Conservative IS the “Center”

All this talk during the election about attracting the moderates and undecides got me thinking…how does one define the center of the political spectrum? How does that help one win an election?

I think a lot of the problem Republican leadership has had is they keep thinking in 20th century terms. In other words, that the spectrum is traditional American issues & values. But Democrats & Liberals moved on from that point of view at least 10 years ago. The paradigm has shifted. They see the global picture and view borders and national identity as technicalities. They believe in world community and that government should be centralized on a global scale.

We see this over and over with their yearning to emulate Europe, their efforts to hand over authority to the UN and the World Court, and this obsession with “what the world thinks.” Thus, they keep moving further and further left, trying to position themselves for power in the New World Government they believe is inevitable.

So where does Conservativism fit into all this? Relative to world politics…right in The Middle.

Conservativism is the balancing point between individual freedoms and government authority.

It is the philosophy of tolerating all religions, and living peacefully next to each other, even if we don’t agree.

It is mid point of women’s rights and freedom…between the extreme sexual “freedom” and family degradation of the left, and the subservient underclass status of conservative Islam and third world cultures.

As the world grows smaller, Conservativism needs to be a beacon to those who cherish the right to choose their own life path. And if Republicans can realize this, and stop chasing leftist policy, the party will become the large umbrella to all groups of people it has long desired.

There are others who can articulate this better than me, and I’d love to hear from you.

For now I’ll do my part with this new design and maybe it will make someone in the middle stop and think:
Conservativism is for Everyone (unisex)
Conservativism is for Everyone (ladies)



Lipstick Underground™

"Simple" Sells

True story: my husband is a police officer and got a radio call Saturday night for a loud party. When he arrived about 8pm there was a large party at a home in a residential neighborhood, complete with a professional D.J. He tells the homeowner to shut off the music, that 6 neighbors have complained and that if they don’t comply he will be back to site them and confiscate the D.J.’s equipment. The homeowner was indignant…felt it was her “right” to have a party. It was explained that yes, he can have a party…but there is no Constitutional right to a LOUD party…disturbing the neighbors, and ruining their weekends. To this the homeowner pronounced, “I can’t wait…on January 20th Obama will be our president and there’s gonna be change. Just wait.”

Change? Really? Does anyone think this person has the foggiest idea what actual, specific “change” is supposed to take place? That all her hopes and dreams of behaving any way she wishes will suddenly come true? Do any of us know? Conservatives think we do because we’ve analyzed his voting record, resume of friends and early White House staffing. But specifics from Obama himself are elusive.

The point is that this whole “change” business was marketing gold. It was simple and people attached any meaning they wanted to it. It was the little black dress of this election…worked for everyone. Simple sells.

And Conservatives & Republicans HAVE to wrap their heads around this. Full essays on philosophical fundaments are important and have their place. But it’s all too much for your average Undecided. For a lot of people it’s hard to trust something that is lengthy and complicated to explain. There is something instinctive about Truth being easily visible. We have to condense our ideal and message into obvious, digestible portions.

What will our message be? Will the RNC even listen?

And as trite as it sounds, if you can’t read it off a t-shirt, regular folks might not bother to listen either. Lead by example…show the world what you think. Have a meaningful bumper sticker on your car when you visit the homeless shelter to help on Thanksgiving, or drop off donations at the food bank, etc, etc. Plant seeds….

Lipstick Underground™

Contrast

I see one of the key issues to winning the hearts and minds of America in the next elections is communicating clear, meaningful contrasts between Conservative philosophy and the Democratic agenda. The Republican Party has been so bullied by the myth of multi-culturalism and bi-partisanship that it has stopped standing for anything…can we say “Liberal-lite”?

Voters need something to vote FOR. Reagan Conservativism was so simple, profound, and understandable. Those messages and more have to be rearticulated.

A key contrast is Individual Freedom. Obama and the Democratic leadership all over this country is pushing for “fairness” “shared prosperity” & “the greater good.” To each according to his ability, to each according to his need.

We are in great danger of losing our individual rights and freedoms. No more keeping most of what you earn, no more having a real voice with the first amendment, no more truly owning property. Our children will be ordered to “volunteer.” Euphemisms for redistribution will and do abound.

I haven’t hashed out all my thoughts and strategy on how to communicate the importance the unique freedoms we have enjoyed for so long in this great nation. But I wanted to get the “contrast” idea out to you folks…to plant a seed with the hopes that it will grow and we will find the right voice…so that we can protect our voice.

Lipstick Underground™

Getting Connected

Lipstick Underground™

What a day in the News! There are SO many topics I could talk about…Paulson going back on the original TARP plan (nice anachronism by the way…have to poke fun at it later), Liberals slandering African Americans for voting for Prop 8, gay protesters picking on old women, the Dow’s crazy surge…just too much to choose from!

But for the moment I need to stay on message and focus on Republican and Conservative visibility. A big key to this is finding each other first. Some of the establishment websites and social networks are groggy, dated, and awkward to maneuver. I can’t even get permission to network at the RNC site…something I’ll get into another day.

But the new crop of blogs, Facebook pages, etc. that have popped up since the election are a sign of the coming tsunami of grass roots mobilization. EVERYONE wants the party to hear them…everyone wants focus, change, and a return to Reagan fundamentals.

Today I found one site in particular that is near and dear to my design efforts: Read My Lipstick Network. The host is trying to network those of us who consider themselves Lipstick Republicans (the Lipstick Republican design I created just after the convention has been wildly popular…beyond anything I really could have predicted…but I’ll get into that another time…let’s just say I think Carl Jung is a genius). I’m really excited to find this kind of site...she’s not waiting for the RNC to bring us together, she’s doing something about it herself. And people are responding.

This is exactly what has to happen…heck you couldn’t stop it if you wanted to! Finding each other is the first step in realizing it’s ok to show the world who you are. That you aren’t the only one who thinks a strong military is the path to peace. That keeping what you earn isn’t selfish. That America is a great country.

Do something today. Put a bumper sticker on your car. Wear a political t-shirt. Let others know you are out there!

Here is a great site full of tons of great designs: Liberty Maniacs (I would like to be them when I grow up!)

And don’t forget my Lipstick Underground designs!

Have a great day! Now go irritate a Liberal.

It’s Up To Us Now…

As much as the 2008 election was a heartbreak to lose, can any of us who are truly conservative be surprised? What did John McCain and “reach-across-the-aisle” moderate Republicans really give America to vote FOR? Slightly less liberal policies?

So it’s time to take the party back. It’s time to get back on message. Real conservatives survived this election, and a real conservative will win back the White House in 2012. My bet is it will be Sarah Palin. And if not, it will be someone like her.

So what do we do to help make this happen? We have to start being proud of our values. Stop being so polite and subtle about conservatism. It’s under attack. And moderates and undecided's have no idea how many of us there are out there. We are poorly branded and no one wants to wear the mostly lame graphics that are produced for Republicans and Conservatives.

So as an artist I’m out to help change that. I’m beginning work on a young, hip, fashionable line of designs that will initially be sold at Café Press. While I do obviously wish to profit from all this and save up a down payment for a home (my babies are fast outgrowing our tiny rental), what I really want to do is spread the word. To let people know that we are out there and it’s ok be conservative. We’re not bigots, racists, homophobes, uneducated, zealots, or any of the other ugly stereotypes the Left tries to paint us with. We are normal, hard working American’s who believe in individual freedom and the original intent of the Bill of Rights.

I will also link to other artist that I believe are creating relevant, important designs. We are all in this together!

So, for now please visit my newest design at Café Press. There is more to come soon!
http://www.cafepress.com/papersalad/6025444

And remember, what would Reagan do?