The Other McCain

"One should either write ruthlessly what one believes to be the truth, or else shut up." — Arthur Koestler

‘Does All of This Activism Matter?’

Posted on | March 14, 2010 | 33 Comments

When I saw this linked by Dan Riehl, I was frankly stunned that an impressive turnout for a rally in St. Paul inspired Powerline’s John Hinderaker to suggest citizens protesting against ObamaCare “won’t stop the Democrats from doing whatever they have to do to pass a government takeover bill.”

Whiskey Tango Foxtrot?

Mr. Hinderaker: No coach ever went into the locker room at halftime and told his team they were doomed to defeat. No general preparing to lead troops into battle would begin by telling them their fight was futile. 

“Rock, sometime when the team is up against it and the breaks are beating the boys, tell them to go out there with all they’ve got and win just one for the Gipper.”

“Never take counsel of your fears,” as a great general once said, or to quote Vince Lombardi: “A quitter never wins and a winner never quits.”

Let me amend Lombardi’s famous maxim by saying that so long as there is any hope of victory, a winner never even considers the possibility of defeat — or, if the thought of defeat crosses his mind, he certainly never suggests it aloud.

What is true in athletics or warfare is doubly true in politics, where the “bandwagon” mentality often leads uncommitted voters to support whichever side they perceive as more likely to win.

Mr. Hinderaker: Why do you suppose that Democratic leaders are trying to create the impression of inevitability? Why are liberals trotting out misleading polls and RINO stooges in support of their legislative monstrosity? This is all a psychological game intended to dishearten their opponents and convince wavering members of Congress that they can safely vote “yes.”

If the Democrats believed their own victory was inevitable, they would not be doing these things. Their extraordinary efforts do not indicate confidence, but doubt. If Democrats are doubtful, shouldn’t this inspire us to greater confidence? Rather than pronouncing our own efforts likely to fail, shouldn’t we be even more encouraged that we are about to inflict upon our antagonists a defeat that they will never forget?

“I do not believe in a fate that will fall on us no matter what we do. I do believe in a fate that will fall on us if we do nothing.”
— Ronald Reagan, Jan. 20, 1981

Mr. Hinderaker: Perhaps you didn’t mean to be defeatist when you asked, “Does all of this activism matter?” Perhaps you have overlooked the evidence that “all of this activism” matters very, very much.

When I was in Boston to cover Scott Brown’s Senate campaign, I interviewed Randy May, who drove 1,600 miles to volunteer for the Brown campaign:

“I woke up about six months ago and realized that I had let my country down by letting these things happen.”
— Randy May, Jan. 17, 2010

When a man who has fought for freedom feels compelled to become involved in such a remarkable way, which of us should discourage him by speculating whether “all of this activism” matters?

My computer bag still contains a few scraps of confetti from the Park Plaza ballroom in Boston where we celebrated the victory of “Downtown Scotty Brown,” whose miracle in Massachusetts elected the Senate’s “41st vote” against ObamaCare. It is because of that improbable victory — “The Scott Heard ‘Round the World” — that Pelosi and the Democrats have been forced into the desperate last-ditch maneuvering of the “Slaughter Solution.”

Mr. Hinderaker: ObamaCare is losing. We are winning.

“Does all of this activism matter?” The answer is not just “yes,” but “Hell, yes!”

And I encourage everyone who can make it to Washington to meet me at 9 a.m. Tuesday on Capitol Hill.

The People’s Surge against Obamacare 2.0
Please join us in DC to lobby our congressmen to VOTE NO on Obamacare 2.0. Join us Tuesday, March 16th, beginning at 9:00am outside the Cannon House Office Building (Independence Ave. SE and New Jersey SE). We will be storming the three House Office Buildings: Cannon, Longworth and Rayburn. Our message is simple: VOTE NO on Obamacare 2.0.

BE THERE!

UPDATE: Et tu, Jules Crittenden?

It’s a poorly cobbled together collection of ill-conceived ideas foisted at the worst possible time, primarily because for once, the Dems have found a leader who won’t govern by poll, refuses to believe the polls and won’t surrender, thanks in part to advisors who assure him the polls are wrong.

But that’s not the question at all! No one supposes that Barack Obama or his aides give a damn at this point. No one is trying to persuade them of anything. It’s the Democrats in Congress who are the objects of this activism. Obama is leading them and the entire country over the cliff, and the hope is that their minimal concern for political self-interest — if not some tiny flickering spark of patriotism — will inspire them to end this lemming march into the abyss.

UPDATE II: Say what you will about her, Sarah Palin fights:

This is the final push. We must stand up and stand together one last time to insist on true market-oriented, patient-centered health care reform that reflects America’s values and the will of the people.

Read the whole thing. And be there Tuesday.

Category: Congress, Health Care, Tea Party

Comments

33 Responses to “‘Does All of This Activism Matter?’”

  1. Joan of Argghh!
    March 14th, 2010 @ 12:28 pm

    I don’t think John’s a defeatist necessarily. I have my moments of healthy skepticism, and disheartened attempts to see through the fog that cause me to doubt the path I’m on. A bit of it here and there can sometimes serve to rouse the sleeper from complacency.

    Does all of this activism matter? Well, if there’s a doubt, let’s work harder to remove it.

  2. Joan of Argghh!
    March 14th, 2010 @ 12:28 pm

    I don’t think John’s a defeatist necessarily. I have my moments of healthy skepticism, and disheartened attempts to see through the fog that cause me to doubt the path I’m on. A bit of it here and there can sometimes serve to rouse the sleeper from complacency.

    Does all of this activism matter? Well, if there’s a doubt, let’s work harder to remove it.

  3. Joan of Argghh!
    March 14th, 2010 @ 7:28 am

    I don’t think John’s a defeatist necessarily. I have my moments of healthy skepticism, and disheartened attempts to see through the fog that cause me to doubt the path I’m on. A bit of it here and there can sometimes serve to rouse the sleeper from complacency.

    Does all of this activism matter? Well, if there’s a doubt, let’s work harder to remove it.

  4. Marvin
    March 14th, 2010 @ 1:00 pm

    I say “Remember the Alamo”! This battle cry stirred the heart of Texans to fight a larger, better trained and equipped force and win not just the battle, but the war. But even if this fight were to result in a loss, then I say Remember the Alamo! Those men at the Alamo knew that victory was all but impossible, but still they fought. They inflicted far greater damage than their number suggested was possible, and allowed Sam Houston time to mass the army that would deliver the final blow.

    In either case, those men fought to win. When your faced with doing what is right, you do it, no matter the cost, no matter the outcome.

    BTW, victory in this case is still possible. Victory against the odds is the history of America.

  5. Marvin
    March 14th, 2010 @ 1:00 pm

    I say “Remember the Alamo”! This battle cry stirred the heart of Texans to fight a larger, better trained and equipped force and win not just the battle, but the war. But even if this fight were to result in a loss, then I say Remember the Alamo! Those men at the Alamo knew that victory was all but impossible, but still they fought. They inflicted far greater damage than their number suggested was possible, and allowed Sam Houston time to mass the army that would deliver the final blow.

    In either case, those men fought to win. When your faced with doing what is right, you do it, no matter the cost, no matter the outcome.

    BTW, victory in this case is still possible. Victory against the odds is the history of America.

  6. Marvin
    March 14th, 2010 @ 1:00 pm

    I say “Remember the Alamo”! This battle cry stirred the heart of Texans to fight a larger, better trained and equipped force and win not just the battle, but the war. But even if this fight were to result in a loss, then I say Remember the Alamo! Those men at the Alamo knew that victory was all but impossible, but still they fought. They inflicted far greater damage than their number suggested was possible, and allowed Sam Houston time to mass the army that would deliver the final blow.

    In either case, those men fought to win. When your faced with doing what is right, you do it, no matter the cost, no matter the outcome.

    BTW, victory in this case is still possible. Victory against the odds is the history of America.

  7. Marvin
    March 14th, 2010 @ 8:00 am

    I say “Remember the Alamo”! This battle cry stirred the heart of Texans to fight a larger, better trained and equipped force and win not just the battle, but the war. But even if this fight were to result in a loss, then I say Remember the Alamo! Those men at the Alamo knew that victory was all but impossible, but still they fought. They inflicted far greater damage than their number suggested was possible, and allowed Sam Houston time to mass the army that would deliver the final blow.

    In either case, those men fought to win. When your faced with doing what is right, you do it, no matter the cost, no matter the outcome.

    BTW, victory in this case is still possible. Victory against the odds is the history of America.

  8. Mary Rose
    March 14th, 2010 @ 2:37 pm

    Huzzah! I love this post. You’re doggone right that no one enters a fight with the thought of defeat. We’re in it to win it. And I love how conservative upstarts like Andrew Breitbart land on leftists with both feet and shout a hearty “Bring It!”

    I feel more hopeful than I ever have in this country. I see people engaged and passionate. The left is scrambling because for so long, they felt they “pwned” activism. For awhile, they did because most Americans were busy working and taking care of their families. We took it for granted that our American history was being taught in schools and kids were still learning about the Constitution. Now the cat’s out of the bag and people are pissed – and rightly so.

    If the election of Obama did anything, it is this: it tore off the mask and exposed the ugly truth – Communism never really died in this country and its robotic twits were only biding their time. Now that the truth is out, Americans are not only responding with a “no” but as you’ve said, with a “Oh, hell no!”

    And conservatives own Twitter. Go, TCOT!

  9. Mary Rose
    March 14th, 2010 @ 2:37 pm

    Huzzah! I love this post. You’re doggone right that no one enters a fight with the thought of defeat. We’re in it to win it. And I love how conservative upstarts like Andrew Breitbart land on leftists with both feet and shout a hearty “Bring It!”

    I feel more hopeful than I ever have in this country. I see people engaged and passionate. The left is scrambling because for so long, they felt they “pwned” activism. For awhile, they did because most Americans were busy working and taking care of their families. We took it for granted that our American history was being taught in schools and kids were still learning about the Constitution. Now the cat’s out of the bag and people are pissed – and rightly so.

    If the election of Obama did anything, it is this: it tore off the mask and exposed the ugly truth – Communism never really died in this country and its robotic twits were only biding their time. Now that the truth is out, Americans are not only responding with a “no” but as you’ve said, with a “Oh, hell no!”

    And conservatives own Twitter. Go, TCOT!

  10. Mary Rose
    March 14th, 2010 @ 9:37 am

    Huzzah! I love this post. You’re doggone right that no one enters a fight with the thought of defeat. We’re in it to win it. And I love how conservative upstarts like Andrew Breitbart land on leftists with both feet and shout a hearty “Bring It!”

    I feel more hopeful than I ever have in this country. I see people engaged and passionate. The left is scrambling because for so long, they felt they “pwned” activism. For awhile, they did because most Americans were busy working and taking care of their families. We took it for granted that our American history was being taught in schools and kids were still learning about the Constitution. Now the cat’s out of the bag and people are pissed – and rightly so.

    If the election of Obama did anything, it is this: it tore off the mask and exposed the ugly truth – Communism never really died in this country and its robotic twits were only biding their time. Now that the truth is out, Americans are not only responding with a “no” but as you’ve said, with a “Oh, hell no!”

    And conservatives own Twitter. Go, TCOT!

  11. Mike
    March 14th, 2010 @ 3:32 pm

    I don’t think Powerline is giving up hope, but warning to expect anything crazy since the Democrats are trapped.

    http://fishersvillemike.blogspot.com/2010/03/bulge-or-bunker.html

  12. Mike
    March 14th, 2010 @ 10:32 am

    I don’t think Powerline is giving up hope, but warning to expect anything crazy since the Democrats are trapped.

    http://fishersvillemike.blogspot.com/2010/03/bulge-or-bunker.html

  13. Jules Crittenden » Governing By Poll In The Age Of Obama
    March 14th, 2010 @ 10:55 am

    […] The Other McCain objects to that message, hectors Hinderaker. But Hinderaker’s right, and TOMcC’s rejoinder only underscores the point. The Dems already are doing everything they can. […]

  14. Virginia Right! News Hound for 3/14/2010 | Virginia Right!
    March 14th, 2010 @ 11:02 am

    […] ‘Does All of This Activism Matter?’ […]

  15. Thrasymachus
    March 14th, 2010 @ 4:41 pm

    They don’t always win, but they usually do. Their mistake this time was overreaching; had they done the same thing in several smaller bills they would have gone through easily.

    The truth is the system has little regard for the will or interests of the people, so when it’s not fooling them or bullying them it’s ignoring them.

    Conservatives have only an imperfect idea of how the system works and no idea how to stop it. Until we figure that out we will win the occasional pitched battle against its gross excesses while usually it rolls on.

  16. Thrasymachus
    March 14th, 2010 @ 4:41 pm

    They don’t always win, but they usually do. Their mistake this time was overreaching; had they done the same thing in several smaller bills they would have gone through easily.

    The truth is the system has little regard for the will or interests of the people, so when it’s not fooling them or bullying them it’s ignoring them.

    Conservatives have only an imperfect idea of how the system works and no idea how to stop it. Until we figure that out we will win the occasional pitched battle against its gross excesses while usually it rolls on.

  17. Thrasymachus
    March 14th, 2010 @ 11:41 am

    They don’t always win, but they usually do. Their mistake this time was overreaching; had they done the same thing in several smaller bills they would have gone through easily.

    The truth is the system has little regard for the will or interests of the people, so when it’s not fooling them or bullying them it’s ignoring them.

    Conservatives have only an imperfect idea of how the system works and no idea how to stop it. Until we figure that out we will win the occasional pitched battle against its gross excesses while usually it rolls on.

  18. Adobe Walls
    March 14th, 2010 @ 7:16 pm

    Mr. Crittenden writes “In contrast, President Obama is pushing ahead because he fears the colossal loss in the polls he will suffer. With his top pollster’s assurance, he figures he’ll be less screwed in November 2010, and more importantly, November 2012, with a win than a loss.” It’s my belief that this premise is catastrophically flawed because it assumes facts not grounded in reality. The left believes that ObamaCare will still be intact come 2012; this assumes that in order to severely damage Obama’s prestige or the HC bill itself Republicans need to get veto proof majorities in both houses. They really only need a simple majority. In addition to passing a motion of repeal the house can block various funding bills needed to actually create the various bureaucracies. This is why activism matters. IMHO defeating this bill isn’t winning the big game, it is one of thousands of battles that must be fought over the next decade. We are not fighting for trophies but for the survival of our Liberties. The activism of the “Town Halls and the Tea Party Movements” matters. Not because it will sway the Bolsheviks running our nation for it won’t. The most significant effect it has on the left is to expose their despicable natures by compelling them to express their disdain for “the little people and their constitution”. They and their minions in the media despise us and are having more and more difficulty hiding that from us. The reason “all this activism matters” is that it gives hope to us and hopefully backbone to the republicans. It is up to the people now, either the “Tea Party Movement” and others are merely a noisy minority or the tip of the spear in the battle against darkness.

  19. Adobe Walls
    March 14th, 2010 @ 2:16 pm

    Mr. Crittenden writes “In contrast, President Obama is pushing ahead because he fears the colossal loss in the polls he will suffer. With his top pollster’s assurance, he figures he’ll be less screwed in November 2010, and more importantly, November 2012, with a win than a loss.” It’s my belief that this premise is catastrophically flawed because it assumes facts not grounded in reality. The left believes that ObamaCare will still be intact come 2012; this assumes that in order to severely damage Obama’s prestige or the HC bill itself Republicans need to get veto proof majorities in both houses. They really only need a simple majority. In addition to passing a motion of repeal the house can block various funding bills needed to actually create the various bureaucracies. This is why activism matters. IMHO defeating this bill isn’t winning the big game, it is one of thousands of battles that must be fought over the next decade. We are not fighting for trophies but for the survival of our Liberties. The activism of the “Town Halls and the Tea Party Movements” matters. Not because it will sway the Bolsheviks running our nation for it won’t. The most significant effect it has on the left is to expose their despicable natures by compelling them to express their disdain for “the little people and their constitution”. They and their minions in the media despise us and are having more and more difficulty hiding that from us. The reason “all this activism matters” is that it gives hope to us and hopefully backbone to the republicans. It is up to the people now, either the “Tea Party Movement” and others are merely a noisy minority or the tip of the spear in the battle against darkness.

  20. Cheney W. Halliburton
    March 14th, 2010 @ 7:22 pm

    I hope for the best but I also know that I don’t always get what I hope for.

    That’s when a firm belief in revenge comes in handy.

  21. Cheney W. Halliburton
    March 14th, 2010 @ 7:22 pm

    I hope for the best but I also know that I don’t always get what I hope for.

    That’s when a firm belief in revenge comes in handy.

  22. Cheney W. Halliburton
    March 14th, 2010 @ 2:22 pm

    I hope for the best but I also know that I don’t always get what I hope for.

    That’s when a firm belief in revenge comes in handy.

  23. Thomas L. Knapp
    March 14th, 2010 @ 9:37 pm

    Mr. Hinderaker: Perhaps you didn’t mean to be defeatist when you asked, “Does all of this activism matter?” Perhaps you have overlooked the evidence that “all of this activism” matters very, very much.

    When I was in Boston to cover Scott Brown’s Senate campaign, I interviewed Randy May, who drove 1,600 miles to give false Tea Party cred to the election of a GOP establishment hack.

    There, fixed that for ya.

  24. Thomas L. Knapp
    March 14th, 2010 @ 9:37 pm

    Mr. Hinderaker: Perhaps you didn’t mean to be defeatist when you asked, “Does all of this activism matter?” Perhaps you have overlooked the evidence that “all of this activism” matters very, very much.

    When I was in Boston to cover Scott Brown’s Senate campaign, I interviewed Randy May, who drove 1,600 miles to give false Tea Party cred to the election of a GOP establishment hack.

    There, fixed that for ya.

  25. Thomas L. Knapp
    March 14th, 2010 @ 9:37 pm

    Mr. Hinderaker: Perhaps you didn’t mean to be defeatist when you asked, “Does all of this activism matter?” Perhaps you have overlooked the evidence that “all of this activism” matters very, very much.

    When I was in Boston to cover Scott Brown’s Senate campaign, I interviewed Randy May, who drove 1,600 miles to give false Tea Party cred to the election of a GOP establishment hack.

    There, fixed that for ya.

  26. Thomas L. Knapp
    March 14th, 2010 @ 4:37 pm

    Mr. Hinderaker: Perhaps you didn’t mean to be defeatist when you asked, “Does all of this activism matter?” Perhaps you have overlooked the evidence that “all of this activism” matters very, very much.

    When I was in Boston to cover Scott Brown’s Senate campaign, I interviewed Randy May, who drove 1,600 miles to give false Tea Party cred to the election of a GOP establishment hack.

    There, fixed that for ya.

  27. Joe
    March 14th, 2010 @ 11:26 pm

    The dems were nine votes short this morning. Hold one of those nine and don’t give up any more and this monstrocity goes down.

  28. Joe
    March 14th, 2010 @ 11:26 pm

    The dems were nine votes short this morning. Hold one of those nine and don’t give up any more and this monstrocity goes down.

  29. Joe
    March 14th, 2010 @ 6:26 pm

    The dems were nine votes short this morning. Hold one of those nine and don’t give up any more and this monstrocity goes down.

  30. A: In a word or two, Hell Yeah! at Haemet
    March 16th, 2010 @ 1:09 am

    […] Q (from The Other McCain): Does All This Activism Matter? […]

  31. green tambourine
    March 18th, 2010 @ 5:20 am

    I have posted this idea at other websites, so forgive me for being pesky,
    BUT since the congressmen don’t answer their phones, lets apply pressure where it hurts. Have a boycott of businesses within specific states. For example if millions of Americans boycott Target stores, then Oberstar will change his vote from yes to no.
    Let’s use capitalism to win this thing.

  32. green tambourine
    March 18th, 2010 @ 12:20 am

    I have posted this idea at other websites, so forgive me for being pesky,
    BUT since the congressmen don’t answer their phones, lets apply pressure where it hurts. Have a boycott of businesses within specific states. For example if millions of Americans boycott Target stores, then Oberstar will change his vote from yes to no.
    Let’s use capitalism to win this thing.

  33. The future? « Politicaljunkie Mom
    March 18th, 2010 @ 3:46 pm

    […] if you’re feeling dispirited, a little Robert Stacey McCain: “Does all of this activism matter?” Possibly related posts: (automatically generated)You know what they say about picturesObamaCare In […]