California's Young Conservatives Shining Bright

One of my favorite songs is “We Are Young” by the hit
group Fun.

The music video doesn’t quite match the band’s name.

With a seedy bar as background, the band hits their chorus,
all hell breaks loose. Patrons smash peers with beer bottles and chairs. The
fear and booze spills all over in a swirling chaos. Even though the lead singer
promises to take his girlfriend home, a brawler dashes out and crashes a stool
on an unwitting passerby. The chorus hammers: “We are young! So let’s set the
world on fire. We can burn brighter than the sun!”

A bitter frustration underscores the melody. In a similar
way, a sorrow seems to grips the younger generation. Robots are taking over
entry level jobs. The world is a lot less safe, as Islamic terrorists
annihilate their global “opponents”, unchecked by the feckless Barack Obama. At
home, the adults have neglected their progeny, opting for champagne socialism
and borrowing from the future. They declined their role as authority figures,
nurturers—basically, parents. It seems like the college generation will be
defined by safe speech zones and “microaggressions”.

In spite of these dire outcomes, young conservatives are rising
up in our midst, even here in California, and their future can be bright. Fire
can destroy, but heat produces light, energy, and power—like the sun.

All of this segues to my fun weekend in San Diego, where the
California College Republicans (CACR) hosted their annual convention.  A good friend of mine, George Yang of Menlo
Park (who had run for Lieutenant Governor in 2014 and won a number of
surprisingly liberal districts in the Bay Area), invited me down. Even though I
am not exactly college age, I was not the only post graduate, but found I had a
lot to learn. Besides, I wanted to coordinate with college groups, turn up
youth outreach and turn out the vote for Election 2016.

The current CACR chairman, Jere Ford, opened up the convention
Friday night. Another US Senate candidate, Duf Sundheim, and California’s RNC
Committeeman Shawn Steel helped kick off the weekend. The next day, when I
showed up, Ford delivered good news: “This is the best attendance we have had
yet for this convention!”

Indeed, it was packed. 
Young college Republicans from Humboldt to San Diego, including UC
Irvine, my alma mater (ZOT!) showed up to brandish their
conservative stripes and encourage one another for the wins to come. Most were
political science majors. They related the lamentable struggles they face from
peers and professors to be respected, even to be heard in their classes.
Professors tilt left (like a broken, arcane arcade machine) and take down
thousands of young minds, which no longer learn how to think. Why were they still
Republicans, then, in spite of the dire hostilities they daily face? Some come
from Republican families. Others went into college with fixed progressive
views, only to see them fail. Writers and volunteers, many of them show
interest in managing campaigns (or running for office themselves).

Pete Peterson was the first guest speaker for Saturday
morning. As the 2014 Republican candidate for California’s Secretary of State,
he had gathered endorsements from major newspapers up and down the state.
Despite his disappointing loss, he reminded the audience that in the two
districts where his losses were by the widest margins, Los Angeles and Alameda
Counties, two Republicans were elected to the state assembly including my own
David Hadley. From those two beacons of light, Peterson (himself the dean for
the only center-right public policy institute in the state) exhorted his young
listeners: “California is a red state dominated by those two liberal areas. We
need to fix that.”

Two other speakers focused on new messaging. The GOP needs
to revamp its brand. The argument “Big vs. Limited Government” isn’t working.
Why? The Information Revolution grants huge resources and expansive influence. Saying
“No” to liberal lunacy isn’t enough, either. Focus on liberty, which is always
a new concept. Democrats push an old, industrial age ideology. What worked one
hundred years ago, a top-down assembly line structure giving everyone a car,
just won’t work in today’s open, organic, and lively society.

When I heard the word “open”, my mind opened. That’s the new
way today that we can sell conservative ideals. Focus on life, openness, and
opportunity. What do Democrats have? Old, failed, and stale. The Democrats are
the party of taxis. Republicans are the party of Uber: cheaper, faster, with more opportunity for everyone, not just
a fading Middle Class that needs a boost.

In a later event, the young charges heard from conservative
academics. They encouraged their audience to speak out and advocate for their
principles. More people would appreciate and follow their example. “Don’t read
what the instructor assigns on the syllabus,” one of them advised. “Read
conservative thinkers!”

The Keynote Speaker for the evening? San Diego’s Kevin
Faulconer, the only Republican mayor in the Top Ten cities. He emphasized
reform and results, and connections with communities long avoided by
conservatives. If you haven’t heard, the “Enron of the Pacific” has transformed
into a glowing success story, in large part because of the growing Republican
resurge, from mayor the city council.

At the end of the evening came the awards ceremonies. The UC
Santa Barbara Republicans won for most active group.  Jacob Ellenhorn, USC’s College Republican President,
walked into a firestorm because he invited wildfire conservative journalist
Milo Yiannapoulos. The student council wanted to force Ellenhorn out over his
conservative views! After outside pressure, they relented (but took away his
stipend!). He later won the CACRA award for activist of the year. Well-deserved,
to say the least.

These young people are setting the world on fire, and making
sure that conservative ideals—and the Republican Party—shine brighter in the
days to come. We can rest assured that with their dedication to constitutional
rule and the rule of law, they will be able to take this country home.