Mitt’s Departure and the Embrace of Fear

Mitt spent more money than the gross national product of many small nations, and he could barely take a distant second to McCain with Huckabee breathing down his neck. Quitting now probably makes sense in that it attempts to save face, and save money. Mitt’s Stalingrad of this campaign was the Florida primary. Losing 100% of the delegates to McCain pretty much put McCain on the offensive for good. The Bagration of the campaign was Super Tuesday. Now, lined up on the river Vistula, Mittler knew he didn’t have the troops to stop the oncoming carnage.

But Mitt’s message to CPAC was illuminating. It is illuminating just how worked up the right is by fear. Democrats like Obama preach hope, while Republicans embrace fear. To me the contrast is telling and pervasive. Democrats stress that we’re coming to the end of a national nightmare, while Republicans focus on how much worse it will get, “if we don’t give them more time, money and power.”

During a time of great stress, FDR stated, “there is nothing to fear, but fear itself.” The fear-mongering of Republicans is in the worst tradition of our country, not it’s finest. If we are to be the beacon of freedom to the world, we recognize that we accept a certain amount of risk. We decided a long time ago, that we would not be a police state. And though we’ve taken some minor hits over the years, our strength has been a resiliency to never stray from certain fundamental principles that make America unique. When terrorists involved in 9/11 cause us to fundamentally change the role and intrusiveness of government, the terrorists have won.

Like FDR, I fear fear. That is why I fear four more years of Republican rule. Our Republic is relilient. In the off-chance that Republicans do prevail, I hope it is resilient enough to overcome it.