By Dr. Stan Cooke
Samuel Adams told a group of individuals who were the Political Elite in 1776 “If ye love wealth greater than liberty, the tranquility of servitude greater than the animating contest for freedom, go home from us in peace. We seek not your counsel, nor your arms. Crouch down and lick the hand that feeds you; and may posterity forget that ye were our countrymen.”
Thomas Jefferson is credited with the quote – “Eternal vigilance is the price of liberty”
We must remember that Freedom is never a final product, an achieved state. Freedom is like electricity – we must always be producing Freedom by defending our Liberties – or Freedom dies out.
The current grassroots movement is for real – it is not Astroturf. Astroturf cannot grow because it is artificial – but this political movement is alive and well, and growing! The latest polling data shows that almost 70% of Americans, considered to be “likely voters” in the 2014 election, want to vote out “all” incumbents.
I am proud of all of those people that are involved in the Tea Party movement, Conservative Republican events and in the displays of patriotic zeal – BUT it cannot stop there. We cannot be satisfied with marching on Washington or staging a larger rally. We cannot have as our goal the establishment of new patriotic groups – if we are only to act like the current collection of para-political groups. We must see the Big Picture and decided What Really Matters.
Now is the time for every individual involved in this grassroots movement to step up to the plate of responsibility and do the following:
1. Identify every Democrat that is a liberal, a progressive, or a socialist in their political beliefs and vote them out;
2. Identify every Republican that is a liberal, a moderate, or a RINO [republican in name only] and vote them out;
3. Support true Conservatives that will protect the Constitution, defend our borders and restore real American & Alabama values to every level of Government.
I want to encourage every political group to stop saying “we do not get involved in primary elections” or “we do not endorse candidates.” Find a true conservative candidate and endorse them, work for them and help to get them elected – make a difference! If you do not, you will have the same collection of elected officials in 2014 as you do now – nothing will change – everything will grow worse… and you will be left with only the memory of the last Tea Party rally or Conservative Republican event to talk about.
“We tried” will not be good enough. We must do better. If we do not change the status quo of Alabama politics, if we do not change the culture and political climate of Montgomery, we will reap the whirlwind of cronyism and political corruption.
Ronald Reagan was correct when he said, “Freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction. We didn’t pass it to our children in the bloodstream. It must be fought for, protected, and handed on for them to do the same, or one day we will spend our sunset years telling our children and our children’s children what it was once like in the United States where men were free.”
We Can Do Better!
Stan Cooke is a Candidate for Lt. Governor in the Republican Primary
