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THE MOMENT THAT I, and many others, formed our belief that Mitt Romney would defeat Barack Obama and become the 45th President of the United States was not, as some might believe, after the debate in Denver, Colorado on October 3rd.
Yes, Mitt Romney won the debate, we thought – but surely Obama would refocus onto the economy and make it a race again?
No. When we became convinced was when Obama did something entirely different. Rather than make the case on the economy, he opened and closed his stump speeches in the weeks after with a new line: “There’s only one candidate in this race who will stand up for Big Bird!”
The crowds cheered, and the conservatives in my Twitter feed, Gchat, on Facebook and in the real world smiled knowingly and became convinced: this guy is losing. How could he not be? In a race about the economy, with a one trillion dollar deficit and a national debt so large that if piled on top of itself in dollar coins it would stretch to Saturn, the President of the United States was making his stand on defending millions of dollars in unnecessary subsidies to one of the world’s richest and most profitable cartoon characters. He was for the 1 per cent, we thought – but only if they had feathers.
Then it was all about the binders full of women. Sure, we thought. Make our day. Make this race about a not-particularly-awful verbal slip, when household income is down $4,500 and unemployment up since you took office. Our guy will talk about the economy, and it’ll be a contrast between a vision for jobs and recovery and a vision based on new, tiresome, Twitter memes for the lolcatz generation.
We were wrong – boy, were we wrong – and it’s time to face up to why.
Conservatives have lost the culture war, and right now, despite this economic climate, the culture war is all that matters. There is a generation of voters who will discard economic concerns to vote against a set of social values that they perceive, rightly or wrongly, as bigoted, backward, and wrong.
Gay marriage is no longer a debate about issues; it is a litmus test for political acceptability to an entire generation, moreso even than apartheid was twenty years ago. If we continue to be on the wrong side of that issue, millions will simply refuse to listen to another word we say.
We have lost single women. Conservatives can say that their case on contraception is not about denying it to anybody, but asking people to pay for it themselves – but in a cultural environment where we are already seen (unfairly, certainly, but fairness is irrelevant) as anti-woman, that message doesn’t break through. On the socio-cultural issues of the day, conservatism has resisted reality for too long.
We have lost too, on the environment. We are seen as sceptics of climate change, when in reality we are sceptics of the policies that liberals want us to adopt to tackle it. What is a healthy scepticism of the idea that Government programmes, higher taxes, and malthusian misery can change the climate has been allowed to fester into an idea that as a group, we hate science.
We don’t. We love science – science has brought the world wealth and prosperity, and reduced hunger and famine. In fact, science has shown us how much we can adapt and overcome climate change, but we have refused to sell that message.
We cannot continue to be seen as the anti-gay, anti-women, anti-environment, anti-children, pro-bombing-the-hell-out-of-everything people, if for no other reason that we’re really not those people. Conservatism has never been about resisting change, but perfecting and institutionalising change.
For all that that is the image of modern conservatism, the reality is that Governor Romney and Paul Ryan ran on a radical plan to reform and change entitlement spending. In exit polls, people did not fear it. The economic radicalism – the willingness to tackle a state that is too big, too intrusive, takes too much of our money, bonds the next generation to debts we’re unwilling to pay ourselves, and wastes the very money it borrows – was not what hurt him. What hurt him was the hypocrisy charge: the idea that conservatives want Government out of everything but your bedroom.
In the West we live in – and are entering further into – an era of exultant liberalism. Religion is in decline, tolerance for difference has never been higher, our willingness to judge others has never been lower, and we are choosing to bind ourselves further and further to the idea that every problem can be solved by electing a politician to take our money and spend it more wisely than we can ourselves.
In an era of bank bailouts and historic borrowing, a time of debt crises and high unemployment, a decade of stagnation, decline, and depression, liberalism has placed its faith in Government and the state, and not the individual, or the family, or the community.
If conservatism wants to win again – and win again we will – our message must be consistent.
We trust you to love the right person, regardless of gender, race or creed.
We trust you to cherish the environment in your daily lives and work to leave a better world than the one you entered.
We trust women to thrive and succeed and rise to the top because in our view of the world, nothing is a barrier to brilliance.
We trust people to spend the euro or the dollar or the dinar in their pocket better than a government official who didn’t earn that euro and can never value it as much as the person who did.
We trust science and innovation and the freedom of free people to try new things to create the jobs, ideas, and companies that will power us to the next level.
To be conservative is to be optimistic – to believe that the arc of human history bends ever upwards towards more freedom and prosperity if we trust people and give them all the freedom we can. We won’t win again until we are true to that message. Conservatives have always been about liberating the individual. For two decades we have become the people who want to deny freedom and rights to whole groups of people.
Last night, a good man with great ideas paid the price of that failure – and we will continue to pay it until we realise that the culture war is over, and we lost.
John McGuirk is a conservative commentator and political communications consultant. He ran in the 2011 general election in Cavan-Monaghan. @john_mcguirk
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The EU in its current form and where it is headed (Federal States of Europe) should be of grave concern to the Irish people, especially now as we are losing a valuable ally in Britain. The #Brexit negotiations were a valuable, but now lost opportunity for Ireland to strike for much better arrangements that would have tempered the effects of what is coming down the tracks.
People in Ireland romanticise about the EU, but really what they look back on is the EEC. The EU in its current form is merely a vehicle for a USE where Ireland will not have any wriggle room to be creative about offsetting our set to increase geographical disadvantage, as an island off the west coast of Europe.
@Daniel Dunne: and now with articles 11 & 13 being passed it’s the death knell for free speech on the Internet (in the guise of copyright nonsense).
@Bill Clay: Articles the majority of Irish MEPs voted in favour for or abstained. Difficult to claim it as an EU problem when those we elect were ushering it in.
@Rochelle:
Chickens voting for KFC comes to mind.
@Rochelle: let’s face it, 99.999999% of the country has no idea what Irish MEPs voting records are. We are far attached from what goes on in Brussels.
Personally, I’d like to see the EU parliament reduced in size and only devise optional directives that all member states have to put through their own legislature (Dail being ours).
Accountability is missing.
@Mushy Peas: True and the media carry a lot of blame on this, but for this instance and for anyone reading this who may be interested with the European elections coming up..
Those in favour of Article 13:
Brian Hayes (FG)
Marian Harkin (I)
Seán Kelly (FG)
Mairead McGuinness (FG)
Voted against by:
Lynn Boylan (SF)
Matt Carthy (SF)
Nessa Childers (I)
Luke ‘Ming’ Flanagan (I)
Not Present:
Deirdre Clune (FG)
Liadh Ni Riada (SF)
Brian Crowley (FF)
@Daniel Dunne: If you look at the map, Ireland location is vital the only land between america canada, The Eu sees this as vital control point to the pacific it’s like a rook on a chess board. MORE CONTROL FOR THE MANIAC’S
@Noel McGuinness: Pacific? What?
@Noel McGuinness: We are a hell of a long way from the Pacific Ocean, so I don’t really get your point.
@Daniel Dunne: Please elaborate on these “grave” concerns, and how will our creativity be crippled by this Federation of states you speak of!!!
We could do with listening to this President more. Speaks sense.
@limofax: Sad to see the amount of people who just jeer him, because he doesn’t use baby language.
@Nick Caffrey: I’m not a fan of Money D Higgins, but he is spot on here.
@limofax:
He thinks Venezuela is a great socialist country, enough said.
@Weldoninhio: I thought our President was not supposed to get involved in politics
@Pat Mullin: Was about to say the same thing. Even if you consider him right in what he said, was he right to actually say it at all?
@Candace: can you show me where he said that’s?
@Pat Mullin: while he can’t interfere in a political decision he can provide his own personal political opinion.
@Candace: Please reference your assertion; I, for one, don’t believe it.
@Nick Caffrey:
Did I mention he said that? Whatever you do don’t put words in my mouth.
-
A quote by Mickie D on Chavez..“President Chavez achieved a great deal during his term in office, particularly in the area of social development and poverty reduction.”
–
The reality…Tyranny is one of the most successful political forms the world has ever seen, and it continually mutates to prey upon the host, humanity. Hugo Chávez died stricken with cancer in a hospital bed in Havana, Cuba, but he has inflicted a great curse upon Venezuela: a murder rate worse than Iraq’s at the time of his death, a broken society, a superheating economy and tons of Kalashnikovs in the barrios, citizens eating from garbage, It’s pretty dire given the wealth of oil gold Chávez has squandered..and now Maduro.
@Candace: so you made up your original comment and tried to justify same by taking an except from a speech out of context. Hmm…,Doesn’t pass the smell test.
@limofax:
Mickie D and Chavez are cut from the same cloth, Socialists, a la carte Communists. Of course it wouldn’t pass the smell test if you had chit for brains.
@limofax: Words are always cheap, actions on the other hand???
Any pretense that europe was a good thing for Ireland disappeared when we got saddled with 42% of the banking crash debt, despite only being 1% of europes population. The other nations should have stood up for us, even if the useless shower in government at the time and since wouldn’t. Solidarity my backside.
@The Risen: You mean the debt that we owed and have mostly paid back? That debt?
Drop it already. If it wasn’t that you’d have some other shite to moan about the EU.
I see your comments a lot on here. It’s constant belittling and moaning and no substance or a hint of constructive criticism.
Ireland is doing better than all the other peripheral nations that were badly affected by the 2008 crash. Why’s that? Oh yeah. Because we were good to our word.
@David Rogers: can only blame our elected government
@The Risen: Not often I agree with a hard lefty, but you’re spot on here Risen.
@David Rogers: Debt that we have mostly paid back???
The same debt that our grandchildren will still be paying??
mostly paid back….Ha ha Ha
@David Rogers:
The debt will never be fully repaid. Nor will Germany’s or the other 6 of the top 10 most indebted countries in the world – all presently EU members. That can is kicked down the road along side America’s ever increasing debt ceiling. It’s irrevocably out of control.
@Pixie McMullen:
“mostly” was a bit of a stretch, admitted. Over half would’ve been more accurate. We’ve paid off the IMF, Sweden and Denmark. It’s not nearly as bad as you make it out to be.
And yeah. That’s how loans work. If you’ve got a problem with it take it up with Bertie and the Fianna Failers that were in charge when this mess was caused.
@David Rogers: the debt, much of which we are under
@David Rogers: the debt, much of which we were under no legal obligation to pay back? The debt, which large portions of originated in French and German banking institutions? The same debt which was racked up under the supervision of the ECB?
You Ben over and take it dry without as much as a pillow to bite, whilst giving deference to the everyone bar the Irish tax payer, but I will not. We were rightly shafted by the EU and all your revisionism will not alter that.
@David Rogers: yeah, and look what “Nearly Half” paid back in such a short time has done to the Country – It`s a bloody basket case in EVERY sense of the word – cuts to Gardaí because we had to pay the bankers has the crime through the roof – Defense forces on it`s knees, Biggest homeless numbers since the famine times,
slashing of medical cards for sick children,
slashing loan parents to the bone,
slashing of SNA`s home help hours for elderly,
slashing of respite for elderly and the handicapped,
500,000 people on a waiting list for a procedure,
The scams like Jobsbridge and Turas Nua,
manipulation of true job numbers,
I could go on, but you get the picture –
All because we have to be seen to be the good boy and pay off debt early – while the likes of France get to keep running defecits with no penalty –
ALL THIS has been done by your Fine Gael crowd that you seem bent on defending
Get a grip man, the Risen makes a lot more sense than you , yet you attack him.
@Pixie McMullen: Well said. David Rogers… your retort, please?
@The Risen: Great little documentary on utube. The secret bank bailout by Harold schumann a german journalist. It was shown on German tv and names the bondholders. Harold recons the Irish were robbed blind and really worth a view. A few of our politicians are interviewed as well. Interesting to see what they really think.
@David Rogers:
How exactly was it ‘our’ debt?
This was private debt between private individuals and private banks (backed by private – mostly german – bondholders).
Are you labouring under the impression that this was money borrowed by the state to fund the economy, as was the case in Greece?
The big boys in Europe basically put a gun to Brian Lenihan’s head and told him he needed to ‘socialise’ the debt in order to protect German bond holders.
@David Rogers: What part of ITS NOT OUR DEBT do you not understand?
@Pixie McMullen: 100% correct.
Bit rich for a lad to lecture about social divide when he took the Lear jet from Dublin to Belfast and also got his driver to follow by road to collect him from the plane. Champagne Socialist.
@Hugh Jass: Sure he spent 11 grand taking the ould jet for a spin down to Kerry a few times…… Fckin` KERRY!!
One was to attend a concert!
On February 16 President Higgins was flown to Kerry airport, with the Learjet immediately returning to Baldonnel Airport in Dublin.
The following day, February 17, the jet was flown back to Kerry to pick up The President and bring him back to Dublin.
According to the Government’s figures the cost of the entire four-flight journey cost €11,340
@Hugh Jass: And it pales in comparison to the cost of ownership of a jet.. He should be using the plane, otherwise it’s more of a waste.
@ED: Oh right so we have a jet so let’s use it for everything? 11k for a round trip to Kerry is ridiculous.
@Pixie McMullen: Cheap at the price. He is our President. You want him to call a cab? Its a pittance. Lose change. Pocket money.
@Paul Whitehead: he could have taken one of his government appointed cars with driver, of which he has 2 to choose from, actually gone and seen a bit of his country he represents, but no, he’ d rather fly down to a concert, send the plane back, then bring the plane back down the next day to bring him home, why couldn’t he at least leave the plane down overnight on Kerry under guard for the night instead of making it a double round trip??
That just smacks of Elitism, from a man supposedly of the people, what a waste of resources, and for what exactly?
@Paul Whitehead: It may be a pittance to you. To those on minimum wages it is half a year’s income. And as I recall MDH lectured us about climate change on the 17th of this month – practice what you preach and all of that.
When are we going to see your accounts ye chancer? What about the pay rise for your ‘special advisor’ that broke the salary max rule? Little (cranky) man with big ideas!
Firstly, its a pity he wasn’t saying things like this when he was a labour politocian. Different political agendas. Secondly, by making statements like this, like the rest of our gombeen politicians, he’s looking for a legacy, saying or doing something so people will remember him and say what a great fella he was, and thirdly, he mustn’t have seen the recent brief where all our establishment politicians and media are currently bombarding us with how great the EU is.
@Adrian: You hit that nail on the head.
@Battaz: What? Did you read a different comment to me? All I see here is incoherent babbling. Where was the nail-hitting bit??
@Joe Phillips: Micky D is a hypocritical opportunist. Succinct enough?
He was wonderful in the Harry Potter movies. I cried a river when he was so cruelly killed.
At least he died a Free Elf.
The President has no right to involve himself in politics This is the function of The Executive The Government must remind him of this fact
@Sean Ryan: tell Mary Robinson that. Haha
@THE DUKE: Mary Robinson isn’t The President. Back to Low Babies for you!
@Orla Smith: you’re some dose man
@Orla She saw the light after one term
@Sean Ryan: He does however have the right to his opinion does he not?
Yes to President. EU is seen as too bereaucraic and not operational enough reaching out more upfront with the people. It’s a good idea but not working properly. All the union countries have a nationalistic streak and like the UK would leave if given the chance.
The old waffler is giving forth “de profundis” again. His Trotskyite ideology is as failed a concept as he is!
Does he not have some chemists to open?
@Cupid Stunt: Have you not got somewhere else to be of no help to anyone to be?
The extremely wealthy love telling us how awful it is to be poor.
Over paid, over pensioned and taking the mickey with his Lear jet use up to Belfast.
The streets of Dublin are littered with what Our President describes as “The left out”
One might ask what he ,whilst a Govt Minister did for those unfortunate people . Maybe watching the news or reading the papers might give him some idea of the life of the “Left Out” on the streets of our Capital City Come down from your Ivory Tower Mr President and walk the streets of Dublin at night where hardly a doorway is unoccupied by “The left out”
The EU needs to go back to its founding principles of promoting peace and trade,or break up,people do not want this militarisation of the EU.
@@mdmak33: Nato is just a savers club to buy un-needed weapons from the US as Russia is the manufactured enemy for arms sales in Europe.
@@mdmak33: The EU is run by bankers, and its open for business for anything?
@TamuMassif2019:
Ask the people of Ukraine if they see Russia as a manufactured enemy…
Socialist mumbo jumbo meaningless buzz words, like `social cohesion`, equality`etc, stock in trade for septuagenarian lefties like Higgins who had been writing this unreadable drivel for decades now.
Because of the botched and incompetent Brexit the federalist socialist agenda of the EU has been overlooked for the past few years.
Once the bothersome Brits are out of the way tho, it will be payback time, first item on the agenda Ireland`s corporate rate, then roll on `integration`harmonization` etc ie; federation, European Army etc, and just wait until your little darlings get conscripted in a couple of years time, people need to wise up and red pill on the EU, inform yourself, and you won`t find out what`s really happening by watching RTE/Virgin media/DO`B media.
@Patrick James Walsh: In round figures Ireland owes 200 Billion. Since then we borrowed an additional 160 Billion 60 Billion of this went into the banks but we are due to get 30 of that back So of the 200 billion we owe only 30 billion has to do with bailed out banks and as a result of the course we took the government can issue bonds at 0.5% Why are you not a incensed about the other 130 Billion that was borrowed to fund the budget deficit during the same time?
Spot on Michael D, I’m firmly a euro-skeptic at this point which is unfortunate for all the benefits the EEC and the EU has brought Ireland. There should be a major effort made to make the EU more accountable to its citizens and more transparency into what laws they are planning on drafting and passing. Article 11 and 13 will set a very bad precedent for start-ups and independent creators/commentators – even Silicon Valley will have trouble implementing the filters/algorithms being asked for here
Michael D is a genius. All the clowns and well read clowns throughout the governing can’t even figure something as simple as that. But then again they spend to much time thinking we’re the clowns.
@Declan Lennon: What is the”governing”?
The biggest issue with Brexit is the north and there isn’t even a government in the north..
Diddley dee hobbit
We should have had a “new mind” instead of re-electing him…
But you liked the money to pay back the bank debt when it came in. And UK would not have help much at the time if I remember… Now that Ireland is the only country in Ireland speaking English as a first language, many would think leaving… Pat back the debt first.
Of course our President can have an opinion and I’m glad he shares it with us. Great man.
@Tim Oleary: #notmypresident
@Daniel Dunne: If you look at the map, Ireland location is vital the only land between america canada, The Eu sees this as vital control point to the pacific it’s like a rook on a chess board. MORE CONTROL FOR THE MANIAC’S – more meandering bull$&!t from mick d
I fear that bankers, the IMF and Germany will bring the EU crashing down on everyones heads. If the UK leaves the EU then when the EU crashes, they might be our life buoy then?
Well done Michael D .Your are a great speaker
and have a great vision to see the truth in complex
situation,s
Muppet. Not the time to be critisizing the EU.
@Daniel Dunne: If you look at the map, Ireland location is vital the only land between america canada, The Eu sees this as vital control point to the pacific it’s like a rook on a chess board. MORE CONTROL FOR THE MANIAC’S – more meandering bull$h!t
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