This is not Victory

The stunning upset by Scott Brown over Martha Coakley can only be considered a turning point. It was not victory. If conservatives develop a plan for our country they may be able to transform this turning point into victory. If they don't, Tuesday night was the pinnacle of the current conservative movement. Massachusetts voters delivered a mandate to each party - deliver or else. Tuesday night was about Obama and health care, but more importantly it was about dissatisfaction with the economy, jobs and how business is done in Washington. That impacts both Democrats and Republicans.

Independents appear ready and willing to hand the keys to Congress back to the Republicans. We must remember that Independents are typically centrists, and centrists are not particularly loyal to either party. If the Republicans are able to leverage this upset to regain some control in Washington, they will need to follow up over the next few weeks with a message.

Only a compelling message will return Republicans to power in 2010 or 2012. When developing this message, they need to look to the Brown win for basic components.

• Brown ran as an unashamed conservative. This nation is still largely conservative and can be won over with well articulated conservative principles.
• Brown was a charismatic and forceful speaker. A national Republican with these qualities has not yet stood up.
• People want government to solve their most oppressive problem. Especially in Massachusetts where everyone is insured, health care was not seen as the most important problem. Like Clinton said, "It's the economy, stupid".
• People want government to end the recession and grow jobs. Obama still wants to use the "inherited it" excuse. He now owns it, like it or not.

If a national conservative would stand up and articulate a compelling plan that would improve the economy, produce jobs, address health care cost and insurability, reduce our reliance on foreign oil, provide compassionate solutions to illegal emigration, and attempt real bipartisanship, the Republicans could retake the Congress. We need a leader, much like Newt Gingrich and Ronald Reagan were in the 80's.

The hate and vitriol in Washington and in the mainstream media make it difficult to find that leader. Sarah Palin was able to excite conservatives during the McCain campaign in a way that is needed today. But Sarah was savaged by the left who saw her as a threat to their power. The sad fact is that Sarah may undeservedly no longer have the populous support needed to carry a national election.

John McCain, Michael Steele and Mitch McConnell are not the answers, but instead they are part of the problem. It is far more likely that a current unknown individual will rise within the next few months to lead conservatives. If that conservative leader does not appear, Tuesday's win was squandered.