Mustang Rants

When I watched the debate between Mark Kennedy and Amy Klobuchar on “Meet the Press” this morning, and read the ensuing screams of victory from both camps on the blogosphere, I tried to analyze why, after every debate, the partisans leap up and down screaming “my candidate wiped the floor with your candidate!” Not just the insiders, but everyone with an opinion. I think it has something to do with the old political phrase “throwing meat to the lions”. The party faithful were all told what they wanted to hear, and what they heard from the opposing candidate was all the things they are opposed to. In the minds of the lions, they got meat and the other side got bones.

I have a different belief about how to win an election. We have become so used to being told what the polls say, and watching politicians legislate to the polls, that we have forgotten what real leadership is. Real leaders have a vision, and then inspire others to follow that vision. I am waiting to hear from someone with a vision. Ronald Reagan, Douglas MacArthur, Winston Churchill, and Margaret Thatcher; now there were some leaders. People who stood up and said “I believe this, it is right and good, now follow me.” Just to be fair I should probably add Hubert Humphrey to the list. Politics cannot be about legislating to public opinion; it has to be about showing others why your vision is the best vision for America, and moving people to your views, inspiring them and making them proud of who they are and what their country is. It’s not about telling the people what they want to hear.

I know who I am going to vote for in November, because I believe in the vision of the Republican Party, with some exceptions. Luckily my party has room for those with differing views. I really am an imperialist libertarian, and the Republicans come closest to that vision. I’m just hungry to see someone get up and be proud of that vision!

# posted by Mustang 09 @ 9:23 PM