Revitalizing Conservatism - McCain Loss Creates Opportunity

I voted for McCain. But I'll bet many of you who voted for McCain had motivations similar to mine, you voted against Obama as much as you voted for McCain.

To be honest, I wasn't that disappointed when McCain lost. The historical nature of Obama's victory combined with the Republican In Name Only GOP candidate who was leading the GOP down a dangerous path made my own enthusiasm pretty weak.

On the bright side, I'm tending to agree with Dick Morris that if you are going to lose an election, this was the one to lose.

If ever there was an election that was not worth winning, it was the contest of 2008. While it was hard-fought on both sides, had McCain won, it might have spelled the end of the Republican Party. As it is, the party is well-situated to come back in 2010 and in 2012, if it learns the lessons of this year.

Simply put, all hell is about to break loose in the markets and the economy. The mortgage crisis will likely be followed by defaults in credit card debt, student loans and car loans. We will probably be set for two years of zero growth, according to economists with whom I talk. And the federal efforts to protect the nation from the worst of the recession will probably lead to huge budget deficits and resulting inflation. We are in for stagflation that could last for years.

If Obama raises taxes, the situation could get even worse. With a liberal Congress on his hands, he will be constrained to move to the left, if he needs any pushing. When Clinton was elected in 1992, the Democrats in control of Congress gave him a clear message: Either you govern within the four walls of the Democratic caucus or you won’t get our support. Crossing the aisle to get Republican votes, even including the GOP in negotiations, was a no-no for which the president would pay dearly if he transgressed.

The result was predictable. Moderate initiatives like welfare reform were scrapped, the Congress passed tax hikes and legislation became festooned with liberal amendments. Faced with the need to round up every last vote in the Senate and House Democratic caucuses, Clinton had no choice but to load up conservative bills like an anti-crime measure with liberal pork (like a provision for midnight basketball courts in urban areas) to get unanimous caucus backing.

Obama will have to move left to appease his caucus. He will become their hostage, and they his jailers.

Obama is inheriting quite a host of problems (including the far-left House & Senate and all his campaign promises) and if he stumbles significantly, a revived and focused Republican Party can be there to pick up the pieces.

And the GOP really does need to use this time to get their act together. The party is currently wandering in the wilderness edging ever closer to a cliff and it has no idea it is lost. If the soul searching is done effectively and quickly, conservatism will be fine. But if the GOP is unable to adapt to the changing world around them, then they will be wandering for the proverbial 40 years.

On a different note, if Obama successfully deals with the economy, adequately handles any national security issues which will inevitably come his way, and doesn't go wildly overboard with far left policy during his first term, he will be unbeatable in 2012 no matter who the GOP throws at him.