Gary Aldrich
August 21, 2006

When the first Bush White House lost popular support, one of the biggest reasons trotted out by the political experts was President Bush’s lack of a vision for the nation. They called it “the vision thing.”

Today, I have a tough time feeling any passion for the current administration or the political party that supports it. I call it “that passion thing.”

Who could find anything inspirational? I once wondered if I had become burned out after 10 years of working within the Conservative Movement. However, when no one I know can find any inspiration either, I realize the answer is, "No, I am not burned out. There just isn’t much to feel passionate about."

The Conservative Movement used to support those politicians who believed in conservative values. Smaller, less intrusive, less expensive government. More freedom - not less. Lower taxes, not more. Most conservatives want the federal government in our lives only as much as it absolutely needs to be.

We want to decide who gets to come into our country, and we want real border security to keep everyone else out. Frankly, we don’t care if that makes us appear to be mean or selfish. We have good reasons, even if these reasons don’t seem obvious to the clueless Hard-Left.

We want the best possible protection against terror – protection that includes deciding and stating plainly who the bad guys really are. If the terrorists are Muslim men of Middle Eastern descent between the ages of 17 and 40, then leave the rest of us alone! Punishing all for the actions of the few works in elementary school, not in the real world of adults. Deadly terrorists are not influenced by peer pressure.

We want our GOP-led government to stop frisking 80-year old ladies in wheelchairs at the airport. Also, leave my 18-year old Christian Caucasian daughter alone.

When we go into another country to take out their leadership because it is threatening, deadly, and oppressive, we do not apologize for wanting to send the people who live there, benefiting from the obvious positive change, a bill – especially when they are sitting on top of the world’s largest oil reserves.

Yes, yes, it’s nice that they can now vote and enjoy our freedoms. But how about asking them to pay the same price we paid for ours? Business is business, and if it turns out they like us, that’s just Kum-ba-ya. We are tired of being told to play nice. Nice guys finish last and we want to finish first.

When the political opposition says, “you only went there for the oil,” our response to these idiots should be, “Duh!” Haven’t you had enough of the $3.50 a gallon for regular gasoline for no good reason? The price of energy is killing our economy just like everybody said it would. And we still do not have a logical and workable energy policy! The “Greens” are still bullying us around no matter who is in the White House or Congress. What kind of government is that? Government by oppression, by mob rule!

If the Conservative Movement has moved on to easier, more obtainable goals, they didn’t check with us. We absolutely do not agree with the direction the GOP has taken since President Bush has taken office.

Do I think a Republican president can do a better job in terms of protecting us from terrorist attacks and winning a war? Absolutely, I do. Unfortunately, today the Republican passion is more government on every level. But more government doesn’t win a war or fight terrorism. More soldiers do. It’s a good time to make needed cuts – especially to socialistic nanny-state programs. In times of war, Americans used to be called upon to sacrifice. Now, if you are supported by my hard-earned tax dollars, being asked to sacrifice is a human rights violation.

Our Founding Fathers – at least most of them - believed in limited government. They knew from bitter experience that the bigger a government, the fewer liberties reserved for the individual. The hard-left liberals don’t care about individual liberty. They have supported Collectivism in whatever forms it takes. Think Cuba.

The Republicans used to care about individual liberty. Now they seem to believe in government, and lots of it. Why is the Conservative Movement wasting time with the Bush Administration? Do conservatives actually believe something conservative can happen in the next two years? Our time would be better spent finding and supporting Ronald Reagan’s flag-carrier.