The case for the happy warrior.

The odds are Herman Cain will never be president. If you don’t know him, Herman Cain is the former CEO of Godfather’s Pizza and a former board member of the Atlanta federal reserve. He’s seeking the Republican nomination for president.

Even if Herman Cain fails in his bid, which I believe he will, he is teaching a valuable lesson.

That lesson is that optimism sells.

Herman Cain’s sunny disposition is infectious and sunny is something we need.

Many of us on the right are mad as hell. We hate that America is rapidly going broke. We hate that grievously flawed policy has the economy stuck in the doldrums. We hate that tin pot tyrants from the Middle East hold the energy we need for ransom and that our government stands in the way of producing more of our own energy. We hate that able-bodied men and women in increasing numbers are becoming dependent on government for the basics of survival.

It doesn’t have to be this way and thus we are angry that it is.

But anger doesn’t sell and we need to be selling.

There are two visions of America in competition with one another and if we on the right don’t sell ours, we’re in deep trouble.

Here, on this continent, humankind figured out for the first time that individual liberty is the most powerful social force in the universe.

When liberty was unleashed on the American continent, a bright dawn broke over the world. Americans, free of the tyrannies of government, learned to produce food in abundance, made literacy the norm, conquered infectious disease, built vibrant and bustling cities and for the first time in history made poverty the exception.

With its citizens free to pursue their dreams as each saw fit, America got rich. And a wealthy America became a force for good. It was America that was able, for the first time in history, to finally bring an end to the warfare and bloodshed that had  enslaved Europe. It is America that is always first on the scene at the earthquake or the tsunami. It is America that steps in to mitigate famine and pestilence and pandemic all over the world.

Critics of America point to the stain of slavery. But they ignore the fact that America addressed this evil from within. Bitter and bloody was the fight. But in the end, slavery was eradicated in America without the intervention of a conquering foreign army.

America’s past, for all of its inevitable human failings, is a halo of glory.

What has many upset and has driven a lot of anger is the question, “What of America’s future?” A moribund economy and a profligate debt and an expanding welfare state do not augur well.

Yet I remain convinced that when men and women are free to follow their aspirations, miracles happen. And by free, I mean free of the inevitable tyrannies of an overweening government. Tyrannies such as stifling regulation, the imposition of overzealous mandates on those who risk capital and create jobs and government intervention in the free flow of goods, services and capital.

Freedom also means avoidance of dependency. Make it easy for people to become dependent on government and you enslave them. Dependency should be a last resort – limited to those that are unable due to physical or mental disability to make it on their own. For everyone else, unleashing the animal instincts that are called forth by the need to provide for one’s self is a proven prescription for prosperity.

America has what it takes to succeed. Our history proves it.

Herman Cain agrees. He’s the guy in the race with the smile on his face. He’s the salesman who knows he has a good product.

Herman Cain faces long odds on winning the Republican nomination. But whoever does win, would do well to learn from him. Because there’s a lot of selling left to be done and anger doesn’t sell.

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Paul Gleiser

Paul L. Gleiser is president of ATW Media, LLC, licensee of radio stations KTBB 97.5 FM/AM600, 92.1 The TEAM FM in Tyler-Longview, Texas.

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4 Responses

  1. Linda E. Montrose says:

    Before Herman Cain ever thought about running for President, I heard him fill in for Sean Hannity one time and was SOLD on the man! I believe that we need someone OUTSIDE of the mainstream political structure to bring back this nation to where it should be. What better than a BUSINESS MAN like Herman Cain to do that. He is not totally ignorant of the political process and how it works, he knows how to deal with all kinds of people and I see a lot of Reagan’s personality in him. The way I see it, Herman Cain has more experience in his little finger than obama did when elected, even after having served in the US Senate! Unlike obama, Herman Cain wants what is best for America and her people and you hear it in his voice when he speaks…without a teleprompter I might add! I have heard Herman Cain interviewed on the Sean Hannity show and on the Glenn Beck show. When faced with a few things that were troubling, he didn’t hem and haw around, then blame George Bush for his mistakes. He took responsibility for them and EXPLAINED his actions. I think this is important for a leader. I believe his EXPERIENCE in the BUSINESS world is far better than being in the US Senate and voting present on issues!
    In the business world, you have to deal with all kinds of people on a daily basis…look at Trump! I do not believe that Herman Cain would embarass us abroad like obama has because with Herman Cain, it isn’t the focas on Herman Cain as it is with obama. I do not believe that Herman Cain would give the Queen Of England such an inappropriate gift as the obama’s did, nor do I believe he would have sent back the bust of Churchill as obama did. obama has shown to be rude and disingenuous to certain Heads Of State, not acting Presidential at all. Don’t believe we would have that problem with Herman Cain.
    You know, not many people thought Ronald Reagan would win either…so who is to say that Herman Cain just might not be President Cain in 2012???

  2. Lanny Baker says:

    Herman Cain is a breath of fresh air over mainstream establishment republicans which are not very far to the right of president Obama himself. I have already contributed to his election bid. As for his ability to win, I agree it will be a long shot. That will depend on how many true conservatives will put their money, time and effort, and have the guts to say enough is enough and support such a candidate as Mr. Cain.
    My fear is there is not that many truely conservative people in the US today. I define conservative as people who will stand with the founding fathers who generally feared GOD and had firm belief in limited government, the strict interpretation of the constitution which said nothing about separation of church and state as is being peddled today by the mainstream media types, ACLU, etc. Unless and until this nation repents and returns to those beliefs we will continue to slide toward the abyss. “The wicked shall be turned into hell, and all the nations that forget God.”
    The Holy Bible : King James Version. electronic ed. of the 1769 edition of the 1611 Authorized Version. Bellingham WA : Logos Research Systems, Inc., 1995, S. Ps 9:17

  3. Paul A. Davis says:

    I heard your talk about Herman Cain on the radio today, and I agree that he is a very good business man along with being a wonderful man. I heard him when Fox news had the debate with 4 other men , and if you just listen to the group that granded the debate, Herman Cain won, hands down. It was after that, I looked up his back ground and found him to be very smart and a hard worker, and really cares about our country. I would vote for him in a heartbeat. Thanks for your talk on the radio. Paul A. Davis Longview Tx.

  4. Bethany Deptula says:

    My husband and I are huge supporters of Mr. Cain and really do hope he can get the Republican Nomination. Hey, nobody had heard of Huckabee until he won Iowa, and Mr. Cain is doing very well in the straw polls right now. You never know .. :)

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