These grand "thinkers" of our time convince millions of Americans every election-cycle that it's okay to ignore commonsense. That’s it’s preferable to disregard right from wrong. That in fact, it's mandatory to send the "lesser of two evils" back to Congress or into the Oval Office of the White House.
Well, how do you like us now? If you are a conservative or one who does espouse traditional values, then take a good look around. View the decay of compromise which is rotting our cities, our states, our republic, our educational system, and our entertainment community. As you ascertain that which threatens to implode our very way of life, ask yourself a question: What role, if any, did such compromise play in my electoral decisions?
While still mercilessly vilified by the corrupt and themselves compromised members of the mainstream media, former Governor Sarah Palin continues to do her best to speak a very plain truth. A truth and a wake-up call aimed this time squarely at those who would run in the upcoming Republican primaries for President and those who would vote for those candidates.
During a recent interview with Sean Hannity on the Fox News Channel, Governor Palin wisely stressed:
"…in this process of assessing, once the lineup is set and the debates begin…we need to look at every one of these potential candidates and declared candidates records. See if they've had opportunity to veto overspending in their city or their state and some governing body. See if they've seized the opportunity to save other people's money and not squander it. See if they've had opportunity to go to the mat in protecting second amendment rights and every constitutional rights. See if they have in their own personal lives lived a physically and socially conservative life and really walked the walk not just talk the talk…We have to do our homework. Don't let the media define who these candidates are. Let us, as constituents, as voters, as potential candidates…do our homework."
Indeed. Governor Palin has just spoken arguably the most important truth. With liberty comes responsibility. All too often, too many of us are content to let someone else do the "homework" for us and then profess shock when the wheels very predictably fly off and our favorite politician, program, or entitlement ends up in a ditch.
"Go along to get along" clearly is still the order of the day for many. Power is not easy to wrest from the corrupt, from the entitled, from the lazy, or from the compromised.
That said. We must. At least we must make a good-faith effort to try.
Abraham Lincoln once said, "America will never be destroyed from the outside. If we falter and lose our freedoms, it will be because we destroyed ourselves."
At what point do we admit we are faltering? At what point do we snap out of it and better vet those who proclaim themselves our "leaders?" At what point do we scream at our politicians: "We will compromise our principles no more."
The next test is upon us. The results in 2012 will speak volumes about where we are as a people and a nation.
Douglas MacKinnon is a former White House and Pentagon official and an author.