As the elections get closer, just over a week away as I write this, I am compelled to write just one more post about the midterms. I have read many articles that say that the GOP is doomed, that there will be no real consequence if the Democrats regain control of the Congress, and that maybe it will be a good thing for the GOP to lose. Some of our own Townhall bloggers have advanced some of these opinions, most notably my esteemed colleague and friend BrianR. He has written some very good articles over at his blog which have given me much food for thought. But the more I think on it, the more I find that I can't totally agree with this type of thinking.

Contrary to the beliefs of some, these elections are very important to all of us. We are at war today with an enemy that seeks our utter destruction, and I do not for a moment believe that a Democratically controlled Congress will see this fight through to the end. They have distanced themselves from the war as much as possible, they have attacked those that are tasked with prosecuting the war at every turn, and have loudly proclaimed their wishes to see us 'redeploy' from the field of battle. A House controlled by the Democrats would not hesitate to pull funding from the war effort in a bid to completely cripple what would be a lame duck President. They may not just pull funding outright; in fact, they would probably tie it to 'benchmarks' that would give them political cover as they de-funded our war effort. Can we honestly hand them the power to do so, just to punish the GOP that has so disappointed us?

Further, there is the notion that many put forward that the majorities would be so slim as to create gridlock. That may be so, but there is another scenario that many have not considered; those that have read Brian's blog will recognize this, but many of you may not. The scenario is this: The Democrats win the House, and gain a small majority in the Senate...say a 53-47 lead. That may seem razor thin, until we factor in the RINO's that seem to caucus with the Democrats on so  many important issues. If Linc Chafee, Olympia Snowe, John Sunnunu, Arlen Specter, John McCain, and his personal lapdog Lindsey Graham continue to go down their 'bipartisan' paths, can you imagine the effect that could have on policy? There would be a big enough majority to push through the 'comprehensive' immigration reform the elites love so much, and a majority that could successfully block the appointment of any judge to the right of Sandra day O'Connor to the federal bench. Is that the path we want to take into the future?

And please, do not think that I am trying to use any scare tactics on you. I wouldn't do that, as a I have too much respect for my readers to try to pull something like that on them. I am, however, trying to get you to look at the possible consequences of allowing a Democratic majority to regain control of the Congress. The last time we allowed that to happen, we spent forty years in the political wilderness searching for the Congressional Promised Land!

Also, I do not buy the premise that a loss is a good thing. While there may be lessons that can be gleaned from a loss, it has been my experience that you can learn way more from a win than a loss. Further, I have to disagree with the use of Ronald Reagan's ascendence as an example of electoral losses being good things in the long run. You see, I am convinced that it was not just disgust with Jimmy Carter and the Democrats that swept Reagan to victory; it was the embracing of Reagan's view about the greatness of America that caused his landslide. Besides which, if the election of Reagan was the end all be all, then why did the Democrat domination of Congress continue until 1994? That is not to diminish the import of the Reagan Revolution, but it does not stand to reason that Reagan's election and popularity was in response to negative reaction to the Democrats, more than a positive reaction to the man and his ideas.

I will not attempt to convince you to vote in any way that goes against your conscience, nor to vote for a party over your principles. If you have a choice between a truly conservative Democrat and a RINO in your local races, by all means vote your principles. But please do not withhold your votes in this election as a means of punishing the party that you feel has let you down. This election is much too important to the immediate future of our nation and its direction to give it away in a fit of pique.

And for those that feel that the GOP has done a poor job, I concur. To those that are disgusted by the rise of the RINO, I am in total step with you there. And those that are clamoring for a change in the direction of the party, towards a more conservative political view, I am right there with you.

But for those that feel that the GOP needs a loss to refocus, that it would not be so bad to have the Democrats in power, I must beg to differ.

This is too important a time for us to 'turtle up', to become insular, and to give away the reigns of government to those that could do real harm; not just to our ideas, but real tangible harm to this nation.

On November 7, 2006 I only ask that you go to the polls and do your civic duty.