Gingrich. We kid ourselves when we call the moderates “RINO”; a more correct term would be “party leaders” would it not?
November 20, 2008, 8:27 pmMedaura says:
The notion of a true Conservative is farcically reinvented off the lips of the latest self-proclaimed specimen, the same way that “change” has become a politically prostituted mantra for the Left, devoid of any substance or pretense there of. Yet change can ultimately be anything as far as it concerns Leftist “revolutionaries” preaching overhaul for the sake of overhaul: nothing ideologically uncomfortable about it. While the Party of perpetual “progressive” reform need not be bothered with the intricacies of a well-defined “change”, conserving for the sake of conservation just doesn’t fly as well. The future is necessarily open-ended, but anyone invested in preserving valuable aspects of a supposedly cherished past, needs to be able to coherently pinpoint what is worth preserving (or even restoring, if the past is remote enough) and fluently articulate why.
November 20, 2008, 8:29 pmJayDee says:
We’re running late already. For the left, the campaign of 2010 started Nov. 5th.
November 20, 2008, 8:29 pmSarah says:
Count me amongst the “working comments on Instapundit? No way!” crowd.
I think we need to figure out how to get conservatives and libertarians interested in fighting on the same turf the enemy is fighting on. Not showing up to the battle - giving up Twitter, CafePress, Facebook, YouTube, NewsTrust, and so on to children and left-wing activists - just makes their win a sure thing. In the same way that homeschooling doesn’t do much good for future if all it does is convince kids how the world is lame and they should avoid participating, conservativism/libertarianism can’t be an influence if we’ve all decided to just ignore the internet. I mean, look how well ignoring public schools and Congress worked.
Having said that, groups like ProtestWarrior - that try and duplicate the methods of the opposition without first getting rid of the things that are more about ideology and worldview than effectiveness - don’t seem to work out too well. The question isn’t “should we duplicate Kos” but rather “what aren’t we doing now that we can and should be doing?”
November 20, 2008, 8:30 pmSAM says:
Since the GOP lost there are plenty of pundits playing the blame game, but none seem to acknowledge that McCain was simply a very weak candidate and Obama, with his compelling story and significant media support was nearly unstoppable. The media finally had an attractive candidate behind which to hide liberalism. After Gore and Kerry, the media used it’s full power to accomplish what they couldn’t before.
Some want to blame social conservatives but when independent and democrat voters in California, who voted overwhelmingly for Obama, crossed over to vote against gay marriage it’s hard to say this country doesn’t have socially conservative tendencies.
We don’t have a stable of potential candidates from which to chose. Frankly, none of the republican candidates were appealing. They may have each had a niche market within the party but none of them had the “it” factor or enough interest from the rest of the coalition. In an era of images and soundbites, we need someone who can compete in that medium better, who’s telegenic without being a preener like Edwards, who’s articulate and doesn’t fumble with words like Bush, who can explain simply but effectively about myriad economic matters. I didn’t see anyone like that this election.
November 20, 2008, 8:33 pmSteve says:
Kos is like hitler!
(Do I win the Godwin award?)
The rightroots is a good ideaa for collaboration, concerted fundraising, but probably not a good idea to reflect the style/putridity that is KOS and the angry kossacks. Of course, very different people regardless, so not a huge danger of that happening.
November 20, 2008, 8:36 pmbains says:
In fact Glenn, there should be 20-50 conventions. Held in states that have traditional red state values and voting patterns, but that are purple or recently blue. On of the biggest problems is a lack of connectivity with the conservative/libertarian community that exists all around. We have been successfully browbeat into hiding our heads in shame (fear of juvenile leftist retribution?) for not adhering to school taught and media reinforced progressive dogma.
The new libertarian/conservative movement needs to show that we are not isolated islands within our communities.
November 20, 2008, 8:46 pmCarl Pham says:
I have to say, if sensible libertarian conservatism stands for anything, it stand for (1) choosing to have a real life instead of live through your politics, and (2) having a steady individual philosophy that is NOT responsive to the mood of the moment be your guide to what politics you do have.
So the idea of forming a caucus to allow politics to help dictate philosophy (or even which aspects of the philosophy to strategically emphasize) is nauseating. To hell with that.
The mood of the voters swings, as it ever does. Right now, maybe they’re a little jaded, taking things for granted, wanting to experiment in the hopes of reaching Heaven on Earth. It happens. When it does, the party of hucksterism and hustling has a natural advantage, because their ideas and proposals are not constrained by any sense of shame, or the limitations of reality, or of who we are as men and women. So be it. Off we go, to the inevitable sad day o’ reckoning.
And when that happens, people turn back to those who are cautious, reliable, who think before they leap, who value real-world experience over beautiful academic theory, and so forth. We should be there for them. If we join — even a little — the game of salesmanship, we demean ourselves, and encynicize the young voter.
As Jonah Goldberg requoted, with reference to the Hank Paulson Daily Surprise Show and the economy, sometime the best approach is “don’t just do something — stand there!” Let’s just stand here, and stand for the same old plain values, and decline to play the hustler’s game of Newer Better Faster, You May Be A Winner Already.
November 20, 2008, 8:46 pmMark says:
I think we freeroots (libertarian) effort is just the thing. A movement to shrink and restrain government can only occur outside the larger-than-life parties. Needs a different path. The Libertarian Party is a mess, so that is also a non-path. Overhauling a party from top-down takes longer and longer. Too long. If ever.
Find the people in the minor leagues and support. City and county level. A lot of little battles can be won, with a network of people built and coordinated (a little).
Do not make a long list of principles, and allow the principles to be adaptable to local scenarios. If enough authentic, freedom-minded people can get some action at a local level then this can become something. Of course, the effort starts with what the principles are.
November 20, 2008, 8:47 pmHarvey says:
Feeling alone is a rough place at which to be . A conference is a great idea for us to begin talking about what we really mean when we say we are Conservatives. We do not have to feel alone in our beliefs. What do we stand for and how do we proudly talk about it ? How do we educate the public about our beliefs. We are more then a group who are against “things” We must stand for something meaningful to us all. Developing a group conscience about our beliefs would be a great beginning.
November 20, 2008, 8:47 pmSeth Williams says:
You have to tailor your tactics for your foe. I’m thinking “the Chicago way”, a la “The Untouchables”.
November 20, 2008, 8:47 pmDan Cleary says:
I think a rightroots conference is a great idea. Especially if it leads to the following for 2010 and 2012:
1. The GOP nominating better, more conservative candidates for national office.
2. A broader, more amplified platform for Republican/conservative principles.
Let’s leave references to Kos out of it though. Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, and he’s the last guy on earth I’d want to flatter by imitating.
November 20, 2008, 9:03 pmbains says:
Building upon my last thought, Dennis Prager has something called Parger-Groups - listeners within larger communities that share many values. What about libertarian/conservative groups that build upon Hewitt listeners, Boortz listeners, Limbaugh listeners, Mike Rosen (Denver) listeners?
Grass roots, shared core philosophies you know. PJTV is national and impersonal, how about local and personal.
November 20, 2008, 9:04 pmbains says:
Of course, Jeff Goldstein readers, Stephen Green readers, and dare I day, TalkLeft readers.
November 20, 2008, 9:14 pmNahnCee says:
I would like to see some kind of investigation into Obama’s fund-raising techniques. If the FEC won’t do it, maybe the blogosphere can track down who gave him what, and how. Then, building upon that platform, I’d like to look at ACORN and how it’s funded, who works there and what their previous criminal records are. And can they be re-arrested and ACORN disbanded for ever.
THEN - after Obama has been impeched - we can look at strengthening the Republican party. Invite Sarah Palin. Do not invite John McCain.
November 20, 2008, 9:17 pmBrock says:
A conference is exclusive and a one-shot deal. Use all of the tools the web provides to create an inclusive ongoing conversation between the electorate and the elected; between the party the people that administer the party. Polls like this are good, but sites with permanent polls and rankings, where the electorate could express their opinions in real time, would be even better.
November 20, 2008, 9:29 pmKnat says:
I haven’t read all the comments so this might have already been said, but KOS copied us!!! That’s right a little yearly conference in DC called CPAC. I’ve been going for the last 5 years and love it. Tons of young people and conservative stars. The right developed this idea and implemented it. It has been successful in bringing out the young folks if you judge by how many college kids attend. What needs to happen is the blogosphere needs to rally the wagons and push for more attendance. If we use the model that has been created but in an expanded form, we can drive our message home.
November 20, 2008, 9:31 pmwashingtonsarmy says:
Comments here…yeah, I’m as wowed as the next guy but then again that’s why I’ve always like Glenn’s site. Just the facts, ma’am.
I read as far as Liberty Girl’s comment and she hit exactly what I’ve been thinking. The Republican’s have lost their way and those currently running the show haven’t clue or the desire to change course. I for one, am tired of seeing this party turn from it’s roots or at the very least what those roots should have been. I’m too young (well, 40) to remember what it was like before Bush the older but we’ve been co-opted by Democrat ‘lite’ and we need those of us out of Washington to reset the path. I could care less of the Kos kids did it first, in warfare you adopt the tactics of your enemy if they are more successful.
I’m up for this, but as a somewhat social conservative I’ll be the first to admit we must adopt key platforms that stay away from those issues. The country has moved left or libertarian if you like, on gov’t legislating morality…we need to be focused on liberty, both personal and economic.
-washingtonsarmy
November 20, 2008, 9:31 pmZhid says:
Remember that Kos wasn’t successful in getting Democrats elected for quite a while. I don’t think you can attribute the results of the 2008 election to the Kos crowd; rather, it was the natural reaction of a population to one party being in party for an extended period of time. Everything wrong became the fault of the Republicans, because they had ruled for so long, without regard to whatever Kos said. So give the Democrats 4-6 years of power and you won’t need a rightroots, you’ll have a population that blames all of the problems on the ruling party.
November 20, 2008, 9:36 pmLostInOz says:
“Would it be helpful to have a conference bringing different rightroots together to discuss what to do post-election?”
Yes, but a get-together doesn’t in and of itself accomplish anything. Prior to such a confab, there should be some effort exerted by the organizers to set some goals, err “desired outcomes”. Also needed will be a meeting plan that can plausibly be claimed to have a reasonable chance of achieving those goals.
November 20, 2008, 9:44 pmSubotai Bahadur says:
While we should not descend to the level of madness at Daily KOS, we have to learn to use the internet to ATTACK effectively and put our ideas and memes into the mix. Such a meeting of RightRoots would almost surely not be attended by RINO’s/Quislings like Noonan, Parker, Brooks, and Christopher Buckley. [if they try, keep them out] Given that, this would be a chance to build a coalition of the possible, finding where we can agree, and where we can agree to disagree. Even in the worst case scenario [not unthinkable, sadly possible] where politics are not electoral, it would be good to build the bonds to get us through the hard times to come.
November 20, 2008, 9:50 pmCarol191 says:
I like “freeroots”, yeah.
In place of the Kos model, we are overdue for the kind of participatory clearinghouse MoveOn provides: we need a thousand conferences, hubbed into the big one, because it’s the street-by-street local engagement that is starved, and ultimately are “the roots”.
Count me in, where do I login? Where do I comment? When can I start?
November 20, 2008, 9:57 pmJim Hoft says:
YES! YES! YES!
Glenn- Let’s have it in St. Louis. After all, Missouri is the only battleground state that went to McCain. Also, it is easy to get to and it is cheap.
I could get the ball rolling now for an early year Blogger Weekend.
Jim
November 20, 2008, 10:00 pmMr. G says:
First of all conservatives need better ideas. We all say that if only the Republicans acted like conservatives in office and didn’t spend things would be better. That’s great but conservatives are not supposed to be the ones arguing that we need to trust to everyone’s better selves. We believe in separation of powers and we now need some way to deliver fiscal balance of power to the voter the same way the Constitution delivered political balance of power to the voter. We would never say that democracy would work if only the leaders didn’t usurp power and become tyrants so why should we say government would work better if only elected Republicans acted the way Republican voters want them to. Good government doesn’t just happen. Its structures need to be sound and it needs to respond to its citizens.
Secondly the Blue states are economic basket cases. New York State where I live is in perpetual decline and the only major industry left (the financial sector) is probably done for also. Upstate New York is so bad its cheaper to buy a house then rent because there are no jobs and property is so worthless that the profit margin asked for by a landlord is pricier than the property. There may just be a few inroads against the Democrats to be made in such areas. Unfortunately the Republicans are so corrupt they would rather line their pockets also and let things go straight to hell.
Fortunately, conservatives are not like Kos Kidz. We don’t jump up and down and pretend we’re tough and then go docile when the party elders and elite come to take the prize. Conservatives know that the strength of the country is in the talents of its citizenry and we demand our due. There is an economic incentive for turning this around and not just hatred for the other side. Lets do it.
November 20, 2008, 10:02 pmTennwriter says:
Very quickly as my comment keeps getting eaten…
1. Quiz winning state party leaders on what they did right (OK, TN…)
November 20, 2008, 10:08 pm2. Icon for the Meet: Honest Abe Lincoln. He’s an antidote for many of our current errors.
3. Its not the socons fault (socons are more popular than Republicans right now, and we’ve been out of power), or Sarah Palin (the one good thing in the campaign), or the tarians fault either. Its Rinos, Country Clubbers, Inside the Beltwayism….
4. Time for full-bore across the board conservatism. Time for a vision of the better future this entails.
5. Fifty state conventions, yes, please.
HEWLESS says:
ALL OF THESE MANY INSIGHTS IGNORE THE ELEPHANT IN THE ROOM. GEORGE SOROS AND FOREIGN MONIES BOUGHT THIS ELECTION. NY TIMES WILL BE BAILED OUT.
November 20, 2008, 10:12 pmMSNBC (GE) WILL BE BAILED OUT TO THE TUNE OF 200 BILLION DOLLARS. MCLAME WAS OWNED BY SOROS. THAT HAPPENED AT THE TIME OF AMNESTY MESS. ADD ACORN TO THAT AND SEC. OF STATES SET UP IN ALL IMPORTANT STATES, AND IT READS LIKE A BAD NOVEL. CONFERENCE ALL YOU WANT. IT IS TIME TO SCREAM AND YELL. PASSIVE REPS. AND SENATORS ARE A THING OF THE PAST. THEY YELLED FOR EIGHT YEARS, AND BUSH TOOK IT. IF HE WOULD HAVE FOUGHT AND EXPLAINED, HE MIGHT HAVE RALLIED SOME CONSERVATIVES, WHO JUST GAVE UP ON REPUBLICANS.
Edward Tabakin says:
If there is a conference, be sure to ask Grover Norquist to talk about his book “Leave Us Alone.” His insight is that there are two coalitions, the “leave us alone” group and the “takings” coalition. The “leave us alone” coalition is composed of groups and individuals who have a primary vote-moving issue–taxes, business regulations, faith, family and property rights, etc–who want nothing from the government except to be left alone. The “takings” coalition are groups that want the government to do something for them — govt jobs, tax money funding, regulation of business, trial lawyers, city political machines.
The Republicans should become the party of the “leave us alone” coalition and organize itself on those principles. Norguist argues that that it’s low maintenance, that people don’t have to agree on every issue, that what unifies the group is the desire to be left alone in the important areas of their lives.
A few weeks before the election, C-Span replayed Norquist speaking about his book from this spring. If you google “book tv grover norquist”, you’ll find the C-Span page and can view the video. It sounds to me like a good unifying principle for reorganizing the Republican party. For historical reasons, the Republicans have always had a big govt element in the party, from Federalists to Whigs and the American Plan to the McKinley Tariff, the Smoot-Hawley tariff, up to the bridges and RRs to nowhere of today. Reagan gave “small government democrats (whose last previous political leader was Grover Cleveland) a place to go and a party to join. That’s what we need to focus on, not promising potential voters more slices of pie baked with someone else’s tax money, but promising to keep meddlesome government off their backs so they can live their lives in peace, free from government interference and taxmen.
November 20, 2008, 10:15 pmBenson says:
1. Action, not talk. Out of power, propose legislation (that will be defeated); issue trenchant policy statements, and attack bad bills with unprecedented ad campaigns. End the foolish dependence on the biased media to inform the public of the truth of bad legislation — use advertising.
2. Inject the flaccid GOP with solid, rational Libertarian ideas: free markets, free minds.
3. Press the case against Dodd and Frank by advertising in their states and calling for their impeachment or defeat. Show the public what they did: use the videos that show them saying “there is nothing wrong here.” Hang them out to dry.
4. Build a case against both Obama and the press, much as a prosecutor does when trying to put a felon away. Record and document simply everything starting NOW. Press bias, Obama’s background and appointments and deeds — facts, not conspiracist fantasies. Pelosi, Reid and Schumer will know they are being closely watched and their every word recorded and archived for later use; that will help now. In a year or two, this information could be devastating. Put it before the public in an internet-plus-old-media blitz.
5. Give the religious right a choice: either stop burdening the GOP, or be consigned to permanent sideline status. The abortion war was lost years ago — women will never tolerate a return to the bad old days. The core issues are the freedoms of speech and press, and the operation of the free market. All else is cultural custom, to be decided by the individual for himself alone, and not imposed on others. The Liberty to speak, read, write and transact mutually voluntary business will be restored, government will be returned to servant status, and the collectivist authoritarianism of outfits like ACORN will be exposed as the deceptive fascism it is. All Republicans either agree to the basic principles we inherted from the Enlightenment, or we slam the door on their fingers. No more RINOS. Meanwhile, while the housecleaning proceeds, those who mix religion with politics will simply have to get out of the way.
6. Stop calling it “the war on terrorism.” It is yet another struggle against expansionist Islam, and terrorism is just one of the enemy’s tactics. Call it what it is: “the defense of the West.” Policy: each dangerous Islamic group must never be allowed to succeed. Muslims who are not dangerous are not our enemies.
7. End the absurdities that make domestic airline travel unsafe and inconvenient. Use some common sense for a change! Impose policies that make another Waco or Ruby Ridge impossible. Legislate the legal status of Al Qaeda and similar detainees, removing them from the US jurisprudential system’s oversight. Draft and enforce a rational immigration policy.
November 20, 2008, 10:16 pmMark says:
Leave my money alone and I’ll leave your lifestyle/body alone.
Fair enough?
November 20, 2008, 10:17 pmDEK46656 says:
A couple of things I’d like to add:
November 20, 2008, 10:21 pm• Name or Label: I vote for “pseudo-con’s”, conservatives in most practices, but not associated with the extremes. No religion, and realistic / practical views of social issues (anything that reduces / stops unwanted pregnancies / abortions, not just abstinence), balanced family law (fathers rights issues), and the idea that “gay marriage” is a national decision, and will probably have to be decided by the SCOTUS; the rights of the individual (who are gay/les) versus the rights of the community (or to form a community… a marriage).
• Financial: flat tax; only dependants as deductions. Each wage earner (dependant) deducts (out of their taxable income) minimum wage. Non-wage earners (children, etc) cut half of that. Everything is income, no special tax for capital gains, etc. Everyone pays the same rate regardless of their total annual income; if they don’t clear the “deduction” level, they don’t pay tax. This would shift the burden of tax to those making more, but do it fairly.
• Financial: Social Security; privatize it! Get the money out of the hands of people (the legislature) that can’t keep from spending more than comes in.
• Government: balance budget amendment (tied into flat tax?); the only time it cannot be balanced is in times of national emergency (war, natural catastrophe). If tied to the tax rate, than make a super majority of both houses (as well as the president) required to raise or lower the rate.
• Government: military; review / change the purchasing approach… milspec drives the cost sky high. This should lower the cost of maintaining the military. Speaking of the military..
• Government: military; no real changes (other than purchasing). They are about what should be needed, not too big (a 2 front war at most) and not too small.
I could go on, but I’ll leave it at this for now…
Sledge says:
It seems to me that we need to prioritize first. Our primary problem is one of ridding ourselves of or marginalizing RINOs and of educating, in a forthright, accessible, relevant manner, the public about what’s happening to our country and why. Most folks actually want to know but don’t know how to research. They don’t want to surf for dry political commentary or read news that never gets to a point, but assumes the reader knows the background of every issue. They’re tired of the assumption that they’re all members of the choir. A site with indexed video and text by folks who can actually communicate a conservative view of history, thought, and issues would, properly promoted, be welcome by more people than we generally think.
This we can do without hyperbole or hysteria. It’s preaching to the heathen rather than each other. Most people simply don’t know. Such a site would need to be vetted, of course, and questions (not comments) could be submitted with responses incorporated as clarifications or in targeted faq’s.
Good luck. Something like this is disparately needed. I know many issues would need to be resolved but it’s better than losing another election to ignorance and better promotion than our calm, plodding, restrained, gun-shy (irony alert) approach thus far.
November 20, 2008, 10:22 pmRaven says:
1)Sydney Weinberg : I should point out that there is an alternative to “actblue”. That is a non-profit called the American Legislative Exchange Council, however I believe they focus more on recruiting legislators then funding their campaigns.
2) I think the rightroots needs to look more broadly. Kos gets a lot of attention because a lot of people go there and say ridiculous things and I don’t want the right associated with that (who does?).
Instead we need to look at successful left wing organizations of all types and see what works and what doesn’t in terms of organizational structure. Ideally (I think) we would have a central “hub” of right roots with both a large popular input.
Branching off from this would be the various right wing think tanks, fund raising organizations for both candidates (at all levels of government) as well as various issues.
The right roots would be centered around individual participation, but it would have regular postings about current event issues, conservative philosophy as well as long running intellectual debates written by conservative intellectuals and politicians.
3) In related to my last point, while I think we should absolutely look at their organization, I think we also need to look at our own philosophies, policy prescriptions and issues. I go to a large, public university and while there are plenty of people who have conservative ideas, few of them feel like the Republicans offer realistic policy alternatives to the Democrats. I think if we are to found a “right roots” this discussion-what policy alternatives to use-should be its first project, with the major intellectuals posting public essays with open comments to the community.
November 20, 2008, 10:24 pmAlmost Ali says:
With CitiBank on the verge of penny stock-dom, and John McCain safely re-ensconced in the back-slappers club - you tell me the difference between a Republican and a Democrat.
None. Zero. Nada.
November 20, 2008, 10:25 pmHucbald says:
I believe this is a good idea, if for no other reason than to counter some of the overreactions from the “right.” We have libertarian writers saying we ought to abandon the religious folks, free marketeers saying similar things, and all kinds of other teetering-on-the-edge-of-the abyss nonsense. If we were to get a bunch of social conservatives, free marketeers and libertarians in the same place at the same time, I think we would understand it’s, “all hang together or all hang separately.”
I’d sure like to sweep some of this chicken little crap under the carpet and move on to free market/limited government ideals. It was abandoning those principles that sunk the Republicans, not religious social conservatives. There’s more overlap than not in the logical Republican constituencies, and getting a bunch of us together would make that plainly clear.
November 20, 2008, 10:30 pmtoaster says:
It can’t hurt. Liked several ideas on here. But most importantly: comment! on Instapundit!
November 20, 2008, 10:34 pmBrian J. Dunn says:
What? Getting email instructions from Karl Rove isn’t good enough for us now?
November 20, 2008, 10:41 pmDavid says:
Glenn, Count me in no matter where it is. We have to do something. I am willing to work for it.
November 20, 2008, 10:52 pmLuke says:
http://www.rightonline.com/
November 20, 2008, 11:08 pmJ. S. McGinley says:
One Question:
If not now, when?
November 20, 2008, 11:12 pmWill Conway says:
Love the idea. I’d surely be there! Also - keep comments going on your posts… I know you got rid of them a while ago for obvious reasons, but try it again! I love it!
Will Conway
November 20, 2008, 11:15 pmRegardingLiberty.blogspot.com
Eowyn says:
Subotai Bahadur– With respect, the idea of banning the likes of Kathleen Parker and Christopher Buckley will get us nowhere. Those people were well-respected 4 months ago, and I severely doubt that not being able to stomach voting for McCain has changed their internal makeup. A LOT of conservatives can’t stomach McCain, myself included. I voted for him against my better judgment because voting for Obama was more against my better judgment, but blaming people who thought otherwise is useless. This is America. Buckley, Parker, etc. shouldn’t be blacklisted for one act of electoral willfulness. How can we expect to rebuild a coalition of any sorts if we’re not willing to take in allies who disagreed with us in one thing. We ALL disagree with each other in at least one thing. Your ‘RINOS’ just happened to have bigger targets on their backs.
Besides, Christopher Buckley is freakin’ hilarious.
November 20, 2008, 11:17 pmgonk says:
“Learn from the Kossacks”?
Scary words.
November 20, 2008, 11:18 pmPatrick in Toms River says:
For those saying ban the RINO’s, social conservatives, etc., please remember the Republicans received 56 million votes, the Democrats received 66 million votes. We can’t expect to add votes and start the process by subtracting votes. Reagan was a big tent person. We could use this gathering to gather, not stiff arm potential allies. As for uniting worshippers and libertarians, how about a preacher who fathered a libertarian. The InstaDad.
November 20, 2008, 11:21 pmNolanimrod says:
OK. But first do what you were supposed to do in school anyway and never did. Read Wealth of Nations and The Federalist Papers.
And The Autobiography of Benvenuto Cellini just to give us a roadmap.
November 20, 2008, 11:23 pmBrian L says:
The problem with this sort of activism, is that libertarian minded conservatives… the kind that the right needs,frankly… are not inclined to make broad governance the center of their lives.
We want the government to be so limited that periodic elections are enough to keep the trains on time and the army fed.
Beyond that, we’d rather our fellow citizens, themselves and especially through the awesome power of the government, simply leave us the hell alone. Treat the people with benign neglect.
Involve the government in the markets where it can smooth the edges of capitalism, to wit, by enforcing hyper transparency so the price finding process can work. (Had the CDO and MBS stuff and all formulas been published and traded on an exchange, they would have been abandoned before inflating the bubble as people priced the stuff in the basement by analyzing the risk and problems with the models).
November 20, 2008, 11:25 pmMwalimu Daudi says:
I vote “Present”.
November 20, 2008, 11:27 pmRichard says:
May I suggest, just for starters, a conference hosted by Instapundit himself. Would be a great way to begin…shaking the rafters at UT’s University Center ballrooms and auditoreum! This actually is the way the Reagan revolution began-conferences of YAF (best fun was burning the Soviet flag!), CPAC, etc. I’m dating myself, but yes, I was there. Such a conference would certainly attract anyone who has an interest in becoming a leader of those who will have to save the country after 4 years of Carter-II.
November 20, 2008, 11:29 pmReagan Fan says:
One group I haven’t seen mentioned is women. Personally, I have never seen so many women energized on the right as I did this election. Call it an Army of Palins if you will but we should build on this momentum. I would like to see more women involved in all levels of our movement.
November 20, 2008, 11:30 pmRaven says:
Brian L. Isn’t that ideal worth activism for? And if not, how do you expect it come to being?
Personally I think the GOP, so as to bridge the gap between our free market instincts and the current economic crisis that many lay (whether fairly or not) at the free markets feet, we should focus on sensible government regulations.These can be enforced with a fairly small number of regulators and wouldn’t be prohibitively expensive for firms to comply with. This is just one example of ways the conservatives should counter the left in new ways.
November 20, 2008, 11:35 pmDowntown ATL says:
What if we ask our new president to name one new social goal or social program that we can meet. Anything he wants, we’ll deliver, tax free.
November 20, 2008, 11:36 pmScylfing says:
Posting in an epic thread.
I’m seeing a lot of comments lamenting reference to the Kossacks, that their tactics and methods are deplorable and shouldn’t be emulated in any way. The problem is, you don’t have much choice anymore, because they are at war with you and they’ve just won a Marathon-level victory. The folk who drove the Dems’ big wins are not nice people, they hate you for who you are–which is to say you’re “The Other” and are their only real obstacle to power. It may not be a hot war but it is war that’s upon you whether you like it or not.
Organizing at the local level is a good start, and it should aim at local and state elections as much as social networking. Get together and exchange mobile numbers/email/IMs/Facebook accounts/blog sites, start collaborative projects or just network your individual projects together. Bounce ideas off each other, especially with regard to how to move from defense to offense when confronted by a Nutrooter, or just how to better assert and defend your ideas in polite conversation.
On that point, don’t worry so much about ideological purity. You’re getting gamed big-time by the Left because of this, it’s the classic divide-and-conquer strategem and it’s killing you. Accept and embrace the diversity of opinion on your side–you do not have a monopoly on Truth, so recognize that the “traditionalists” or the “libertarians” aren’t “religious nutters” or “godless heathens” and they might just have something to contribute to the cause of Liberty.
One more thing: there’s too much complaining about the MSM going on too. Of course they’re in the tank, stop whining about it and set up your own hard news/investigative reporting media. Too many conservatives have gone the commentary-mag or commentary-blog route, when what you need to develop is a serious, independent press alternative to the jokers from the networks/newspapers. You have the resources at your disposal now with your presence in the New Media, so use it for getting the facts out there.
Best of luck, I hope you folks get this worked out soon.
November 20, 2008, 11:41 pmrastajenk says:
I thought the point of getting the internet advantage in politics was speed, that you can set these kinds of agenda without the wasted logistical energy of a convention. Sounds to me like more of a social event producing echo chamber-like acoustics than a serious collaboration on plotting The Way Forward.
November 20, 2008, 11:45 pmbains says:
With respect Eowyn, very few on the right want to ban Parker or Buckley. Rather we would have them designated cocktail-circuit conservatives - sometimes good ideas but forlorn from honest discussion until they chose to leave the leftist coastal-elite echo chambers they deem representative of the GOP base.
They are defacto progressives who would have us emulate recent winning strategies of promising everything to all constituents.
Kathleen Parker, Peggy Noonen, David Brooks, et al., would have us compromise core beliefs just to win elections. Pyhrric victories just to justify their choice of conservative suave.
Let them speak. Let them earn respect within the ranks of the biased leftist legacy media. Let them make fools of themselves - they speak not of real conservative values, only of promised invites to the coastal elite cocktail parties.
November 20, 2008, 11:49 pmCincinnatus says:
Speaking of Pyrric victories, the Kos kids think about strategically gathering power, but no real concern with what to do with power. They will leave little effect on the world in the long term.
If we are the opposite of them, then we will promote our ideas, not our people. We will share the rights and principles of the scrappy individual. And we will slowly, subtly, quietly win. Is the 2nd amendment weaker in the years since Micheal Moore made “Bowling for Colombine”?
November 21, 2008, 12:01 amMW says:
A conference is good, if it helps cool some of the tensions between different branches of the right, e.g. between so-cons and libertarians.
But lets not model it after Kos. Kos more or less admitted once, with pride, that he was mainly just interested in getting the left to win elections. His take was that the left was basically correct in its ideas, and just needed to be tougher or whatever. Although I didn’t read it, my impression was that his “Crashing the Gate” book was more or less a celebration of the fact that a bunch of young angry leftists were on the threshold of seizing power from a bunch of older, slightly less angry leftists, of more or less the same political stripe.
Power for power’s sake is not a conservatove idea. The right does not need to become more rabidly partisan, even if the partisanship is directed at the democrats. What the right needs is to be a bit more thoughtful about how to succesfully promote and implement their ideas, and also how to mend some fences between the different branches of the conservative movement.
November 21, 2008, 12:02 am-Ed. says:
If Jim Hoft thinks it’s a good idea, then I’m in.
November 21, 2008, 12:03 amEowyn says:
Bains– I wasn’t speaking in general, my comment was directed to a previous commenter. But I appreciate the reply… and truth be told, I think you may have made my point. You said you would designate them as “forlorn from honest discussion”– why? Why imply that simply because they chose differently in one election, they are dishonest, or incapable of discussing conservative ideals honestly? It is possible to follow the same set of ideals as someone else and yet come to a different conclusion.
You also said “Kathleen Parker, Peggy Noonen, David Brooks, et al., would have us compromise core beliefs just to win elections”. What beliefs do you think they would have us compromise? If I recall correctly (please correct any deficiencies in my memory– it’s not what it used to be) their core objections were specifically aimed at McCain and/or Palin, not any conservative ideology. Indeed, it seemed that for some of them, McCain/Palin was so much of a compromise that Obama became attractive. I don’t agree with their reasoning (I found some of it completely vacuous), but it is understandable.
Again, all of this is said with the greatest of respect. Not only do I not want to burn any conservative bridges, but anyone who can use and spell “Pyrrhic” correctly deserves kudos. I simply think it’s a bad idea to disregard the voices of people we respected four months ago because of one disagreement.
November 21, 2008, 12:37 amKev says:
The idea of a conference certainly couldn’t hurt; it’s obvious that something has to be done differently. And I like the idea of promoting alternatives to the MSM as well (this very site is certainly one of mine).
And, like many others, I’m also here just so I can say I commented on Instapundit. I never imagined this day would come…
November 21, 2008, 12:50 amTennwriter says:
Spunge on a VC thread talked about a “Libertarian Militia” which mostly ignored politics, but came out on occassion. This sounds like what Brian L. would like.
I find this to be a decent idea for a certain group of tarians.
November 21, 2008, 12:51 am