Tune your television to any political talk show during this venomous electoral season, and you're bound to hear a bunch of pundits speculating on the future of the Republican party. Even before the Mark Foley e-diddling scandal broke a couple of weeks ago, conventional wisdom held that the GOP was headed for a seriously weakened majority presence in Congress, and perhaps even minority status in one of the two houses.

For the first time in quite a while I've found myself agreeing with the conclusions of most political prognosticators on tv, yet I disagree with the reasons they usually give for the Republicans' decline in popularity. You see, the thing about conventional wisdom is that the truly wise among us have little to do with its evolution. The fact that the majority of opinion-meisters and political junkies sometimes reach the right conclusion, doesn't mean that the logic they've used to get there is sound. Their ability to occasionally place the right bet has more to do with the law of averages than anything else. Any blackjack dealer in Vegas will tell you that if you hold on 15 every time it's dealt to you, eventually the house will bust on a hit to a lower hand, but doing that doesn't make you a shrewd card player.

Again and again we've heard that the primary reasons why the GOP is in trouble is because its leadership supports an unpopular war, or because it has failed to reach out to "moderates" within the American voter base. And, of course, most recently a new element has been added to the equation, which is the notion that Congressional Republicans are all conspirators in some evil plot to molest children.

None of this twaddle has any basis in reality, it's just more useless conjecture from the ever-deteriorating Jurassic media, but it gets a lot of folks worked up into a snit, so in the absence of any genuinely thoughtful analysis, rhetoric such as this continues to get peddled as the truth. Just as color blind people rely on the positions of the signal lights on a traffic semaphore to inform them of when to stop, slow down, or go, the drive-by press relies on equally limited vision in the arena of political discourse to tell them what is real and what isn't. Transpose the red and green lights at an intersection, and eventually some unfortunate, color-blind driver will end up slamming his car into a crosstown bus. Replace common-sense thinking with biased assumptions, and people like Chris Matthews will be unable to avoid repeated head-on collisions with reality.

Even though practically every news agency in the country remains fixated on the Congressional Page scandal for the moment, no rational person is going to vote Democrat this year because they think all Republicans condone homosexual pedophelia, or because they believe that the party of Bill Clinton, Robert Byrd, and Gerry Studds has suddenly become a fountainhead of morality. No, the average American voter is a little smarter than that, no matter what the pollsters would have us believe.

As for the war, the majority of U.S. citizens may not be happy with the way things are going in Iraq at the present time, but when you ask them if the Democrats would do a better job of handling that particular situation, the answer is a resounding no! Apparently, even though things aren't going as well over there as we'd like them to, most Americans aren't ready to throw in the towel just yet, and they know that if the Democrats had their way, that's exactly what would happen.

Regardless of what you may hear on television these days, the only thing you have to do in order to figure out why the GOP doesn't have the backing it once did, is to ask the people who make up its foundation what they think. I've been doing just that for the past year or more, and I can tell you with a reasonable amount of certainty that conservatives believe they are no longer being represented, either by Congress or the President, and THAT is why the Republican party is in trouble.

Remember in 2004 when every right-wing talking head was saying that the Democrats were only interested in voting AGAINST George W. Bush, not FOR anything? I certainly couldn't argue with that assessment at the time, and all I'm asking now is what have the Republicans done in recent years that should motivate me to vote FOR them in November? Let's see, they've increased domestic spending by leaps and bounds... violated the First Amendment to the Constitution via the McCain-Feingold Campaign Reform Act... allowed a commission on the 9/11 atrocities to be formed that was so riddled with corrupt leftists that its findings aren't worth the paper they're printed on... turned a blind eye to the massive illegal alien problem facing our nation, until public opinion forced them to draft legislation that sorta, kinda deals with the issue... and caved into pressure from the left to treat captured terrorists as if they were nothing but rambunctious Boy Scouts!

Gee, that's real inspiring stuff, no?

Sure, the Bush tax cuts were a nice change of pace back in 2001, and in spite of the high price of gasoline over the past couple of years, our economy keeps humming along at an impressive clip, but what about the ever-rising cost of health insurance, the inevitable collapse of the Social Security system, or the deplorable state of our public schools? It's easy enough to blame our government's inability to correct these problems on Democrat obstructionism, but the fact remains that the leadership of the GOP has failed repeatedly to pressure its more left-leaning members to vote for the kind of proposals that the vast majority of Republicans support.

Should every right-wing voter in the country just bite the bullet one more time, and reelect the same public officials who have proved again and again that they are incapable of advancing the conservative agenda in Congress, or should we send the GOP a message that we refuse to settle for incompetence, no matter how much worse a Democrat-controlled Congress may prove to be? The Republican party has spent the last few years politically alienating me and everyone like me, and now we're all supposed to believe that everything will be sunshine and lollipops if we just "stay the course?"

Yeah right, and if I click my heels together three times and say the words "there's no place like home", I'll wake up tomorrow in an America where honor, integrity, and statesmanship have replaced political correctness, media soundbites, and mindless partisan rhetoric.

Maybe losing the House of Representatives for a couple of years is exactly what the Republican party needs to wake it up and give it a great big shove back toward its conservative roots. Ronald Reagan didn't win by the biggest landslide in electoral history by kissing up to liberals, and neither will any future Republican candidate. Retaining control of both houses of Congress this time around may only serve to embolden the more "moderate" (aka liberal) elements within the GOP, while further estranging its right-wing base, and if that happens, Republicans can kiss the White House good-bye in 2008.

By Edward L. Daley
Owner of the Daley Times-Post and Founder of the Conservative Convention 2007 Project
http://www.times-post.com - http://cc2007.us

Are you a conservative? If so, have you ever asked yourself why you sometimes feel obliged to inject painfully obvious statements into your debates with liberals? Here's what I mean. Suppose you're arguing in favor of criminal profiling at airports with a radical leftist, and you're making the point that most international terrorist groups are comprised of Muslim men between the ages of 18 and 40. Immediately following that statement you find yourself saying something like: "Of course, that doesn't mean that ALL Muslim men in that age group are terrorists." You mention this even though you know that the little voice in the back of your mind is about to say: "No Sh**, Sherlock! Did you figure that out all by yourself, or did you have to consult a five-year-old first?"

Sound familiar?

I recently caught myself engaging in this very same sort of behavior, while trying to convince a Vichy-American (aka liberal) that stopping the flow of illegal aliens into our country is a necessary prerequisite to all other immigration reform measures. I related that before you can put a cast on an arm with a compound fracture, you first need to stop the bleeding, or the patient will die in spite of your best efforts. I stated that the U.S. is hemorrhaging resources like a stuck pig in order to accommodate the millions of illegal immigrants who've entered our country in recent decades, and that the influx of these people must be halted before the drain on our economy becomes too overwhelming for us to deal with. Then, due to what I now recognize as being reflexive conditioning, I said: "That doesn't mean I'm against LEGAL immigration, mind you."

The first thing the little voice in my head had to say upon hearing that remark was: "Hey buddy, you'd better hurry up... it's 'Chutes-and-Ladders' night at the happy-home, and you're running late." Indeed, I had walked right into that one, and all I could say to my inner-voice in response was: "Sorry... I don't know WHAT I was thinking."

After the initial wave of embarrassment had passed, it occurred to me why I'd said so superfluous a thing. If I hadn't distinguished between the words legal and illegal when I did, my liberal adversary would have started lecturing me (in that wholly condescending way that only liberals can) on the fact that my ancestors had been immigrants, that immigrants like them built this country, and that immigration... blah blah blah... yada yada yada...

At that moment I felt as if the mere act of engaging him in conversation was draining me of my common sense. It was like some ravenous, IQ-sucking tapeworm had been released into my cerebral cortex, causing me to blurt out redundant phrases in much the same way that a tourette's syndrome sufferer shrieks obscenities... suddenly, and for reasons undetectable by the casual observer.

Shortly thereafter the concept of 'Obligatory Political Correctness Syndrome' was born.

Like 'Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder' (ADHD), the term 'Obligatory Political Correctness Syndrome' (OPCS) is indicative of objectionable behavioral trends prevalent in modern American society, however, it is conservative-specific and it is not treatable with Ridalin, Adderall, or any other FDA-approved drug.

Nevertheless, a cure is now at hand!

Having recognized the warning signs of OPCS early, I took immediate measures to rid myself of its disabling effects, and so can you. Yes dear friends, there is hope for each and everyone of you out there who still suffer from this most insidious disorder, and I encourage all who read this article to share it with as many conservatives as humanly possible.

The four-step process for combating OPCS is as follows:

Step One - Read the book 'Muzzled' by Michael Smerconish. This volume really kicks political correctness where the sun don't shine, and will help you to get your mind geared correctly as you continue along the path to a pc-free life.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/159555050X/103-5479135-2481450?v=glance&n=283155

Step Two - Listen regularly to ultra-conservative talk radio programs like the ones listed below. No undertaking I can think of will better reinforce the lessons you learn from the previous step than this one.
Laura Ingraham - KLUP Radio - 9am (est) Weekdays - On-line broadcast available at http://www.klup.com
Rush Limbaugh - WMAL Radio - Noon (est) Weekdays - On-line broadcast available at http://www.wmal.com
Howie Carr WRKO Radio - 3pm (est) Weekdays - On-line broadcast available at http://www.howiecarr.com
Mark Levin - WABC Radio -  6pm (est) Weekdays - On-line broadcast available at http://www.wabcradio.com

Step Three - Practice discussing the issues described in the opening paragraphs of this column with a fellow conservative, but ask him to pretend that he's a liberal. This role-playing exercise will help you to emotionally prepare yourself for the absurd rhetoric you'll inevitably get from real leftists in the future, while you attempt to avoid responding with equally absurd OPCS-corrupted statements.

Step Four - Avoid liberals like the plague for at least 6 months. If exposure to left-wingers is unavoidable during this period, simply wear a button on your clothing with the following words printed on it in both English and French: "I am an Iraq War veteran. Ask me what I think about the mainstream media." The chances are extremely good that no leftist will come near you, and when conservatives comment upon it, as they surely will, simply hand them a copy of this article.

Now, I know this last step will be difficult for many of you to accomplish, since you probably enjoy humiliating left-wingers in heated debates. However, until you've built up a natural immunity to OPCS by following the first three steps, the likelihood is high that you will continue to succumb to its negative influence upon your psyche. I cannot stress more strongly how important it is that you not allow yourself to be lulled into a false sense of wellness during this, the final and most critical stage in your recovery.

Remember, liberalism is itself a mental disorder, and sadly, one for which there is no known cure. Suffice it to say that you're not going to convert any hard-line lefties to conservatism, regardless of how many facts you confront them with, so don't worry about missing out on the opportunity to deprogram one of them in the immediate future. To paraphrase an old saying about horses: "you can lead a liberal to truth, but you can't make him think." Keep those words etched indelibly in your mind as you navigate through the troubled waters of OPCS toward the welcoming shores of conservative sanity.

Remember, the weakest link defines the integrity of the chain, and we must all work together to assure that the chain of conservatism remains strong for future generations. Of course, some of you may need added assistance along the way, and anyone who does not feel that they can overcome this dreaded affliction alone is encouraged to call the OPCS support line at the following toll-free number:

1-800-POLITICAL-CORRECTNESS-IS-A-MENTAL-DISEASE-AND-IT-MUST-BE-STOPPED-BEFORE-IT-GETS-US-ALL-KILLED
Operators are standing by.

By Edward L. Daley
Founder of the Conservative Convention 2007 Project
http://cc2007.us

I think I've come up with a foolproof plan to end crime in America, and I have liberalism to thank for it. It consists of disbanding every police unit in the country and encouraging the United Nations Security Council to draft a binding resolution that places strict sanctions on domestic criminals who continue to break the law.

How do I know this will work? Well, I can't be 100% positive that it will, but most people in the world support that very same plan when it comes to dealing with the problem of international terrorism, and everyone knows that the majority is never wrong, so it only makes sense that such a strategy would be effective when applied to U.S. domestic crime prevention.

Practically every left-leaning society on earth, as well as every major mainstream news agency, has concluded that fighting bad guys doesn't work, and in fact, even attempting to stop them from committing antisocial acts only incites them to behave more objectionably later on. Just take a look at the current conflict in Lebanon. For the past couple of weeks, Israel has been viciously attacking members of Hezbollah, but is France, Spain, Russia, China, the BBC, CNN, or the New York Times congratulating the Israelis for their efforts? Of course not, because they all understand that only a ceasefire will bring peace to the region.

Now, I know what some of you right-wing warmongers out there are saying: if Israel agrees to a ceasefire, they're the only ones who will actually cease firing, since it's the job of terrorist groups like Hezbollah to attack people, just like it's the job of rapists to rape women. Well, all I have to say to that is POPPYCOCK! Apparently you've forgotten that violence begets violence, and it is therefore only logical that if we treat Islamic militants with compassion and understanding, they'll respond in kind.

The same goes for outlaws in our own country, but instead of sending international peacekeeping delegations to criminal hotspots like Detroit and Washington DC, and engaging in honest and open dialogue with inner-city street gangs, America's fascist law enforcement agencies insist upon arresting and otherwise oppressing these poor, underprivileged people for simply committing crimes.

When are we going to learn that harassing our fellow human beings isn't going to make them behave? Everyone but a few neanderthal Republicans appreciates the fact that spanking children when they act up only foments resentment in them, lowers their self-esteem, and makes them more aggressive than they were before. Thankfully, the concept of the "time-out" has gained wide acceptance in our society, and the barbaric disciplinary tactics that our parents and grandparents employed may soon be a thing of the past.

But I seem to have wandered off the beaten path here.

Getting back to the issue of crime prevention in America, I think it would also be a good idea to allow a few felons currently languishing in prison cells across the land to be released so that they can run for national public office. Clearly the convicted criminal community does not have the sort of representation in Congress that other Constitutionally protected groups enjoy, and I'm sure the ACLU would agree that this state of affairs amounts to blatant civil rights violations on the part of the Bush administration.

After all, Hezbollah holds nearly two dozen seats in the Lebanese Parliament, and its Palestinian counterpart is now controlled by representatives of Hamas. If these sovereign, albeit embryonic, democracies can extend the hand of inclusion and cooperation to those factions which some consider to be undesirable, why can't we? It seems to me that this sort of approach to societal pacification is far more enlightened than the one we've taken in the past, which is to brutalize people who's actions offend us in some way.

Ya know, I've been a conservative for as long as I can remember, and I've never before questioned the righteousness of my ideology, but over the past few days I've started to notice just how right liberals are when they say that right-wingers are mostly narrow-minded, hate-filled cretins, who pray for war and the death of innocent people... especially foreigners.

Now that I've seen the light, so to speak, I have decided to commit myself to the proposition that people are not only created equal, but that each individual remains equal to everyone else throughout his or her life, no matter what he or she does. This I recognize to be true because I have accepted at face value its foundational principle that morality is relative. Of course, I could be wrong but if I am, at least I can feel good about myself for having chosen non-violent means to achieve a hideous end for our society, and really, isn't that the most important thing?

By Edward L. Daley
Founder of the Conservative Convention 2007 Project
http://cc2007.us