There is No ‘Done’ in Politics

Recently I was hosting a show on a Washington D.C. talk radio station and a frustrated voter called and told me he was “done.” The caller went through an impromptu list of terrible policy decisions by the Obama Administration in the economic, healthcare, regulatory, and spending realm – in addition to social issues and law enforcement arenas.  He culminated his rant by expressing his desire to throw in the towel. The man’s fear and apprehension was unmistakable, but his response deeply troubled me.

The man’s comments didn’t trouble me because I thought his analysis was incorrect or misguided, it troubled me because he was correct. The Left is winning, and winning big. They have engaged in a century-long war on our culture, our values, our liberty, and our constitutional system of government, and have managed to win nearly every major skirmish. They have not only won these battles, they have successfully implemented a de facto (possibly de jure system after the recent Supreme Court session) penalty system of social isolation and shaming, reminiscent of the Scarlet Letter, to be put into place by immediately branding a hateful label upon the head of anyone with an opposing view.

Conservative victories are few and far between. Even when we win, the spoils evanescence quickly and the liberty train continues to move farther and farther away from the station. The far Left has no appetite for facts and data, only for division and obfuscation. Without anger, division politics, and fear, the far Left has nothing. They are immune to logic as if they’ve been vaccinated against common sense, but they continue to plug away at our economic and political liberty. Whether it’s Greece’s bankruptcy, Venezuela’s breadlines, Cuba’s political prisoners, Puerto Rico’s zeroed-out bank account, or any of the many other examples of the misery caused by their policies, they continue to follow their comrades off the cliff like lemmings.

Yes, that’s all bad news, and you may be wondering why I’m challenging the caller who was willing to toss in the towel. I do so because this isn’t a reality TV show or material for a future cautionary tale– it’s a fight against the never-ending human pursuit of power at the expense of others. I’m not sure what the “I’m done with this fight” caller was expecting. Saying we are losing the fight is far different from saying we have “lost” the fight, and it assumes that we won something in the past. There will never be any conclusion to this fight.  It’s not a marathon or a sprint. It’s a race that has no finish line. It’s an eternal boxing match, not a temporary golf game. If you walk off the golf course and say “I’m done,” no one really cares. The owner of the golf course gets his money and the players behind you get to play through faster. In a boxing match, when you say “I’m done,” the other guy is still kicking your ass and you’d better care or you’ll be dead.

There’s no “done,” there’s never a “done.” The fight is what matters, it’s all that matters. We have to stop whining about electoral and legislative losses and start thinking about resisting. We will be measured by our sacrifices and our ability to peacefully, and responsibly, resist. Never, ever give up this fight. If you are the last one to turn off the light of liberty in your town, city, state, or country, then know you’ve sacrificed and paid the admission price for a future generation’s better tomorrow, when it all collapses.

EDITORS NOTE: This column originally appeared in the Conservative Review. Featured image of President Ronald Reagan is courtesy by Jim Cole | AP Photo.

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