We have a distinctive message, but one that politicians avoid because it has an effect akin to suggesting a root canal procedure.
People – even conservatives – prefer a message that is emotionally satisfying. They would rather rail against politicians or other targets than contend with the complex causes of our social and political problems.
Our message is that political action is not enough. The problems we face are rooted in the broader culture. It has become a culture of complaint, victimhood and dependency. Politics is merely a reflection of that culture. We can replace incumbents, but fail to bring about any profound or lasting change.
Unless we change the culture, we will not solve our problems in Washington, Richmond or even at the local level. It is a culture that is breeding new voters who don’t share the opinions and values of older and native voters. Because of our debased culture, they are not exposed to the vision of the Founders or any coherent conservative thought. It is no wonder, then, that Virginia can no longer be labeled a reliably conservative state or that conservatives are no longer in control in Washington.
The constitutional scheme of limited government established by the Founders has been displaced by an activist approach that has led to the firing by an executive branch official of the chief executive officer of a major corporation, the abandonment of adoption programs by religious organizations because they refused to abide by laws forcing them to place children with same sex couples, and profligate spending, borrowing and taxing to support federal programs that the Founders never intended the national government to undertake.
Americans have not resisted this radical change in our constitutional scheme because they have allowed themselves to become dependent on government, failed to maintain the strength of family and other mediating institutions that are essential to the preservation of liberty and limited government, and discarded traditional moral, ethical and religious standards. We cannot succeed in reversing the cultural, social and political decay without changing hearts and minds.
As difficult as this challenge may be, we have no choice other than to attempt to persuade our fellow citizens to focus on rebuilding our civil infrastructure, beginning with our families and local communities. It is a necessary first step toward reclaiming control of our government. It is also imperative to reestablish that infrastructure before our economic and political systems collapse, if that is what is imminent.
