The best long-term solutions for our ailing economy are to restore market forces in every possible sector, reduce the crippling tax burden, and restore responsible fiscal practices to the federal government. Sadly, the incoming Obama administration plans on moving in the opposite direction in all these areas and believes it has a mandate to do so. Are conservatives asleep or just worn down?

Too many Americans have succumbed to the propaganda that the market is inherently evil and fraught with excesses fueled by "capitalistic greed" and that such systemic corruption has led to our economic woes. Only large-scale government intervention can rescue us from this pernicious system.

Under Democratic and Republican administrations alike, we have advanced ever more rapidly away from a free market environment and toward a command and control economy. Steadily we have accepted the notion that politicians should pick winners and losers based on their ideas of fairness rather than having market forces be the ultimate arbiter.

We have swallowed the fearmongering admonitions of public officials who insist that even apart from the moral question of picking winners and losers, our government must bail out "essential" segments of the economy, such as the automobile industry, lest the entire economy be doomed for extinction. Indeed, this word "essential" has proved to be an essential tool for the left in these difficult times.

True conservatives out there -- however many remain -- must not forget the ominous words of Obama's chief of staff, Rahm Emanuel, who said: "Rule one: Never allow a crisis to go to waste. They are opportunities to do big things."

Perhaps this statement was not as sexy for sound bite purposes as Obama's cavalier remark to Joe the Plumber that we need to spread the wealth around a little bit. But it is even more revealing.

Sure, much has been stated about Emanuel's comment, but not nearly enough. For in all the media-generated excitement over Obama's pecs and the faux conservative approval of Obama's "moderate" appointments, it appears we have failed to grasp the significance of this revelation.

If we'd take a breath and view this soberly, we'd see that Emanuel's remark is evidence that liberals are now coming out of the closet. They'll no doubt still eschew the liberal label, but they'll unapologetically embrace liberal policies in a way they wouldn't have before.

Emanuel -- on Obama's behalf, by the way -- might as well have stated: "We liberals are not the least bit concerned about the economy, not because it isn't every bit as bad as you've heard, but precisely because we believe it is. You see, we finally have a chance to implement our ideas on a grand scale. We've helped brew the perfect storm by imposing policies that largely led to the mortgage meltdown and scapegoating corporations for them, thereby demonizing and discrediting the free market to the point that full-blown government solutions are now plausible rather than political suicide. We are not sorry for our current predicament, but elated about it. In our view, the ends always justify the means, so what's a little widespread economic hardship en route to our grand vision for an America where we are in power and we get to pick winners and losers? And by the way, all that stuff we said about the growing deficits and national debt under Republican administrations was important, but not in the way you think. It was important for us to get elected, but now that we have been, we can be honest and tell you that a growing debt is just another necessary means to the end of expanding government power. We are giddy about the reported $1 trillion deficit because it gives us a license for more of the same -- and then some. Next stop, nationalized health care."

I respectfully suggest that those sanguine "conservatives" who believe Obama's "moderate" appointments are cause for comfort are fooling themselves. You'll see how relatively irrelevant some of these appointments are when Obama presses forward with his "stimulus package" (an enormous set of earmarks that are being sold under cover of eliminating earmarks), redistributes wealth under the guise of tax cuts, and signs America on to a sovereignty- and economy-destroying cap and trade program in homage to the global warming myth.

But as egregious as those policies are, they'll pale next to his push for socialized medicine, which, if realized, could irreversibly change the American economy, not to mention destroy the quality of health care.

Boy, is it ever time for the loyal opposition to rear its head. The way things are going, Obama's agenda will be nearing the end zone before the defense suits up for the game.

Now is the time for all good conservatives to quit trying to be loved by the liberal media and come to the aid of their country.