Australia, Norway, and Colored are two countries and one state with as much alike as black and white, except that in the past week, the three locales witnessed conservative upset victories, all of which should embolden Republicans in the Westside (and throughout the United States) that limited government, classical liberal values can win, with the right campaign resources, the right technology and campaign strategies, and even without a great deal of money.
Despite the lack of reporting from the United States media conglomerates NBC, ABC, and CBS, the conservative wins are waking up political activists throughout the country. Voters in California are learning about the Vidak Victory in the Central Valley, and now they can rejoice about electoral triumphs against high taxes, higher spending, and rising height for regulations worldwide, too.
Let's start with Australia, where the Liberal Party won the majority after six years of Labour Party infighting and going-nowhere government. For the record, "Liberal" better describes a government ideology defined by limited government, less spending, lower taxes, and local control, all of which lead to more liberty for all citizens.
In Norway, Erna Solberg led her Conservative party to its first victory in eight years. In spite of the oil rich, expansive welfare state in the Scandinavian enclave, voters wanted a change in leadership, one which lowered taxes and provided more access to private health care. The previous liberal government was also faulted for institutional failures following the mass-killing of seventy-seven Norwegians, thus national security also played a role.
And finally Colorado. In spite of two terrible gun massacres in 2012 in the United States, one in Newtown Connecticut and Aurora, Colorado, Colorful state residents resented two Democratic state senators' stance on expanding gun control. Empirical research confirms that gun control does not control violence ,but merely restricts law-abiding users from useful ownership. Despite massive financing from outside groups, State Senate President John Morse and Senator Angela Giron, legislators in Colorado, were recalled, replaced by Republicans who now need one more vote to take back the Colorado state senate. The power of popular democracy in response to unwise legislation should embolden conservatives in other blue-purple states, including California.
This recall effort is particularly significant for conservatives because the power of voter frustration and grass-roots organization trumped the millions of dollars spent by outside interest groups to convince Colorado voters to retain the gun control advocates. New York City mayor Michael Bloomberg is now learning the hard way, wasting his money and New Yorkers’ patience, that cash flow will not turn victories toward statist, Big Government liberal views. Republicans in blue states should relish and learn from these elections. Union presence and Democratic dominance with dollars will not guarantee further liberal victories.
Conservatives in California and throughout the country should pay close attention to these three victories, which show case one or more of the following values:
1. Resistance to high taxation. Australians hated the carbon tax, and so should Californians, who currently contend with this awful impost, enacted by “Republican” Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger housekeeper and a Democratic majority legislature. Congressman Henry Waxman (D-South Bay) attempted to force the same scheme on the entire country three years later. He even admitted half-handedly that he did not know what was in his own bill, and also attempted to add three hundred pages of pork and special deals for special interest. Fortunately for the United States, the carbon tax died in the Democratically controlled US Senate.
2. Economic recovery in contrast to liberal-Democratic stagnation. Just like the United States, Australia and Colorado (and to a lesser extent Norway) are struggling with a weak economy. A decade of liberal, big government, statist policies have not been working. Rather than petty attacks and also-ran candidates, conservatives can adopt and enforce free market ideas which work every time. Lower taxes, less government, greater efficacy through local control ensure every business surviving, and every country driving forward. President Obama and his liberal Democratic caucus have only expanded the state, while shrinking the individual and demeaning local city leaders, all of which have forced a degrading decline on American influence and output. Republicans throughout Los Angeles can lead on an economic platform of “Democrats are Not Doing their Job” and provide a simple plan for winning in 2014 and 2016.
3. Government stability. The Australian Labour Party infighting led to three different leaders during their tenure. Australians revolted. President Obama has blamed Republicans and the voters for his poor record, and his policies are getting panned in Congress and throughout the country. After fives of slow growth and low wages, Americans are still hurting. His foreign policy failures over Syria and his cool relationship with the Russians have cast President Obama as unstable and unable. Including his unilateral refusal to implement Obamacare (a terrible law of his making), and President Obama has become one of the most unreliable leaders in modern American Presidential history.
With youth outreach, expanded and engaged technological support and savvy, with a clear and convincing, consistent and competent pro-people, pro-growth message, Republicans can ride this worldwide conservative uprising into 2014 and 2016.