Election night 2024 was an epic night with an epic result due to epic turnout by Americans seeking something better. Republicans won both the popular vote and the electoral college, flipped the U.S. Senate, and will likely retain the House. The GOP gained seats in governor races, picked up new voters from minority groups, and even flipped several blue California counties.
This election was a complete repudiation of the liberal progressive agenda. So, bask in the moment, because now the real fight begins.
I am mindful of a scene from the classic movie: The Dirty Dozen. A classic all-call-of-action character that could hold its own with anything in the modern action genre. Set in WWII, a bunch of outcasts, convicts and misfits from a military prison are formed into an elite commando unit for a suicide mission deep behind German lines. Each man knew that mission failure meant death or back to prison. Mission success meant a new lease on life. The Dirty Dozen had to fight like their life depended on it.
One particular scene was comedic. A highbrow colonel got wind that a “top secret” group was coming on his base with a high-ranking general. He stopped the trucks, asking for the general to please inspect his top unit, which were all spit and polished in formation by the roadside. The Dirty Dozen were rough around the edges, unshaven, and disheveled. But one of them quickly played the part of an incognito general and walked the line of fancy troops. All was well until he stopped and addressed the arrogant colonel, saying, “Very pretty, Colonel … but can they fight?” The rest of the Dirty Dozen fell into fits of laughter at the prima donnas in formation.
That’s where we are in the post-election timeframe. Trump does not need a bunch of pretty establishment bureaucrat soldiers. We need a dirty dozen who will get the job done like their lives depend on it.
In every force-on-force confrontation, there is always key terrain from which to stage operations. Terrain that brings advantage to the side that controls it. In military parlance, the right has now taken the high ground. But it is not just for sitting on. The right must prepare for the left’s inevitable counterattack. The 2024 election was merely the D-Day operation to gain a commanding position on the battlefield.
Make no mistake, the left wants the terrain we now hold. The fight that is coming will not be won by pretty soldiers in pretty uniforms. We need fighters who will get busy, get dirty, and get the job done.
So, how do we do that?
Army doctrine teaches that stifling the opposition’s ability to counterattack and take back key terrain involves several things: disruption, flexibility, concentration of power, preparation and security.
We do that by communicating constantly and transparently, appointing conservative judges, passing strong conservative legislation, and rekindling the economy by cutting taxes and repealing stifling regulation.
We have to be able to pivot to their attacks and not become myopic in our view of the field of fight. We must recognize where the right made gains and concentrate our efforts there for quick wins in the 2026 midterms while also developing a long-term strategy to preserve our principles. We must also keep our leaders secure because they are now at increased physical risk of attack.
But a strong battlefield commander knows you don’t just sit in the defense and brace for the counterattack. Seizing commanding terrain means having a place from which to launch an offensive. Thus, we need to see our border secured immediately with a plan for removing masses of illegal immigrants from our communities. We need to grow our economy to benefit our citizens and put the U.S. back into a position of economic world strength. We need a military filled with warriors and leaders who love this country and are willing to sacrifice for it. We need to exert energy dominance and develop a plan for an all-of-the-above use of the great assets we already have.
American citizens also need to know that the sanctity of the family, faith, and property will be respected and defended because it is at the core of who we are. All of that and more is before us, and all of it is worth fighting for.
To do all of that there has to be a team of fighters. Donald Trump, JD Vance, Elon Musk, RFK Jr., Vivek Ramaswamy, Tulsi Gabbard ... these are all folks who have proven their ability to lead large organizations, buck norms, and push back on apathetic leadership. These are potential reformers. But we need even more.
There is a strong likelihood Trump will have the opportunity to appoint at least one Supreme Court justice and solidify conservative legal positions on life, liberty and property for generations to come. We need senators and congressmen who are willing to pursue conservative constitutional principles and not just be pretty while working toward their own re-election.
There will also be allies in the broad spectrum. Conservative grassroots media is on the rise as the mainstream media has proven its inability to be other than pretty. I predict that conservative outlets will have a new and increased opportunity for bringing truth and accountability.
So yes, this election was huge. Catch your breath, hug some necks, slap some backs, and relish the moment. But it was not the full battle. We seized key terrain and now we need a team who will not just be pretty, but will fight. A team who will preserve us for generations to come as a force for good and a city on a hill. We need a dirty dozen we can rally with to fight like our lives depend on it.
To contact Phil or request him for a speaking engagement, go to www.rightsideradio.org.
The views and opinions expressed here are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the policy or position of 1819 News. To comment, please send an email with your name and contact information to Commentary@1819News.com.
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