IT IS TIME FOR CONSERVATIVES TO FIND RENEWED ENERGY

Any way you spin it, Tuesday was a historic night. Nearly 60 percent of Americans voted, and while 46 percent of them most likely wished, prayed and hoped for a different result, all of America will continue to be one nation, under God, indivisible with liberty and justice for all.

As Barack Obama enjoys the honeymoon period after the longest presidential election cycle in history, conservatives cannot and should not dwell on theories of doom and gloom, but must look toward the future with renewed vigor.

Tuesday was a wake-up call not only for conservatives but also for young Americans. As a young conservative, it was like having two alarms go off simultaneously.

Those of us born with Ronald Reagan in the Oval Office and a mantra of “morning in America” on Main Street must strive to live up to President Reagan’s archetype of making our nation stronger, better and more prosperous than ever before. Doing so will require new faces taking risks, picking up the torch of freedom, entering the arena, running for office, seeking new challenges and, most of all, making a real difference.

On Tuesday, my generation made its voice heard. Many young Americans voted for the first time. I guess you can say we rocked the vote. And while I may agree to disagree with many of my generational peers, I am reminded of the old Churchill adage: Liberal at 40, one doesn’t have a brain, and conservative at 20, one doesn’t have a heart.

Being a young conservative, I guess that explains why I’m still single at 24. But let’s not go there and instead focus on being liberal at 40 — or at least not really conservative.

Just four short years ago, Americans provided the Republican Party with a mandate for conservative leadership. They re-elected George W. Bush and sent majorities to both houses of Congress. But rather than conservatives at age 40, voters received people who still had liberal tendencies at that age, and so two or now four years later, many of those folks lost the honor and privilege of serving in public office. And today, the American people made it clear: They want change — change at any cost.

It remains unclear just how radical Barack Obama’s presidency will be. For conservatives, it is premature to consider. Before we can attempt to protect our freedoms and debate policy differences with the soon-to-be new administration, we must first right our own ship. Righting the Republican ship means returning to our fundamental conservative beliefs of less spending and limited government. It also means putting principles before politics and convictions before convenience.

Over the past four to eight years, we failed on both fronts. During our watch, our Republican government set records in government spending and government growth because those we worked hard to elect forgot about why they were elected. When they arrived on Capital Hill, they checked their principles and beliefs in the cloak room, looked at the liberals and said, that spending spree sure looks fun. They tried to build bridges to nowhere, and that is exactly where they steered our Republican ship.

So now instead of chairing committees, overseeing the Oval Office and setting the agenda, Republicans line the back bench. My prediction, maybe overly optimistic, is that Republicans will not remain a total minority for too long. When Democrats control all three branches of government, Republicans gain at least one branch back two years later.

The next two years will show us whether Obama is ready for the task and whether charismatic speeches, energized rallies and glorious orations are anything more than spinning the status quo as “change.” For now, we can only agree to disagree on Barack Obama. In doing so, all Americans — regardless of party, age, gender, race or creed — must focus not on the differences that divide us but on the commonalities that unite us: that we all want the best for our nation and our future, whether or not we agree on how we get there.

Those of us who showed many a frown on election night should not be angered by his election, but instead dismayed at how we lost our way. It is often said you learn more by losing than you gain from winning. I hope that for conservatives, this is one of those times. Our defeat presents ample opportunity to reflect on the past, ponder the present and focus on the future. 2010 and 2012 will be here before we know it, and so will come a time for new conservative leadership.

(Cross-posted in The State newspaper)