The banks are failing. Depression is looming. You are a Senator. Whats your decision – economic collapse, or 2nd bailout? Go.

You see, my post wasn’t an argument or analysis, and Mountain Man’s claim of false premise is irrelevant. I just proposed a scenario (out of many, you can imagine Obama causes it if you like), which results in the sputtering (again) of our economic engine: What if, in 6 mos, 1 year, 2 years… the banks take a big hit and Citi and B of A fail (threatening Sachs, etc), would you support bailing them out again, or letting them fail, chips fall where they may?

Please, I’d love to hear your actual thoughts on what to do if we are faced (again) with another Depression.

I hope I have the energy at some point to make a point on this article, because I think it’s important, but I’m really not an economist so that makes it more difficult for me.

Quick comment on Pat’s post: I think(?) I think that points 3 & 4 should be moved up to slots 1 & 2, and that 1&2, uh, I not sure what they mean, but, yea!? Unless I misunderstood him. In which case, not. ;)

This post was mentioned on Twitter by America1First: A Flight of Fantasy II: A Manifesto for Conservatives When They Regain Power http://bit.ly/b3NTL4...

I found it woeful to read in Chasm’s note the old, dreary blame for the crash of 08 on deregulation and corporate greed. If we should address the crash by creating new federal regulatory agencies modeled on FEMA, the FDA, the FDIC and every other failed government agency, then our economy will purr along like the US Post Office, Amtrak, the MVA, and Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac—i.e., incompetence, inefficiency, corruption and extraordinary waste will become the norm. The deregulatory policies of Ronald Reagan helped to fuel 25 years of economic growth. Reversing them will institutionalize the economic paralysis that Obama’s economy now manifests.

As for corporate greed, yes it exists. Corporate moguls are greedy—as are virtually all human beings. When you encourage greed and collude with it through acts of governmental stupidity like the Community Reinvestment Act, then the greed can indeed become dangerous. If we had let the market punish the greedy moguls’ companies instead of bailing them out, our economy would be in better shape now and in far better shape down the road.

Thanks to Mickey G and Mountain Man for also pointing out the weakness in Chasm’s argument.

I don’t know what to say about the long, rambling message from Pat Skurka. I remind him that I was ruminating about what conservatives might do if they receive an overwhelming mandate from the people. Also, I emphasize, I am talking about conservatives, not necessarily Republicans—and while it is virtually impossible to find any conservatives among Democrats, it is, alas, easy to find Republicans who are not conservative. Finally, much of the long message, while interesting and entertaining, was beside the point of my piece.

To Mickey G, yes I did not discuss immigration. Nor did I discuss abortion or gun control. I worried that the piece was already too long. But should we have a bona fide conservative revolution in the country, the people will do the right thing on those issues.

Finally, thank you to Steve Laib, deleeuw and hvance for their friendly remarks.

First, review Phil Jackson’s essays on pragmatic politics for big boys and girls. By winning an election, a seat that would have bolstered the Democrats’ numbers and agenda goes to a Republican instead. The Democrats are stymied, their ability to create all manner of Big Government mischief is held in check. But, denying a Democrat more years in the seat of power is exactly like a major snow storm descending on Washington, the citizenry is safe for a brief time but 3 feet of snow doesn’t undo the damage previously done, it simply prevents more damage being done and for however short a time.

Second, drop the dogma and blind assurance you, as a Republican, understand what the electorate needs. Ask them and then ask them again until you understand, Obama doesn’t ask, he tells and he’s in trouble for it – take the hint. Vague generalizations and boilerplate Conservative wisdom is fine at a rubber chicken dinner party, it gets applause from a select and sympathetic audience, it means less than nothing to the general citizenry – deeds, not words, guys. If Conservative words alone worked, there would be no Democrats elected – ever.

Third, go after the domestic terrorists – no, not those strange souls living in Montana with 8,000 rounds of .223 Remington ammo, investigate the Wall St. crooks, flush them out into the open, name names, propose regulations which are actually intended to regulate, list campaign donations earmarked for buying influence, hold public hearings on exactly what the donations were intended to buy, expose government sponsored programs which are intended solely to benefit the insider few at the expense of the taxpayers and remember that the Republican Party needs money for various expenses, but hopping in bed with every Wall St. bimbo isn’t Conservatism, it’s simply “acting Democrat”.

Fourth, we all want security from foreign aggression, defense is no joke but drop the Policeman of the World mindset. Look closely at our armed forces, our ability to make war is supported by weapons designed for a declared and unrestricted major war. Get it through your heads, a policeman is NOT a soldier, you can be one or the other, but not both. A policeman goes into the house, searches out the suspect, offers a chance to surrender peacefully, avoids any damage to the innocent, is individually responsible under law for any innocents he may injure no matter how closely “procedure” was followed and so forth. The arrested suspect is granted “bail”, is back on the streets, the policeman’s efforts undone by a judge and the cycle repeats itself. Our armed forces aren’t policemen, we can’t fight terrorists like policemen, nor can we fight terrorists like soldiers under our modern and absurdly Liberal rules of engagement.

Example – in WWII, while Allied Forces were breaching the Rhine, a German town was in the path of an American unit. Initially, the citizens were ready to surrender and allow unrestricted passage through their streets. During a white flag truce powwow, a German fanatic and local hero stepped forward and told the American commander there would be no surrender. Then the German citizens foolishly opposed our soldiers, dropped bricks, tossed flaming bottles, took pot shots. The American unit pulled back from the town, they opened up with the tubes on their battle tanks, ordered air strikes and dropped mortar rounds into the buildings, they leveled the entire town, they killed civilians, Nazi fanatics to be sure but also ordinary men, women and children. They then proceeded through the town.

No one investigated the American commander for war crimes, no Congressional hearings were held, no one suggested the Americans should have dismounted and fought through the streets, being careful to shoot only in self-defense while avoiding innocent civilians. And we honored these fighting men, both then and now. They were under orders to advance and advance quickly, it was necessary, they were supporting other American units under fire and their actions no doubt saved American lives. Ugly, yes. But necessary.

We can’t fight humane “police action” wars in a similar manner. Our nuclear submarines, stealth bombers, 60 ton main battle tanks, impressive aircraft carriers, advanced tactical fighters cannot carry the war to an enemy hiding in plain sight. Our soldiers are like the British redcoats advancing in line abreast while the Muslim colonials shoot from behind rocks and trees. This isn’t “National Defense”, it’s National Idiocy and the Republicans send proxies in the persons of our young men and women to enforce such idiocy.

You could pick apart this author’s essay point by point, but it isn’t worth the effort. Einstein cautioned against doing the same things over and over but expecting different results. He thought only idiots followed such behavior patterns but nowadays Republicans follow them as well – think outside the box, stop reciting the Conservative catechism word for word, make old Albert proud of you.