After the fiasco, when hundreds of billions in budget cuts turned out to be, well…..nearly nothing, I am pleased with the way the GOP, especially the House leadership, has adressed the key issues, and attempted to convey them to the American people. Consider the following:

1. We don’t have a revenue problem, we have a spending problem in Washington.

2. Paul Ryan’s deficit reduction proposal, including finally dealing with entitlements.

3. Near consenus on the need to halt/repeal Obamacare.

4. Boehner’s brilliant line in the sand on the nation debt ceiling: Dollar for dollar immediate spending cuts for every dollar increase in the debt ceiling.

5. Today’s letter from the House RSC, calling for massive spendign cuts, a hard cap on future spending, and a balanced budget amendment.

There are others we could add to the list, and some here will quibble about some of the points in each item, but overall, as Martha Stewart would say, “it’s a good thing.”

But what is lacking is a clear statement of a conservative vision for governance, something that ties these all together. For myself, and for many here on Red State, that theme is that government has grown far too big, far too intrusive. Reagan’s great quip, that “government isn’t the solution, it’s the problem”, expresses this best, yet it’s not a slogan we can run on.

However, given what Obama has done since he took office, and the continued calls from the Democrats for “government intervention, investment, whatever” it’s obvious that is still at the core of what the left believes, and wants to inflict upon this country for another term.

Obama ran, and won, on a platform of nothing..”Hope and Change.” He can’t do that again. But it was a successful strategy. Some will say that the nation was so fatigued after the Bush years, and the fiscal crisis that had just started, that his election was a near inevitability. To that I say NOT TRUE…we had a lousy candidate, who lacked a clear, cohesive, conservative message.

The reason for the need for an overarcing theme is that it will allow us to fold all the other issues that are starting to resonate with the electorate. The NLRB regulations, the EPA rules,  increased federal employment, the fact that the government sector does far better financially than most of us who pay the taxes, the blatant governmental union power grabs, etc, etc. We are waging a war on many fronts, and total victory has to be our only objective.

I don’t quite know how to convey the essence of this ideal: “Let America be America”  “Back to the Future” “The Greatest generation did not give their all for THIS”..” You bastards in DC leave us alone..” something, anything..

Anyone following Palin’s bus tour this last week can’t help realize that this is what she is attempting to do, in her “foundation” theme. She senses that this is what the majority of Americans want to hear. Bachmann also is on this path. Right now, the MSM is attempting to shape the image of these candidates, rather than their message, to discredit the latter. It may work, it may not. These two may not be the ones able to convey the hunger, the longing, than the majority of Americans feel; the desire to take back control of our federal government.

Paul Ryan has shown the ability to cleatrly state,a nd defend his position on his deficit reform plan. The NY 23rd special election, though probably skewed by the 3rd man in, the Dem “faux” tea party candidate, shows what happens when a candidate is unable to articulate a vision.

I think the GOP race is wide open, and whoever can succintly define, and express that ideal for the future will win the nomination, and the WH next year.