There is much at risk as we evaluate the issues facing this nation and the stakes are extremely high. From the critical questions of how best to proceed in the Middle East to developing realistic economic strategies that will revitalize American businesses, we cannot afford to address these issues in terms of their political price tag. 

The American people have been sending a signal to Washington to govern, not rule and if both the Republicans and the Democrats continue to ignore them, at some point, the people are likely to take matters into their own hands. It is in this regard that many Americans are beginning to look at our government in terms of investment. It is our money that is being invested in government programs and those programs are more and more becoming very high risk. The question for Republicans, is, can they “capitalize” on this attitude?

There appear to be two key factors that will have significant influence on the Congressional races in 2010. First is the growing disappointment among moderate and independent voters with the policies of the Obama administration and the second is the segment of society that was once referred to as the “silent majority.” Both factors could be quite positive for the Republicans in 2010 but it is unclear if the leadership in the Party is paying any attention.

If Republican elites weren't paying attention before however, surely they can't ignore the significance of what has happened in the run up to the special election in New York’s 23^rd Congressional district. To ignore these rumblings from the majority of the American people is to do so at their political peril. 

Of all the events that have occurred since the elections in 2008, of great significance is the phenomenon referred to as “Tea Parties.” Political events have always been organized and sponsored by political party activists, candidates and special interest groups. Tea Parties by contrast, are the clearest example of actual grassroots politics to occur in tens of decades.

The key point that Republicans must take away from this newfound grassroots activism is to recognize the passion that is stirring in the electorate and tap into it, not view it as simply an emotional outburst from the great unwashed. To misread or dismiss this passion is to underscore exactly why the people are so agitated. Specifically, the government no longer represents their interests and is completely out of touch with real America.

Curiously, the current Republican leadership has been trying to "shush" these vocal members in their Party. They have expressed their concern with the vociferous outcry from the heathen masses that attended Tea Parties and crowded Town Hall meetings this past summer. They demand a more subservient posture, lest the sensitivities of the moderates be offended. 

If the Republican leadership continues to refuse to get on board with this new attitude in America, an attitude that is more than just an organized protest by some special interest group, they will lose far more than a few squishy moderate votes.

The left is in full campaign mode to diminish the momentum that has been generated by grassroots America. They are attempting to demean, humiliate and characterize those now fully engaged in the political process as “knuckle-dragging” Neanderthals. The Republican Party leadership would do well to ignore these taunts; the message their constituents are sending them is “Can you hear us now?”

The cliché is trite but appropriate; the sleeping giant that is mainstream America is now quite awake and is in no mood to be led, coerced, intimidated or threatened. In short, they fully expect those whom they elected to represent them, to legislate, not dictate. Should those in elected office fail to understand that point, they will learn the lesson of high-risk politics the hard way.  

Since the victories by the Democrats in the elections both in 2006 and their big win in 2008, the liberal media has been celebrating the demise of the GOP. Republicans, they say, are in a permanent state of decline. They declare we have no leader and we are without a rudder. Their glee in eulogizing our remains is unmistakable. A survey of the political landscape however, would indicate, to paraphrase Mark Twain, “the stories of our death have been greatly exaggerated.” 

There does however, appear to be a very real split among some who simply identify with the Republican Party and those who also identify themselves as conservatives. It is not a distinction without a difference. There is a clear segment within the Republican Party who find the conservative element distasteful, crude and an embarrassment. We must moderate our voices they tell us, we must be a centrist party and move to the middle if Republicans are to attract the moderate vote. 

To a large extent, these Republican “elites” have directed the GOP platform, designated many of its candidates and set the tone of the debate.  As a result, over the last two decades the Party of Ronald Reagan has drifted from Reagan’s conservative principles, back to a more liberal, centrist message that has sought to marginalize its more conservative base. Until recently, that base still remained loyal to the Republican Party in spite of a growing reluctance to embrace its current direction. 

Being ever the loyal soldiers, they even voted for John McCain over their serious objections to many of his “moderate” positions on the issues. But the times they are a changin’ the saying goes and with that change is a move by the conservatives in the Party to re-establish themselves as power players in what has become for them, a party of political acquiescence.  Increasing numbers of those in the Republican Party are beginning to use the acronym RINO, (Republican in name only) when referring to Republican moderates. 

The term was originally a sarcastic name for the more liberal among elected members in the Republican Party, who found it appropriate to vote more consistently with the Democrats than with their Republican counterparts. For many however, sarcasm has turned to disgust and for them, RINO is now a four letter word. Conservatives, it seems, are tired of holding their tongues, moderating their tone and following directions. They are very much intent on setting the tone, giving directions and admonishing the squishy among them with serious tongue-lashing.     

This new sense of purpose has also awakened the desire to shake off their political lethargy and become active participants in the political process. Nowhere has that desire been more evident than among those who organized and attended Tea Parties and Town Hall meetings in their hometowns and state capitals. Their message was simple and succinct; government works “for” the people, not the opposite.

It is in this regard that the ire of both conservatives and Republicans has been most vocal. Those voices have become louder as their serious concerns and attempts to contact their elected representatives have been summarily dismissed by the Democrat Majority in Congress. Moreover, these concerns, as polls confirm, are coming from a majority of the American people. To say that they are angry and concerned with a government that appears intent on “ruling” and not “governing,” would be an understatement.

The product of that anger has resulted in a majority of Republicans and conservatives who are fed up with a political party and a government that has over-stepped its constitutional authority and consequently with RINOs who support the practice. 

Writers of all stripes seem to find comfort in excusing the growing and obvious incompetence of Barack Obama, by contrasting his popularity with the “hatred” for George Bush. George Bush was only hated by the left, those on the right did not hate the president but they were extremely disappointed with some of his fiscal policies. Additionally, former President Bush was much too tepid in responding to the libel from liberals. 

Those who faulted the president for his fiscal transgressions and his reticence to aggressively fight back against his liberal aggressors need to look again at the Bush Years. The intention here is not to focus on policy specifics, rather to focus on governance versus autocratic rule. George Bush practiced the former; our new president is in the process of the latter. 

 “Moving forward;” that is the mantra of the Obama administration. It is small wonder that President Obama and his administration cohorts avoid the immediate and especially the past, as the ruins of his actions lay in the wake of his policy decisions. It bears attention however, to view the consequences of the current administration with respect to those of his predecessor.   

George Bush was excoriated by the left for what they perceived as an abuse of presidential power. They accused him of “spying” on Americans when the surveillance of foreign cell phone calls from suspected terrorists was leaked to the press. No manner of evidence to the contrary would persuade them otherwise. Mr. Bush was said to be totalitarian, a hate monger and akin to Adolph Hitler.  

It is Barack Obama however, who has commandeered our financial institutions and set forth limits as to the monetary compensation of its executives. This, even though these institutions are still non-government entities. It is Barack Obama who just created the office of “Pay Czar.” Imagine, a government official in the executive branch of government who is going to examine and possibly propose limitations on acceptable pay levels. Simply stunning! 

Moreover, President Obama has now effectively absorbed two of the three giants in the auto industry. In so doing, he trampled on bankruptcy laws, contractual agreements, has forsaken bondholders and given majority stakeholder status to those with the smallest investment, the Auto Unions. He has used federal loans to these companies as leverage to mandate the terms of their operations, even though he declares that “he” doesn’t want to run the car companies. Certainly, the president doesn’t want to run the businesses directly, he just wants to mandate automobile styles, fuel standards, executive compensation and the fate of still profitable dealerships.

The most critical of all the policy shifts between the Obama administration and the Bush administration is foreign policy and national security. It was clear as George Bush neared the end of his presidency that the powers that be were going to test the resolve of his successor. Since the inauguration of Barack Obama, North Korea has launched a long-range missile, conducted an underground nuclear test, fired several short-range missiles, is in the process of another long-range test and has threatened to end the armistice that ended the Korean War. And the president’s response? Threaten UN sanctions of course. 

Not to be outdone, Iran has slammed the diplomatic door on the overtures by the Obama administration to end its nuclear program. To further exacerbate the issue, Obama has taken a belligerent tone with Israel and that nation’s “legitimate” concerns for a nuclear Iran. And the president’s response? In a strategic counter move, Obama has declared that Iran has a legitimate right to pursue nuclear power as long as it is for peaceful purposes. Again, simply brilliant!

Now, even as he travels to the Middle East to praise Muslim nations for their contributions to the world, while failing to remind these nations of the sacrifices we have made on their behalf, he has succeeded in once again snubbing one of our NATO allies. To date, Barack Obama is making a smash hit with the nations that pose the greatest threat to our national security while insulting the British Prime Minister, breaking protocol with their Queen, incurring the annoyance of the German Chancellor  and dissing the French President. What would John F Kerry say? 

Yes, looking back, as Barack Obama lays siege to the economic, business, educational, health and energy sectors of this nation, while simultaneously gutting the heart of our national security systems in a flurry of foreign policy faux pas, the bad ol’ days of George Bush seem rational and reasonable in retrospect. 

Republicans suffered an embarrassing defeat in the elections of both 2006 and 2008 and they still don’t seem to have a clue as to why. The answer is because they stopped being conservative Republicans and behaved more like tepid Democrats. That is, they assumed the “big government” posture, just without the conceited arrogance.  

Ironically, it is the Democrats who enact legislation that grows the size of government, imposes greater and greater limitations on personal freedom and civil liberties and seizes larger portions of our income. All this as they simultaneously blame Republicans for the consequences. Unfortunately, the response from Republican Party leaders is to assume the passive puppy position.

 Watching elected Republicans, party leaders and especially some, who call themselves members of the conservative media, prostrate themselves in response to this challenge from Democrats, is grounds for revolt. The lesson is that passive opposition by Republicans, in the face of a deliberate attempt by the Democrats to marginalize, humiliate, intimidate and defeat them is not an effective strategy. 

An example is the tactic of Democrats to intimidate Republicans with threats of humiliation and increasing obsolescence should they dare criticize the pick of Sonia Sotomayor to the Supreme Court. The tactic serves two purposes. First, it all but guarantees that Ms. Sotomayor will not be subjected to the rigorous vetting required for the position and second, it further inflames the growing disgust of the Republican Party base for what they rightly perceive as Republican Milquetoast. For the Democrats, it epitomizes the term “win, win.”   

There is also an interesting contrast between the strategies of the two parties in “reaching out” to the electorate. Republicans seem intent on reaching out to their opposition while letting go of those who most support them. The Democrats are intent on reaching out to those who fall away from the Republican Party and after they have voted in their favor, dropping them like hot rocks. Loyalty it seems is subjective in both parties.

What amazes is that the socialistic policies of the left have proven to be inefficient, ineffective and debilitating in terms of governance and the public at large.  By contrast, Republican policies of smaller government, with emphasis on individual and personal achievement, stands as the foundation that propelled this nation to its greatness. And yet, through demographic pandering, ridicule, manipulation and propaganda, the Democrats succeed in selling their message while the Republicans sift through the yellow pages in search of an ad agency. 

The good news for Republicans is that they are at the threshold of being handed one of the greatest political opportunities since Jimmy Carter. Yes, the Democrats will, and perhaps with some success, try to place the blame for our current ills on former President Bush but the tactic is becoming stale and transparent. 

As North Korea sets off nuclear and long-range missile tests, Iran moves ever closer to the nuclear club, Pakistan engages in a low-grade civil war, Russia gains a foothold in South America and our domestic tranquility turns to civil unrest, Republicans can firmly seize the mantle of leadership. The question remains as to whether they will, who their champion will be and do they have the fortitude to endure the slime of liberal intimidation, gutter tactics and mudslinging that will surely follow.

It seems that elected members of the Republican Party have selective hearing. In a recent Townhall style meeting, “leaders” in the Republican Party vowed to create a new message for the party and to “listen” to their constituents. They declared that it was time to leave the good old days behind and move forward. The word of the day of course was “bipartisan.” 

The message that leaders in the Republican Party either do not or refuse to hear is the message that was communicated so clearly on Tax Day. Those who attended those rallies were shouting in unison:  “Start doing the people’s business and get your hands out of our pockets.” What the politicians heard evidently, was, “keep giving the people the business because they have deep pockets.”

The media is daily pronouncing the death of the Republican Party, with an added dose of good riddance, and the mental morons in the Republican Party want to “reach out” to their opposition. Radical Islam wants to bury the United States and the Democrats are kissing their ring. The Democrats want to bury the Republicans and the Republicans are kissing their ring. It is small wonder that our government is such a failure when such aversion to standing up to your aggressors is so prevalent.   

With the defection of Arlen Specter to the Democratic Party, the left is working overtime to sell his actions as a clear message to the GOP that they must move left or forever wander in the wilderness. To the extreme frustration and ire of the Republican and conservative electorate, leaders in the Republican Party are doing just that. Friends, Romans, Countrymen, lend Republicans your ears because they can’t hear that the Democrats are coming to bury them, not praise them for their cowardice.

In addition, what Republicans in elected office fail to hear is that it isn’t about numbers, demographics and to whom they must pander to hold their numbers in congress, it is about issues. Moreover, it is about leading the way on the real issues that are affecting this nation and most importantly, being steadfast to those positions. Simply stated, until Republicans again choose to lead, they will wallow in the minority status they deserve. Leadership is not a numbers game.          

Republicans must understand that their demonstration of political mushiness could well destroy the party forever. As warriors live and die by the sword, politicians choose to live and die by wielding political polls. They go into the political arena armed only with a favorability rating. It is beyond comprehension as to why they ignore the armor of how the majority of the electorate actually feels about the issues. 

In just over three months, the President of the United States has essentially annexed both the business and financial sectors of this nation. He is moving with high speed to do the same with our healthcare system as well as education. In conjunction with this takeover of the gross domestic product by the federal government, the United States Congress is in the process of an inquisition against its rivals by criminalizing the actions of its rivals and the Bush administration. 

To counter the destruction of our constitution and current laws that govern economics and business, the Republican Party is muttering something about the physical dimensions of a tent. Size doesn’t matter some say and in this instance, regardless of how big the tent is, it is a mere prop if no one is willing to enter. The people are tired of the circus that plays in the arena of politics and the clowns that daily perform their foolishness.