Cheer-up, America! The Case for American Optimism

American Thinker ^ | October 21, 2011 | Brad Lips

[Clintonfatigued]

Obama won the 2008 election by default, but believed he won with a mandate to implement progressive dreams. In pursuing an aggressively leftist agenda, he has done these United States a profound service; he has clarified the fundamental ideological battle at the heart of all politics -- statism vs. individualism -- and dramatized the results that flow from such statist public policies.

As a result, the American people are angrier than ever with politicians of both parties. As I say, this is a very positive development. More Americans are focused on issues of Constitutional principle than ever before. They have absorbed a costly lesson about the unintended consequences of runaway government. As a result, some politicians -- Paul Ryan and Chris Christie among them -- have talked to voters as though they were actual adults who can make hard decisions about the challenges confronting our nation. What's driven this change from the hollow campaigns of yesterday, which got no deeper than shallow slogans like "building a bridge to the 21st century" and "putting country first"?

After thanking Obama for unwittingly catalyzing a backlash against liberal arrogance, we must thank Tea Party activists. The citizens who turned out for town hall meetings over ObamaCare, and then for Tea Party protests, deserve our eternal gratitude for concentrating on issues that matter: the country's precarious budget situation, the dangers of nationalizing broad sectors of the economy, and the corruption that accompanies crony capitalism. News commentators with leftist sympathies have found it easy to ridicule this authentic populist movement and their most visible new media allies. But the truth is that Mark Levin's Liberty and Tyranny is a serious book; Glenn Beck was right to pick battles over insane czar appointments like Van Jones; the Tea Party has shown zero tendency to violence;

[IrishPennant]

It is my sincerest hope that bho has awaken the giant...

[Clintonfatigued]

This is an interesting editorial- Obama’s open pursuit of a socialist agenda has made the rise of the TEA Party and other Constitutionalist movements possible and caused Americans to give serious dialogue to the issue of Big Government. This is likely true- no Obama, no TEA Party. The remaining question is that if Obama is defeated, will the U.S. be able to clean up the mess he left behind?

[IrishPennant]

Awaken? Sorry, bad grammar Friday has returned...but you get it.

[AZLiberty]

The Obama administration is a signal that America is face down in the gutter. It’s time to lay off the debt and loose morals, and start imbibing fresh, clear Constitutional water.

[AZLiberty]

Not only has the news media monopoly been busted, but a little outfit called CraigsList undermined the classified-ad-driven revenue model that had sustained so many U.S. newspapers -- newspapers that largely followed the lead of the leftist New York Times. An industry that once effectively propagandized against limited-government conservatives has been laid waste.

I like the irony that leftist Craig Newmark is bringing down the left's propaganda organs.

[ScottinVA]

We`ll know on the morning of the first Wednesday of Nov. 2012 whether there`s cause for optimism for the future of America. This upcoming election will tell us everything we need to know about whether she`ll survive.

[AmusedBystander]

We`ll know on the morning of the first Wednesday of Nov. 2012 whether there`s cause for optimism for the future of America. This upcoming election will tell us everything we need to know about whether she`ll survive

Yep, the American Dream is now a nightmare and either America awakes on November 7th or dies in its sleep.

[hattend]

BTTT

[Niuhuru]

America is awake, angry, and motivated. How can we not vote the scum out in 2012? After all, we aren’t numbed out and meekly submitting like Zero thought we would.

[Falconspeed]

Excellent essay.

The core question must be: Should the federal government be entrusted with more power, or less?

Yes, that is the simple question that we can all answer swiftly: Less!

[SamAdams76]

The mid-term elections of 2010 shook me out of my funk. I think even here on FR, we sometimes forget about the historical significance of those elections. By taking control of the House last November, we basically stopped Obama's agenda in its tracks. Since January (when the new Congress was sworn in), Obama has not been able to get anything done.

Regardless of how the 2012 presidential election turns out, Tea Party conservatives are very likely going to gain additional seats in the House as well as gaining a majority in the Senate. Even if Obama is re-elected, in those circumstances, he'll be reduced to working on his golf game for the next four years because he won't get squat done in Congress.

However, that would be worse case scenario.

[RedMDer]

PLEASE CONSIDER DONATING TO FREE REPUBLIC TODAY OR BECOMING A MONTHLY DONOR

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[SlightOfTongue]

It’ll be nice to see all those rich Obama supporters p*ss away all their donated millions to a friggin’ loser that Obozo will be in 2012!!! We’re going to have a wonderful Christmas and New Years bash!!!! Eagles up!!!!

[neverdem]

Did you find this first at Real Clear Politics or American Thinker?

It’s so pertinent, it needs to be reposted. If I do it, I’ll link this thread.

[Clintonfatigued]

I first saw it on Real Clear Politics.