Happy Thanksgiving; Conservatives Have Much for which to be Thankful

         
          In my first substantive post after I launched this blog four years ago, I urged my fellow conservatives Americans to be thankful, despite the election (http://williamcinfici.blogspot.com/2008/11/be-thankful-despite-election.html).  A similar message applies today.

           We conservative Americans must always remain grateful to God for the liberty we enjoy and those who serve to keep us free, among the many other blessing we enjoy.

           We must remain confident that our principles are right and persevere in promoting them.  In fact, we must increase our efforts to educate our fellow citizens about the federal Constitution, basis civics, fiscal policy and macroeconomics, in addition to promulgating sound policies.  We start on a still-strong foundation, as the American electorate disagreed with few of our ideas and agreed with many, some of which are still under consideration in both federal and state government.

           As I noted in my last two posts analyzing the 2012 general election results, conservatives wield far more power in federal and state government than after the last election.  Unlike then, not only do conservative Republicans hold the majority of the United States House of Representatives, but hold several more seats than necessary to filibuster in the Senate.  The larger GOP congressional caucus is more conservative than before.  Meanwhile, conservative Republicans now hold a large majority of gubernatorial offices, as opposed to a small minority, and have also flipped a minority in state legislative seats to a majority.

           In addition, although they are never predictable and cannot be relied upon always to support our cause, the federal courts have given conservatives a number of landmark victories, such as upholding the right to keep and bear arms, state laws requiring voters to produce photographic identification and free expression for corporations.  Partial victories were also won in upholding states' rights in immigration and in President Barack Obama's federalization of health insurance.

           Indeed, the health insurance federalization law is being revealed as vulnerable both because of the way it is written, such as allowing states to opt out of creating health insurance exchanges and thereby to avoid employer mandates to provide health insurance or face penalties, and the Supreme Court ruling allowing states to opt out of Medicaid instead of being coerced into paying for the expansion by the federal government.  There may also be a public backlash against the plan once the more unpleasant features of it begin to be implemented.  Other issues, such as rising debt and entitlements going bankrupt, will present additional opportunities for conservative leadership.

           After a period of necessarily mourning the loss of the presidential election, we conservatives should return to offering ideas with the good cheer and optimism that reflect the confidence of our ideas and attract others to the cause of liberty.

           Have a Happy Thanksgiving!  May God bless America!