Nathaniel

Shockey

Read Nathaniel's bio and previous columns here

May 19, 2008

There’s Too Much at Stake for Conservatives to Shrug Like Atlas

Conservatives don’t love John McCain, but unless they’re considering abandoning their cause with Atlas Shrugged proportions, there’s no way in hell they’ll vote for Barack Obama.

Sometimes, things have to get worse before they get better. And with that idea in mind, the conservative movement really is America’s crutch.

The most specific example is economics, as conservatives constantly preach lower taxes and greater individual freedom. One would think that the Bush tax cuts, which have yielded continued economic growth (yes, our economy is growing, despite the lies you keep hearing), and the burgeoning economy during the Reagan Administration would provide enough proof to, at the very least, convince people that maybe, just maybe, there’s something to be said for lower taxes.

But still, half the country is supporting politicians – Obama, most notably – who would promptly take more of your money if given the chance. Anyone who values financial freedom can thank those among us who reject the evil philosophy of giving great power to a minority.

Conservatism consistently strikes me as the sane side of the coin concerning almost every other major issue. And this is why it is so shocking to me that there is such wide support for Barack Obama, who has the following things going for him:

1) McCain looks like he could be Barack’s grandfather.

2) Obama hasn’t been around long enough to have already taken both sides of every major issue, as have many of his colleagues, which explains the appearance of strong convictions.

3) He’s not affiliated with George W. Bush’s political party.

But I still don’t see how half the country so easily stomachs his extreme liberalism, his associations with Jeremiah Wright, his relationship with terrorist William Ayers and the fact that his wife has no pride in her country aside from its support of her husband.

Concerning Obama’s comments about the Middle Americans who cling to their conservative beliefs because they’re mad about their income bracket, many called him out of touch. But the truth is, those of us who remain incredulous at Obama’s popularity are probably the ones who are most out of touch.

The fact is that America is moving to the left. We haven’t reached European proportions yet, but our direction is clear, we’re accelerating and it’s time conservatives grasped it.

Part of me is really interested to see what will happen if Obama becomes our next president. How much of his liberal agenda would he actually achieve, and how would the country react? I worry that things will get much worse, that we’ll lose much of our freedom, and the generally strong Christian presence in our country that I believe is among the primary reasons for our strength over the last few centuries will rapidly diminish.

In Ayn Rand’s Atlas Shrugged, the movers and shakers in the country, the great inventors, the rich, those who believe in freedom, all abandon ship in the midst of political chaos. They say, “Screw it, let the country go to hell and then they’ll realize how much they need us.” Within a few years, it does go to hell, and then they take back the Earth. The title comes from the Greek myth in which Atlas is condemned to hold Ouranos, the Sky, on his shoulders, and keep it from colliding with the Earth. And the idea Rand suggests is that, if the Earth was so intent on destroying itself and those who maintain it, Atlas might as well shrug.

Of the many points that keep the story from being even slightly believable, the main one is when she makes such a clear distinction between the tiny minority that “gets it,” and everyone else. Many of us think like this, but it is both very elitist and very foolish.

We’re all a part of the crowd, and we are not so easily moved. The truth is that 300 million people would not so quickly abandon their conservative roots because of a liberal president who, up until very recently, would have been regarded by many as completely insane and truly out of touch. A completely different sort of president will only slightly affect such a massive and stubborn citizenry. If we elect Obama, our country will continue to move to the left, only a little faster.

McCain, though I can’t really consider him a great candidate, would, at the very least, continue some small semblance of a conservative presence in our government. And if we are headed straight to hell, at least we won’t get there quite as quickly.

Those considering the idea of saying, “Screw it. Give them what they want and we’ll see what happens,” ought to wake up. If we play the game that way, everyone loses.

And if conservatives really are America’s crutch, remember that crutches are not supposed to stifle. They’re designed to help us heal.

© 2008 North Star Writers Group. May not be republished without permission.

Click here to talk to our writers and editors about this column and others in our discussion forum.

To e-mail feedback about this column, click here. If you enjoy this writer's work, please contact your local newspapers editors and ask them to carry it.

This is Column # NS112. Request permission to publish here.