Charting a New Course Requires Recognition and Determination

At times I find it difficult to identify with a majority of DC conservatives. Why, you may wonder, because today’s GOP conservative tends to resist change. But their recent legislative action does not offer much of an alternative to the direction in which we are moving. The current logjam or tug of war between conservatives (republicans) and progressives (democrats) can only affect the pace, not the direction, and I personally am not content with simply helping to apply the brake. Neither can you. We must demand immediate change. We as citizen conservatives who insist on change—in the direction we’re going and the kind of government that leads us—must be knowledgeable buyers. Feeling may affect us, but in this 2016 election year, sitting down with pencil, paper or I-PAD, and a smidgen of reason, is beneficial.

In this space of a blog post, it would be impossible to address every issue confronting us—abortion, the economy, national defense, Islamic terrorism, immigration, taxation, Second Amendment rights, healthcare, Russian political maneuvering, and what government does and does not underwrite just to name a few—but let’s zero in on two, Islamic Terrorism and Immigration.

First, America must defeat Muslim extremism, whatever the form. Any religious tangent or ideology that seeks to subjugate everyone else is little different than the blight of smallpox, leprosy or the plague, and must be eradicated unsympathetically. We want firm, forceful leadership without committing thousands of new ground/combat troops except as an absolute last resort. We insist that Iran stand down and back up the threat with cyber, air, and fiscal warfare, and that goes for any other Middle Eastern miscreant intent on disrupting peace. All the while, we will maintain and protect our association with Israel and make no apologies about it. No longer will we engineer regime change anywhere unless doing so would eliminate a substantial threat to the US homeland and its citizens. Middle Eastern nations have to keep their own peace (probably a pipe dream not a reality).

Second issue I will address is immigration. The world is still the world and many peoples envy and loathe us. National self-interest is nothing to feel guilty about. Is it too much for America and all who live in it, to want our northern and southern borders sealed and protected, electronically or otherwise, and desire safe and protected coasts, rail, and shipping? We are not the EU Open Borders society and hopefully never will be. All immigrants, refugees or otherwise, must be thoroughly vetted, if possible, and if necessary, isolated until we know their true intentions. They must want to become Americans—as we define ourselves. Do they add to our culture, labor force, and way of life—or not? Those deemed unfit within reasonable limits, will not be welcome. No matter their origin or presence in the US, all immigrants must be registered with local, state, and federal authorities. Non-registrants, criminals, and those abusing social and financial support systems will be deported. Illegals will have to find a path to legitimacy or face penalties. In the end, vast numbers of immigrants will be permitted residency as they earn membership in our American family.

I realize the readers of this post may have differing views, some differ slightly, some substantially, but most sensible Americans I know and speak to believe that we must take a hard look at federal government functions, agencies, and responsibilities, first defunding all inappropriate initiatives and finally, reducing its footprint substantially within one presidential term. Mutual respect matters because together, we will choose the Republican nominee, and if done well, we will be choosing the next President of the United States, someone who can reverse mediocre leadership’s slide toward global oblivion, and retake our place as world pace master of an economic and political powerhouse. What we need is to re-make the face of government, and make the pursuit of happiness more than a dream for Middle America. Determining to win in November is the first step in plotting a new course of history.