REPLIES TO THE CURRENT QUESTION

Our question last week was:

What should the conservative strategy be in dealing with an Obama presidency?

Here are your answers.  The name of a writer is included only if he or she actually placed a name at the end of the message.  Otherwise, we assume the writer wished anonymity and "name withheld" is inserted.

First, we need to give the Democrats a lesson or two on how the loyal
opposition should behave. Second, we should prepare to retake the
House in 2010 and the Senate in 2012.

Other than that, a padded room well stocked with brandy is looking pretty good.

Francis Drouillard
Novato, CA

Thinking the unthinkable?  Actually, this is one of the more straightforward questions in recent memory.

Our political system was designed to be self-correcting.  In a democracy, when the pendulum swings to far in either direction the people simply pull it back toward the center.  During an Obama presidency, this will happen automatically and the conservative strategy will be to contribute, as always, to the tug back to the center.  In recent memory, the reaction to the Carter Presidency is a case in point.  We just need to find another Ronald Reagan to help pull on the rope.  We may have already found her.  But...

Conservatives, and I am one of them, argue that "the center" has been insidiously shifting to the left since the presidency of FDR.  Trying to get the center back to a Libertarian idea of what constitutes the center may no longer be possible or even feasible.  An argument can be made that that particular view of "the center" can only work in areas of low population density.  Alaska and non-Jackson hole Wyoming come to mind in that regard.  In New York City or Los Angeles, more government and more liberal views of public policy are needed just to deal with too many people crammed into too little space.  So, conservatives need to evolve to meet the challenges of the current political situation.  Senator Obama has recognized this and is pitching his message and candidacy to the most dense population centers.  From a conservative perspective, this promise of change; i.e., putting my change in their pockets is going to be the most difficult policy shift to overcome.  Once people get used to the idea of the government doing everything for everybody (think Europe), it will be increasingly difficult to pull them away from the public trough.  Any congressman is a good example of this phenomenon.  

So, every conservative needs to have a very large spotlight.  The strategy will be to keep that light focused on the excesses in spending and socialization proposed by "President" Obama.  When people see the cost in the bright lights along with the benefits that will be touted by the Democrats while attempting to hide the costs, fundamental common sense will increase the number of hands to help pull on the rope to move the pendulum back toward the center.

Don Newell

What should the conservative, not Republican strategy be in dealing with an Obama presidency?

Pardon me for interjecting those two words in your question.  I wanted to clarify myself up front that I do not consider myself a Republican even though the party reflects many of my core beliefs that are not subject to changing for anyone or any political party.

Conservatives should take a proactive position dealing with Obama's presidency.  They should be ever vigilant and constantly asking deep, insightful questions, demanding accountability and transparency in every piece of legislation introduced by what appears to be at this time, a veto proof congress for Obama to work with.  We as conservatives, including myself failed miserably to hold George Bush accountable for his abandonment of fiscal responsibility when he failed to use the veto during his first six years.  

We need to stay involved with all initiatives whether financial or not and make our voices heard, loud and often.  We need to encourage our young, dedicated conservatives to become more engaged in public schools at the pre-school, elementary and through the collegiate level.  We have allowed the liberals to dominate education for decades and today, we are witnessing the reaping of the harvest from the seeds they have successfully sown.

We need to keep reminding the generally right of center population of this country just how far left Obama really is.  Not ugly attacks but reminders of the nature of those he has always migrated to in his professional and political life.  Remind the public  that "a person will tell you what they think but will always live what they believe."  Obama has told us what he thinks all too often but the general public has so far not connected to the fact that he has lived what he believes and the two are contradictions.  Consider for a moment his connections to Ayers, Wright, Pflegler, Farrakhan, Rezko, and other radical figures for most of his adult life.  This is by choice, not an accident.

W.B. Rogers

Timmonsville, SC

There is, or rather I should say, was a tradition that the party out of power becomes the "loyal opposition".   The idea is (was) that regardless of policy differences there are a core set of beliefs and values shared among all Americans regardless of party affiliation.  The most obvious practical example is (was) the idea that "party politics stops at the water's edge".  Need I say more?   The Democrats have now totally abandoned the concept of loyal opposition.  It started in 1981 as a trickle and has snowballed to the present as a full-fledged hostile opposition.  The Republicans, not known as the Stupid Party for nothing, have not grasped the fact that the Democrats, when not in power, are a fifth column.   

Now that it appears that the Democrats will control both the White House and Congress (by possibly a filibuster-proof majority in the Senate), should the Republicans adopt the traditional and patriotic position of a loyal opposition?  With slight modifications, my answer is yes.  Republicans should not conduct their own foreign policy, like Nancy Pelosi has done, but principled and robust criticism of foreign policy decisions should be articulated at every chance.  The same for domestic policy.  By all means oppose any and all tax hikes by any and all means. But, at the same time be sure that the responsibility for enactments that do pass are squarely put on the Democrats.  

The problem is what to do about court appointments.  This is, probably, the biggest area where the Democrats have abandoned our traditions of deferral to the President and conducted a scorched earth policy of opposition.  It's understandable on their part, since the courts are the avenue best suited to bypass the democratic process.  But, what should Republicans do?  Acquiring a little back bone would be a good start.  When Bill Clinton nominated Ruth Ginsberg, one of the most radical lawyers in America, the deferrence paid to her by the Republicans was sickening.  Yes, it was clear that she would pass given that the Senate was controlled by the Democrats at the time, but it would have been nice if the good senators could have pointed out her radical record to the American public and made it clear that she was out of step with the mainstream of American opinion.  Consistent and principled public criticism of radical appointments would move polls and be a check on the appointment of radical judges as well as position the Republicans to retake the White House.

It's a cliché that politics ain't beanbag and if you're not on offense you're on defense, but, if the Republicans are ever to regain power they need to adopt a core set of values and stick to them.  The lesson of the last eight years is that talking one way (we're the party of fiscal responsibility) and acting another (let's divert the money to our friends as opposed the they’re friends) is a prescription for electoral disaster.  Thank you, Tom DeLay, for leading us over the cliff.  Metooism is not a policy for Republicans.  A principled set of policies based on pro-growth and fiscal responsibility by government (low taxes-low spending), personal responsibility by individuals, a strong military, and a color-blind society will resonant with the American public.  Sticking to these positions will insure electoral success.

Alan Weick