Wednesday, June 11, 2008

Back To The Wilderness ????

Back To The Wilderness ??
Are Republicans facing another time when we find ourselves wandering around the halls of power with out any of our own other than what the Democrats gave us. I believe we probably are. There was once such a time for us. During that time the public would tire and allow a Republican president usually to help get the country out of the mess the previous president and congress had put us in. But the party had no real direction that resonated with the public. We tried tweaking the message, more conservative then more liberal, and usually the liberal factions would come out ahead because they could get the message to resonate enough to at least get people not to vote for the Democrat because they could point to something like “ They believe in the same liberal things and I want a change. With Reagan we found a voice that not only resonated with the people but resonated for the Republican ideas, with conservative ideas. People voted for Republican ideas because they were put forth in a way that they could understand and see how they would make a difference in their lives. Plus they were put forward by someone they could trust. On the other hand, in an election on such a scale that the presidential elections are, it is nearly impossible to have a message out resonate a charismatic leader. As we are trying now, the Democrats from Reagan on tried valiantly to get their message across, but they had no one who could “resonate it”. They blamed it on different parts of the message not the messenger. Is this right? Absolutely not. So? So what? Bill Clinton finally came around and out resonated his opponents in any way he could. Some say he out “conservatived” the conservatives. He didn’t, he simply resonated with the people far better. People knew what he was but put up with him because they liked him. They also finally got tired of him because he had no real message.

Try to understand what I’m saying. I’m not comparing Reagan to Clinton, only in their charisma.

We as conservatives have to come to grips with that reality. What can we do? We still have to get other voters to trust the message we‘re trying to sell. To do that we need a messenger that people can trust. People trust McCain. Only when he acts like a politician do they not. We also need a candidate that people want to listen to. We are in a quandary because John McCain has great ideas as evidenced by the text of his speech, but nearly a total lack of “resonance” as evidenced by his oration of that same text. All politics is personal. When we fail to put a personal face on our ideas on our platform, It becomes just a wooden structure, the paint and landscaping gives the public what it needs to envision themselves at home within it, within the Republican Home. We need to make the Republican House a Home.

I’ve come up with a solution. Lol. John McCain needs to give few speeches and when he does just make them short and business like. Let Obama ramble on about all those fuzzy things he rambles about. John needs to give Highlights only. Then the key will be to have a staff or shadow government set up around him with charismatic cabinet members that can sell his different ideas. To put the paint on his structure. Kennedy surrounded himself with top notch people, he had the other problem, he needed a message he was a good messenger. Actually this way if McCain chooses it would highlight the successful business model where the executive is actually not expected to know each and every nut and bolt of a business. He is there to pick the direction they are headed and is judged by the people he chooses to be around him who actually turn his ideas into progress. He is not considered a bad leader if he lets someone he’s picked explain the intricacies of an individual program. Hold themselves more aloof. Obama holds himself aloof, he is tainted with elitism not because he is aloof but because he lacks the message other than change, but won’t admit it. John McCain is more down to earth and ordinary than any other national politician I could think of. Obama is not, again the elitism charge.

McCain needs the straight talk express to step up and admit that even about his strong point national security, he would not make any decisions without finding out all facts first. Admit that he doesn’t know everything about everything. “But he would damn well find out” before making a decision. Then in the simplest terms he could sketch out the parameters framing his decision. Then let his subordinate give the details.

Keep the “parameters” firmly in place. Keep the message resonating through his actions, not so much his talk. Earn the voters trust with actions. Newt’s Drill Here, Drill Now comes to mind. Get out in front of the issues bring on board some one specific to detail the programs. Someone different for each, let the public see you delegate power to exceptional people with programs that will resonate with them. Let them give you the credit for doing that. Let them see that you are running the ship, that you are the captain firmly in charge of all the other people you choose to help run the ship.

Will this happen, will John McCain find a way to win?? I don’t know. The opportunities are there. Can he get the people to believe in his message and trust him as the messenger? I hope so. I haven’t seen the change come across yet. With charisma Obama says change without anything to back it up and people can see it. Without charisma McCain has to let the message resonate. He has to have a great and simple message and keep hammering it home. Force Obama to fight it by trying to explain what his alternatives are. People will then see. But I’m not seeing that yet.

Regards, Live Dangerously Be A Conservative

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