With President Bush winning the electoral vote as well as 51% of the popular vote, he has claimed a mandate. I think this "mandate" is a fair claim, especially due to the fact that there was such a high turnout of voters in this historic election. In addition, Republicans picked up more seats in the Senate and the House.

This said, the American people have turned out and as President Bush claimed, "America has spoken." Americans have elected Republicans to control the highest offices and all 3 branches of government. President Bush was put over the top by traditonalist conservatives who ensured Bush victories in the key areas of Ohio and the Bible Belt of Florida. There's no excuse now for Republicans (including Bush) not to turn to their conservative base. As President Bush and VP Cheney claimed in their victory speech, they've been given a "mandate" to do so.

With such Republican control of the political direction of the country, what is the response of the growing conservative youth movement? How do we, as conservatives, rally our generation to fight for the conservative cause? What is the conservative cause and are we yet to define (or redefine) it in this new post 9/11 era?

The "9/11 Election" of 2004 has produced results in favor of the GOP agenda. Granted, much of the country is still divided on many of the most important issues of our time, from the economy to the war on terrorism, and how we approach difficult ethical issues guided by our moral and religious values. However, Republicans have an opportunity to lead the country in the "right" direction. What role do conservatives, especially the conservative youth, play in ensuring that the Republican Party pursues a conservative agenda?

On another note, conservatives are still shut out on most university campuses and in most areas of the media. As the Leftist agenda seems to keep hitting dead ends politically, the Left is sure to put up a tougher fight against conservatives in the areas where it still dominates.

How can the conservative youth make a difference in this post-9/11 era, during this "Bush Revolution"?

While young voters turned out at about the same percentage as in 2000, the re-election of Pres. Bush is a clear sign that the conservative agenda is indeed growing. While conservatives still face struggles in the university/college scene, I feel that it is a matter of time until these young conservatives, through ISI and other means, become professors and other professionals and shift the balance to conservatism. The liberals of today are getting older and will retire in a decade or so and will be replaced by young conservatives. I agree totally with the above post that the GOP needs to focus on its base and get its agenda out there. We have a historic opportunity to make America better and we need to not cave to liberals and let them know that we are in charge and that we will dictate policy.

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How can the conservative youth make a difference in this post-9/11 era, during this "Bush Revolution"?

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Conservatives have viewed their careers in terms of neutral values for much of recent history. Why is it that so many liberals go into politics, academia, media and the legal profession? Is it not because they connect their career choices with their liberal values (change the world, progress)? Consider the career choices of conservatives. Most conservatives actively participate within religious communities to exercise their values and therefore choose careers that maximize their incomes (hard sciences and business).

For instance, many of us choose careers in business. We seem drawn to business. Not because we are driven by altruistic motives, but because our traditional natures influence our decisions.

I propose the L.A.M.P. approach. It is a simple framework for making career choices and democratic participation decisions.

Young conservatives should consider their careers in light of values toward social progress. We are all progressives now in that we are beginning to seek a progressive restoration of society toward traditional values. We are progressing toward tradition and progressing toward conservation.

Therefore, we should consider engaging in the below institutions of progress so as to forward our conservative progress.

L.A.M.P.

Legal
Academia
Media
Politics

We should all in one way or another direct our energies toward active participation within the above areas of social influence. In doing so, we will better be able to preserve our heritage and culture.

I agree wholeheartedy. Conservatives need to enter these areas so that our message will be around for future generations to enjoy. The reason I feel that most liberals enter the LAMP career areas is so that they can brag about their title. For example, how many liberal professors act high and mighty with their Ph.D's and consider themselves "experts"? Probably one reason why conservatives are drawn to business is that business does not involve one's political/cultural opinions as do other professions. As for the ministry, this is a field where conservatives can feel more inclined to express their beliefs.

With great humility, I must disagree with your assertion that Bush has an actual "mandate." The President, thought he clearly won, could not have had a victory without Ohio--and at that there would have been no victory without the surprise turnout in the southern section of that State. That made it far to close in the Electoral College to justify such claims. With only 51% of the popular vote in support of Mr. Bush, there seems to be no justification there either. Yes, it was a record turnout. The President has recieved more votes than any other Presidential candidate in history. But, we must not forget that Mr. Kerry recieved the second most. It also appears, with all the hostility on the Right towards Mr. Bush, that many of those that placed a vote for him did so on the basis--not in support of him--but in fear of the boogey-man Kerry. I believe the most recent analysis of the election showed that the voters for Bush had moral issues on their mind. With Bush's bumbling on such issues, it seems that voters voted mostly against the liberal North-Easterner from the State that just legalized Gay Marriage. In the last four years, Bush has done very little that conservatives could be proud of. Increasing Debt, unjust wars, increasing Federal control, and whole host of other "traditionally unconservative" policies. If anything, its a sad fact that conservatives even believe that he reflects the conservative movement.

What would be Bush's Mandate (if he so had one)? More War, More Bureacrats, More domination of the States, More Corporate Socialism? Theres not mandate for that.

Yes, its not the party of Taft any more.

Thank you for lending me your time,

Bryan Hoffman
Wayne State Conservative Union, John Randolph Society--Wayne State, Columnist for The Wayne Review