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Are Republicans 'Due'?
· Tuesday, January 19, 2010
When a baseball player has come to bat after failing to get a hit twenty times in a row, some fans say he is "due" for a hit. But statisticians say he is no more likely to get a hit in this at bat than at any other time. In other words, there is no such thing as being "due."
After the Republicans went from being the dominant party, at both the state and national levels, just a few years ago, and got clobbered at the polls by the Democrats two elections in a row, some people think the Republicans are "due" to make a comeback in this fall's elections.
Maybe it will happen. The polls show that the voting public is getting more and more fed up with the Obama administration and with both houses of Congress that are dominated by Democrats. But, when election day comes, nobody can vote for polls. It still takes a candidate to beat a candidate-- and the question is whether the Republicans come up with the kinds of candidates that can win.
Those of us who are not Republicans nevertheless have a huge stake in this fall's elections, because the current administration in Washington is not merely deficient but dangerous, both at home and abroad.
In just one year in power, the Obama administration has not merely tripled the deficit and circumvented the Constitution with their "czars" who rule by decree, but have moved to dictate the medical treatment of all Americans-- which is to say, they are moving toward getting the power of life and death, to add to all the other powers they have seized.
Increasing numbers of Americans are saying that they are having trouble recognizing the country in which they were born and grew up. They will have even more trouble recognizing America if the Washington juggernaut does not lose a substantial part of its power in this year's election.
The dangers are not only in domestic policy but even more so in the Obama administration's foreign policy. Their diddling around while fanatical leaders of a terrorist-sponsoring nation like Iran are moving toward producing nuclear bombs can take us and the world to a point of no return.
No nation on earth will let three of its cities be annihilated by nuclear bombs without surrendering. The fact that the United States has never surrendered may make it difficult for Americans even to imagine that it could happen, much less what a horror it would be to live under hate-filled fanatics like the current Iranian leaders. But Japan had likewise never surrendered in its entire history until it was hit with two nuclear bombs.
Unlike us, Iranian leaders -- going back to the Ayatollah Khomeini-- have said plainly that they are willing to see their country destroyed as the price of destroying the enemies of Islam-- which, in their view of the world, includes the United States.
Perhaps serious sanctions might have been enough to stop the Iranian nuclear program a few years ago, by crippling their economy. But nobody in the West had the stomach for that.
The longer we wait, the higher the price goes-- the price of either action or inaction.
Just three years ago, the people currently at the top in Washington-- including President Barack Obama and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton-- were ready to turn tail and run in Iraq.
Former Ambassador John Bolton has written a book titled "Surrender is Not an Option." But that is an option for the kind of people at the top in the Obama administration.
It would take a leader with extraordinary courage, pride in America and dedication to the values, traditions and the people of America, to stand up to enemies who could annihilate Los Angeles, Chicago and New York with nuclear weapons.
Does this sound anything like the president who has gone around the world apologizing for this country and literally bowing to foreign leaders?
The stakes in this fall's elections go far beyond the fate of either the Republican party or the Democratic party. The fate of America is on the line. The Republicans need to understand that-- and to understand that they are not simply "due" because of polls.
They have a job to do, and what will happen to our children and grandchildren will depend on how well they do it.
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joe Brad
Well said .....The consequences we face if these "changers of America" are not stopped are to frightening to mention.....Thank you Mr.Sowell
Posted January 19, 2010 at 2:10:41 AM
kev
I have the greatest respect for Dr. Sowell. And certainly I hope that the Republican Party puts forth strong candidates this year, unlike John McCain whose campaign was a huge disappointment. In spite of his heroic history, he has always been on the liberal side. But I voted for him anyhow, given what was waiting for us on the other side. However, it was the Independents who put this mess into office, choosing to ignore all the voting history (or even lack of which) of obama while in office, his lack of experience, his associations, and his socialist, if not marxist, background. All the information on him was available, but the politically correct mood of this country prevented its discussion. They failed to notice that the current democrat party is not the party of John Kennedy. I hope the voters have learned a lesson and will educate themselves before pulling the lever.
Posted January 19, 2010 at 8:45:10 AM
REX
It's always uplifting to read Thomas Sowells columns. He has a keen insight into the political ramifications of this country and a way of expounding on them that even a Democrat could understand if they hadn't been blinded by the Marxist/Socialist bunch in Washington. Keep up the good work Dr. Sowell, you are a real Patriot.
Posted January 19, 2010 at 4:34:03 PM
Frank E. Waterstraat
01/19/10
Dr.Sowell poses a Great question.Only one part of
the question can we be sure of is;TAKE NOTE of the
commitment of the candidate in UNDERSTANDING the
DO'S & DON'T of the CONSTITUTION his voting
voting record.Then his abilty to keep their
PANTS UP!I also have respect for DR,Sowell.
Posted January 19, 2010 at 5:12:50 PM
Howard Last
Will we be better off under the republicans? In most cases the republicans are democrat lite. When was the last time, if at all, you heard a a so called republican leader (still an oxymoron) say BHO is a communist. Then there are the republicans who are members of the Concil on Foreign Relations. In fact one member, Gingrich, the leadership is pushing for President. Who gave us the Patriot Act, No Child Left Behind, the first stimulus bill, ban on incandescent light bulbs, pushed amnesty for illegal aliens, etc, etc, etc? When was the last time you heard a republican leader say"show us your birth certificate?
Posted January 19, 2010 at 5:38:05 PM
ILEANA
Well said, Howard Last!
Dr. Sowell is one of the best Economics professors.
Posted January 20, 2010 at 6:33:50 AM
John Bond
Very true. But with Scott Brown, it was not "due" but it was a free people given a clear choice between giving power to a tyranny or fighting back with the hope that they may secure at the ballot box liberty for the next generation. The liberty that the Massachusetts forefathers secured for our nation was tested last night. And true to history the "shot heard 'round the world", was echoed last night. Once again we are indebted to the courage of the people of the independent, great and free state of Massachusetts! Let those who like me see our Constitution as a sacred trust rise up and vote for limited Federal Government that uses our taxes to defeat terrorists not to hire lawyers for terrorists.
Posted January 20, 2010 at 8:12:40 AM
Lacey Patterson
what a load of fear mongering manure.
Posted January 20, 2010 at 10:38:27 AM
Ruth Ann Wilson
Mr. Howard, you have a memory. Good for you.
Last night, I heard Romney enjoying the victory of Mr. Brown and how ironic. Mr. Romney and he identified himself as a "Republican Governor" from Massachusetts, and if "my memory" serves me correctly, He brought that horrible "government health care" that the people of Massachusetts have been "laboring under" since his term in office. He gave those people in Massachusetts that "abomination" and he needs to see what he can do to get that REPEALED.
Mr. Brown has "reaped" a Republican victory because the people "hate" government "FORCED" health care which was one of the Republican Governor Romney's signature pieces of legislation while he was governor!!!!!
Republicans, you better "consider your ways" and Get back to the Constitution and stop "politicking" and stand for Our Foundational Documents. True Americans expect ALL Parties to say bound by their sacred oath of Office "to uphold and defend the Constitution."
PS It might be a good exercise at the Senate if one of you make it "mandatory" that all Senators attend a "reading" of the Constitution, Declaration of Independence, and Ten Commandments of Almighty God at the start of every new year. Legislators are bound under oath to God to stay confined to those Constitutional boundaries. But do you know those bounds??????
For God & Country
Ruth Ann Wilson
Posted January 20, 2010 at 10:49:42 AM
Texan
Mr. Sowell raises a valid and very ominus point. If we allow a nation like Iran to obtain nuclear capabilities how long will it be before they attempt to use them on American soil. Although I don't believe any leader would surrender this country in the aftermath of a nuclear attack I do believe they'd seize the opportunity to suspend the constitution and our civil liberties and declare marshal law. We wouldn't find ourselves subject to a foreign terrorist regime so much as we'd find ourselves under the boot a domestic one declared under the guise of national security. I mean, who wants to let a good crisis go to waste.
Posted January 20, 2010 at 12:37:33 PM
Howard Last
Ruth Ann Wilson, Romney is one of the candidates being pushed by the republican leaders (still an oxymoron) for President. Also don't forget who gave us the unconstitutional "Patriot Act", why those two great conservatives Bush and Cheney. Excuse me while I go PUKE.
Posted January 20, 2010 at 8:45:28 PM
Steven
I enjoy reading Dr. Sowell's column often and I agree we are in a perilous time that requires Republican leaders to get "our" kind of Constitutionalist candidates. I would ask Howard to explain what parts of the Patriot Act were so offensive. I do not remember (last week can be hazy) any problems being brought about by it. I do not consider the eavesdropping of calls from foriegn lands on watch list to people in the US to be a problem. So is there anything else? As Ruth Ann put it:
FOR GOD and Country!
Posted January 21, 2010 at 11:17:28 AM
Drew, Central PA
Very Well said Howard!!!
As always Dr. Sowell I love your articles and books! Keep up the great work.
Posted January 22, 2010 at 9:53:56 AM
MichaelSSEC
While a lot of us bicker over details like whether we should have had the Patriot Act, Mr Sowell is exactly correct: the very survival of the United States is at stake in the next two elections.
That might sound like hyperbole, but it's not. The very belief that America is an exceptional country is rejected by these radical Leftists. The existence of right and wrong is rejected. Obama has deliberately made the recession worse, weakened the military, alienated our allies and emboldened our enemies -- all to dismantle American exceptionalism, destroy American leadership in the world, and "level the playing field" for every other nation. By dragging America down to the level of mediocrity, we're now no better than most of the other countries on Earth. That's justice to these radicals.
But it's more than that. It's also about control over the lives of regular people by a central government who knows better than we do what's best for each of us. They even want to decide whether we live or die. The trouble is, this isn't some theoretical social experiment. This has been done already, and the results have been catastrophic. Millions murdered. We don't need to run the experiment to know that it's a terrible idea.
When Election Day rolls around in November and then again in 2012, vote against Socialism and radicals. Vote in favor of the United States Constitution as our Founders intended it. Your grandchildren deserve to live in a free country, not the Socialist fantasyland envisioned by the Left.
Posted January 22, 2010 at 8:01:16 PM