Silent Majority?

The recent election and a personal discussion altered a view that I, and many conservatives, possess about the country.  For many years conservatives have talked about something called the "silent majority."  This population of quiet conservatives vastly outnumber those in the country who want the big government, totalitarian Democrat agenda.  Every so often, when needed the most, they come out to vote Republican and save the country.  Nixon was the first to speak of it in America, and Regan may have been elected by it (Wikipedia).  In the 80's, when Reagan won by two landslides, this may have existed.  But the country has had a vast shift in the past twenty to thirty years, and that "silent majority" may no longer be there.

One conversation I had with an Obama voter blossomed this idea growing in my head.  The person seemed to agree with me about the moral decay of the country, especially when referring to young people.  It centered around the lack of respect children tend to have for themselves and others throughout the world, leading to increased violent crimes (Canada.com, UKGuardian) and teen pregnancies (Guttmacher.org).  So why pay lip service to the awful changes in the world, and then vote for someone who is part of the problem?  How can anyone support a party that exacerbates the issues he or she advocates against?  Because, although people will recognize the death of a great country, the "comfort" of a "benevolent" government that takes responsibility for you is easier.  The values that make us a civilized nation are eroding, but the false promise of a government that will "promote" them takes the blame off of you.  For example, the schools take most of the pressure of parenting off of parents, including when it comes to basic needs (NPR.org).  How great!  Right?

Whether conservatives like it or not, people take government help when they can get it, and almost everyone receives aid and/or subsidies without being aware of it (NYTimes).  A portion of the "silent majority" has become part of the welfare state, willingly or unwillingly.  So what does that mean for conservatives?

One of the biggest mistakes made in the last election was thinking the conservative "silent majority" still existed and was going to come out in droves to vote Republican.  Obviously this didn't happen.  Conservatives have to understand the reality that we are a nation of takers.  This can be frustrating, and Ron Paul expresses that well (WashingtonPost.com).  Frustration aside, the next step requires a change in tactics.  The time has come to convince, not just inform.

Rush Limbaugh often says that experience is the best teacher and converter for conservatism, and he is correct.  I have convinced people to switch over to the truth by pointing out what will happen.  Inevitably a, "See, I told you so," comes.

Which brings me to my final point: be patient.  It took over one hundred years for the liberals to kill America, and it will take just as long, if not longer, for its rebirth.  Don't get caught up in the pop culture instant gratification trap.  What conservatives must do is be forceful, use liberal institutions against them, and don't be afraid to speak out (more on this as I formulate my thoughts).  The liberals use our strengths, kindness, beliefs, and morality, against us.  It's time for us to use their flaws, selfishness, immorality, and hatred, against them.