http://www.theimaginativeconservative.org/2012/12/a-traditional-conservative-program-of.html
In a previous post I argued something I believe most traditional conservatives understand in their bones: we will not “take back” our culture and way of life, or even preserve room within which to lead lives of decency and virtue, through any grand political effort to construct a national political coalition. The assumptions and very characters of too many Americans have been twisted too much for too long by our increasingly secular, individualist culture and our administrative and welfare state. Americans, as a people, no longer have sufficient character to govern themselves as citizens of a free and virtuous republic.
What, then, is a traditional conservative to do?
I read the article and it was very good. It was also indicative of a trend I’ve been sensing for a little while amongst who I would characterize as forward thinkers...how do you run a society on a self governance model that assumes some level of morality and civic virtue when such qualities are becoming less common?
I think that the answer is...you don’t. You need moral people with some level of civic virtue or sooner or later you descend into some form of autocracy. Or you cease to exist. While I find the cultures who impose islamic theocracy as repugnant, I won’t deny they’ve been pretty successful by imposing a religious autocracy. And countries such as China and Singapore have been reasonably successful with a one party police state model.
Since I and I assume you have zero desire to live in any form of autocracy, that leaves us in a bit of a pickle. I think that ultimately our chances of being able to live in relative freedom are going to hinge on having people that share that vision of morality and/or self governance and preferably both. And where such people exist, that’s where we need to be. A FRiend here has a good motto that he in turn borrowed from Sarah Palin: to paraphrase build t
Continued...
Build the America you want at your address and keep looking up. I would just add that your address does matter, and partisan politics most decidedly does not.