A strategy for the next two years

Well, we've had enough time to mourn and lick our wounds. Now, it's time to go back to work and restore the conservative philosophy to its ascendancy.
How do we go about doing this?
There's a 7-step plan developed by the cracked research team here at either orr.
1. Where's the plan? This is the fundamental component. The left, through its political arm of the Democratic Party, has done nothing but criticize. It has yet to offer an alternative, probably because it has none that can gain traction with the American public. Demand a plan. Then, be ready to tear their plan apart and offer a viable alternative. The 2006 election was a negative election, which is always bad for the party in power. Presidential elections, on the other hand, tend to go to the candidate who offers a more positive vision. It's been that way since Truman, at least.
2. Adhere to the basics. The principles of conservatism speak to the idea of less government, not more; less spending, not more; and definitely wiser spending. Every time the left offers a spending bill, demonstrate how little actually gets to the intended recipients and how much is siphoned off the top by the bureaucrats. Show that the same amount of money can actually do more with less bureaucratic skim -- and that's what it is, skim.
3. Expose weakness. There's plenty of it to go around on the left, believe me.
4. Get the rearguard action up and running. There are a lot of skeletons hanging around the closets of the likes of Reid, Pelosi, Conyers, Rangel and their cohorts. Be ready to spring open the door at an opportune time -- not all at once; that would be overkill. But pick spots to expose their hypocrisies and when the time comes, use 'em.
5. Develop a "shadow" government. Get prospective candidates lined up early and give them exposure as critics of the left's actions. Then, when the race begins in earnest, they will have a degree of recognition that will be helpful. Also, you'll be giving greater exposure to the better ideas that conservatism offer.
6. Give smart people in the movement real opportunities. Despite their losses on Tuesday, folks like Michael Steele and Ken Blackwell are a real opportunity to continue to drive the wedge into the near-monopoly the left has on black votes. And don't walk away from other people who were swept aside by the leftist tide.
7. Do not fear disagreements. Abortion is the great dividing issue of our generation, especially within the conservative movement. The compromise position that I, a fundamental pro-life sort, could live with is this: We believe that moral persuasion is a more effective way to minimize the number of abortions in this country. Addressing the issue in that way builds bridges and offers a positive, not a negative. (It also takes the terms of the argument away from the left, which is something conservatives must do more often.)
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Finally, contemporary conservatism is the philosophy of hope. Contemporary liberalism is the philosophy of fear. Never forget to offer hope for something better (which shouldn't be hard, once the left starts wielding power).

Don't look back

It's over. Republicans took a beating.
My congressman, Jim Gerlach (R-Pa.), survived somehow, despite a nasty campaign and tons of Moron.org and ACORN money going to his opponent.
My senator, Rick Santorum, went down. But it was obvious that he was in trouble. Bobby Casey Jr. is still a cipher, despite numerous statewide campaigns, winning as much on the respect tendered his father [the last Democrat I voted for] as anything else. He's still a cipher.
It's time for the GOP to go back to '92, when Newt Gingrich, Bob Walker [my former congressman] and others tormented the Democratic leadership. Find the right folks and start hammering.
It's time for the Justice Department to nail down a few investigations and start banging corrupt congressmen with indictments. There will be Democrats in that net, for sure.
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Other random notes:
* Despite his loss, Maryland's Michael Steele is still a high-quality gentleman who has a future. Steele for VP in 2008.
* Ditto for high quality in Ken Blackwell out in Ohio. He lost because the GOP in Ohio turned into a bunch of crooks. Blackwell paid for their sins. He'll be back.
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Hang in there, friends.

Vote early, vote often

The preceding headline was approved by the Democratic National Committee.
But only if you're not a Republican.
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Democrats are expecting near-100 percent turnouts from cemetery precincts in Chicago, Detroit, Philadelphia, and Seattle.
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On Saddam

One thing's for sure... if he ever does get executed, they won't be hanging an innocent man.
Somehow, though, I wonder if just letting him rot in a 9x12 cell for the rest of his natural life wouldn't be an even greater torture than simply springing the trap. When you consider that he would be denied the luxuries he craved during his power-mad tenure, that would drive him even more wacko than he is now.
It's interesting, though, that the Iranians are applauding the verdict while much of Europe is wringing its hands and the Democrats are calling it a political maneuver.
Is there any doubt that Democrats cannot be trusted with this country while under the influence of the mad left?