Mere unthinking negative opposition to the current of events, clutching in despair at what we still retain, will not suffice in this age. A conservatism of instinct must be reinforced by a conservatism of thought and imagination." -Russell Kirk
While the GOP candidates for President continue to debate the issues of the day on stages around the country, Wednesday's debate at Oakland University focused on the issues most concerning to most Americans; the state of the economy. While each candidate gave their version of what kinds of reforms could jump-start a stagnant economy, none of the conversation was focused around the candidates' "vision" for America or the roots of their governing philosophy. Leading candidates Mitt Romney and Herman Cain tout their business leadership credentials as the primary strength of their candidacy. And while Americans remain focused on "jobs," they are also looking for leadership, inspiration and a sense of what it means to be American. On these accounts, all candidates are falling short.
The Romney/Cain message has been "you can succeed in America" and seem to define 'success' as how high you can climb the corporate latter. The main differences between Romney and Cain is Romney prefers small tweaks of current policies, while Cain supports a tax code overhaul (9-9-9). Both prefer some sort of regulatory reform, but neither candidate really offers an alternative to an ever-expanding federal government or a road map for what it would take to restore a Constitutional republic. In other words, the issues discussed in the Presidential campaign have been focused around how to restore our economy, rather than how to restore our country. While a vibrant economy is essential to the success of a nation, the strength of the civil society is the foundation upon what gets a people through even the toughest economic times. Restoring federalism ought to be the main theme of this Presidential election, but the word has yet to be mentioned by the leading Presidential candidates. We do have some candidates calling for spending cuts, entitlement reforms and tighter monetary policy, but none seem to be capturing the imagination of the American people.
In 2008, this was in large part the success of the Obama campaign. While many of us stood in opposition to the "Obama vision," as candidate he was able to capture the imagination of the electorate and led them to believe Americans were opening a new chapter in our nation's history. Simply saying the Obama policies have failed (while perfectly true) is only part of what the American electorate wants to hear. A successful GOP candidate must outline a contrasting vision for America that will captivate and inspire voters to move away from Obama in 2012. The GOP contenders would be wise to tune out their consultants for several hours and pick up a copy of Russell Kirk's The American Cause. It may refresh them on the basic concepts and principles upon which America was founded and perhaps why it has succeeded.
The Romney/Cain message has been "you can succeed in America" and seem to define 'success' as how high you can climb the corporate latter. The main differences between Romney and Cain is Romney prefers small tweaks of current policies, while Cain supports a tax code overhaul (9-9-9). Both prefer some sort of regulatory reform, but neither candidate really offers an alternative to an ever-expanding federal government or a road map for what it would take to restore a Constitutional republic. In other words, the issues discussed in the Presidential campaign have been focused around how to restore our economy, rather than how to restore our country. While a vibrant economy is essential to the success of a nation, the strength of the civil society is the foundation upon what gets a people through even the toughest economic times. Restoring federalism ought to be the main theme of this Presidential election, but the word has yet to be mentioned by the leading Presidential candidates. We do have some candidates calling for spending cuts, entitlement reforms and tighter monetary policy, but none seem to be capturing the imagination of the American people.
In 2008, this was in large part the success of the Obama campaign. While many of us stood in opposition to the "Obama vision," as candidate he was able to capture the imagination of the electorate and led them to believe Americans were opening a new chapter in our nation's history. Simply saying the Obama policies have failed (while perfectly true) is only part of what the American electorate wants to hear. A successful GOP candidate must outline a contrasting vision for America that will captivate and inspire voters to move away from Obama in 2012. The GOP contenders would be wise to tune out their consultants for several hours and pick up a copy of Russell Kirk's The American Cause. It may refresh them on the basic concepts and principles upon which America was founded and perhaps why it has succeeded.
If America is a country with a "national purpose" it must look to the principles and concepts upon which it was built; ordered liberty, decentralized political power (federalism), private property and economic opportunity. The candidate who is best able to capture the imagination of the American people is the one who will ultimately win next November.
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