Strengthen, Not Dilute the Core
One fallacy in modern politics seems to be the need for inclusion.
If one wants to strengthen the core of their body they incorporate exercises focused on the abdomen. Doing random arm and leg exercises may benefit the core, but it will not build a dynamic core. If we visualize our political body in the same respect we might understand how integrating the fringes can weaken us.
As an example doing arm curls might produce flashy biceps which prove useless in a marathon. Extensive calf exercises might produce great legs for shorts season, but has little value when pure strength comes into play. Extremities are like candles on a birthday cake, window dressing, but, not essential for the taste. In my opinion, we focus too much on the extremities and not enough on the core.
One weakness expressed concerning the Tea Party has been the diversity of cause. The only real core idea was displeasure with the current government. Again, in my opinion, one does not build a sound business on negatives. Vision requires the future, not the past. We can bring forward our experiences and wisdom of those before us can be applied, but we must look into the future for a solution. As a political core we must be solution oriented.
Before you pummel me with musty tea bags, I do not believe the Tea Party is a bad thing. For the first time in a long time, average citizens began to express opinions in public. The democratic process became real for millions of us “average citizens.” Taking to the street should be an avenue for expression we all enjoy. As a participant in the Santelli’s Tax Day Tea Party, I was amazed by the energy brought to the streets. Once the “gop” glitz arrived, I departed, it was no longer about average citizens. It became a vehicle for personal recognition and power.
Back to the anatomy lesson. Strong cores allow us to build strong bodies in the weight room. Strong cores in politics allow us to weather storms and bring political will to bear in any season. The Tea Party for the faults I find with it, brought political will to the ballot box last election. But, the Tea Party does not have a strong core built on one positive principle.
Would be presidential candidate Mitch Daniels, current Indiana governor, wants the social issues put on hold during the 2012 election cycle. While that may be smart and have validity in an overall strategic plan, it’s a disaster at the polls. Mitch Daniels will never get past Iowa if, former governor, Mike Huckabee runs. Yes, anti-abortion and the other issues are fringes. But, in the current environment without fringes from the right, how can the core win? Great question. And, a difficulty for front runner candidates such as Romney and Gingrich.
While some believe Ron Paul, Sarah Palin and Huckabee should put their oars in the water, they cannot win a general election. Polls today say they cannot beat the most inept leader of the U.S. in recent memory, Mr. Peanut excepted. How, then, will the evangelical, anti-abortion, libertarian segments be incorporated into the body politic of limiting government? Karl Rove might know. While you may disagree with him, Rove, in my opinion, is the brightest political mind in the U.S. today. (I did not say brightest political marketer. That belongs to the George Soros forces.)
Candidates for the 2012 contest opposing the jr. admin. from IL might look formidable on paper and even in some polls, but when push comes to shove who knows where the political winds will blow come October 2012. No one could have predicted the Fall of ’08 being on the back of a total media fed economic collapse. And, yes, I call the election of the jr. admin. from IL the– Fall of ’08 in reference to the collapse of the democratic process in the U.S. The rule of law did not apply to all. (That is for another day.)
Most of the Tea Party agree government should be curtailed in some respect. That is its core. Does the majority of voters in the U.S. believe central government should be reduced? What about highways, bridges, education, health care, are those up for debate one and all or are there enough sacred cows in the mix to divide the core? Will individuals give up their sacred cow to gain more individual freedom? Will individuals take more responsibility for themselves and their government or tune back into Oprah and Dr. Phil instead? Phrased another way,
“has the Tea Party lost steam?”
Core exercises are mind numbing. Do sets of 200 crunches back to back and tell me they are not. Espousing the limits of central government produces no flash and glamour. One cannot build a resume as an advocate of limited government without having some sensational negative twist. Basic government remains boring. No matter how we dress it up, “whigs in wigs” or “twits in top hats,” there’s just not much to love about limited government as a campaign. The process requires us to be involved. Not just every four years, but constantly. We must monitor our local and state officials and interact with them periodically. Not as a party, but as individuals. When was the last time you emailed an elected official to discuss a local issue? Not very exciting is it?
As I previously discussed, our society revolves around convenience. Being a limited government causes us to get off the couch and be physically involved. That’s the sets of crunches we must perform, over and over and over. Why do you think there are so many “abs” machines and exercise for sale on the telly? Because the core is important and it’s hard and boring laying on the floor counting to 200 time after time.
Why should the evangelical, anti-abortion, fiscal responsibility wings get on the floor with us? What possible benefit to their view of conservatism can we offer? If my concern were only geared toward fiscal conservatism, I’d think putting pennies in a piggy bank more beneficial than getting on the floor for a rousing round of crunches with nut cases like me. After all, no one can tell we are building our core. That is not until we hit the pool. Then it’s “woozer” time.
“Look at those abs!”
“Skinny legs though.”
“Yep.”
But, does it matter if the legs are a bit puny and the “guns” need work, if we have the strength to go the distance and can take repeated shots to the mid section. Political will requires a core which will not wilt under attack. Political will, as I view it, cannot be expressed through anger. Political will must have a vision on which to stand. The vision must be united. Fringes with an alternate vision weaken the efforts of the core. Now does it make more sense why fringes are less important and sometime detrimental to the core belief?
As long as the arms and legs understand why the core vision works for them, the effort can be united. When the core vision devalues the fringe view everything falls apart– aka, Mitch Daniels. The arms can’t run the show, nor can the legs. A core can provide most of the strength for the body, but when the arms and legs work against it defeat is certain. The core may not need the arms and legs to exist, but, having it adds value to the effort, but again they are not essential.
Everyone and every cause which believes in representational democracy should be for limited government. No minority, no religion should fear limited government. The exact opposite should be true. The Thirteen Founding Colonies were religiously diverse. The Colonies were economically diverse. Through the work of the Founding Fathers a compromise was built which allowed those diverse Colonies to form a Union. Very much as we find ourselves today, they were facing a great divide.
Unlike the human body, with built in “sell by date”, a government can continue as long as the core remains solid. Regime change has become a buzz word in the media, blogs and Twitter. Regime change has become a euphemism for revolution. One does not change a government without a revolution. One can change heads of state without changing government. Every four years we change the head of the government, but we do not have a regime change. Regime change means the core of the government has changed.
When the oval office gets a new occupant through the election process our Supreme Court remains the same, the legislative body does not start from scratch. The Founding Fathers believed legislators and administrations should have a “sell by date.” Regardless of how glorious one leader may be in the eyes of their public corruption soon overtakes them. Not because they are evil, but because it the nature of power. Power corrupts.
We as the body of our government have become corrupt. We sold our responsibility to a political party system. Every day they extract a few more pennies to keep themselves in power. Political parties raise money to fund elections. Legislators and administrations pass legislature to win elections. We, the individuals, fund the extension of the corruption of the body politic. The body, our Republic, the Founders intrusted to us. And, we’ve been pigging out on Big Macs and iPads, instead of getting on the floor and doing crunches.
“You didn’t think I’d let the crunch analogy go did you?”
We can easily regain control of our process by cutting off the political party process. Stop donating to any political organization. Yes, I said,
“Stop donating to any political organization.”
Without our donations, the political machines lack the money to fund marketing campaigns. Without funds they cannot dictate who gets on the ballot. Wonder why that’s important?
“Think John McCain.”
Not enough?
“Think Hillary Clinton as the democrat’s nominee.”
As a final example of arms and legs detracting from the core, examine the influence of fringes on the democrats. In state after state, fringe politics allowed less and less suitable candidates an avenue into office from which they’ve never left. Need I name more than Nancy Pelosi, Harry Reid, Henry Waxman, John Murtha and Barney Frank?
Along with actual bodies in office, the fringes have forced the mainstream of the donkey party to advocate legalize abortion. That one platform should be enough to force the party into extinction, yet they persist with fringe group after fringe group being added to remain viable. Strip the arms and legs from the core and the party known as democratic would cease to exist. It’s the old saying,
“tail wagging the dog.”
Today most of the national media believes the Tea Party is wagging the dog. Is that so? Probably. Most of the true “gop” tends more moderate than the core of U.S. voters. The core of the “gop” has always been more moderate. Why do you think Barry Goldwater was such a big deal? It wasn’t because he was at the core of the “gop.”
Yes, a complete body needs arms and legs. But, it also needs a head. Thinking head, strong core and the body can survive for many years. No thinking head and you have a corpse in waiting, regardless how frantically the arms and legs flail. In my opinion, the donkey party has reached the status of dead head – flailing arms.
Stop looking backward. We must have a vision of the future. And, so too should those fringe segments opposed to limited government. As a civil rights advocate you should be working to establish limited government. If you are at the heart of a minority rights movement you need to understand central government is an enemy to your long term goals. The closer power lies to the individual the more powerful the individual becomes. That one premise should drive everyone to start thinking about the beauty of limiting central government. An individual is empowered by their own actions fueled by their belief in self and freedom to act on the own will. That is “Positive Liberty,” our God given right. No government can give us that. Only limited government allows us to exercise our rights.
