Happy Warriors Contra Sourpusses

Life is hard; it's been worse. Pick yourself up.

Charlie Cooke’s admonition to members of the GOP is an important one with applicability across time, space, and ideological allignment:

“For God’s sake. . . Cheer up.”

I agree with Charlie’s rejection of doomerism; things have been much worse economically, socially, and geopolitically for America in the not-so-distance past. Exhibit A, which Charlie presents, is the situation Ronald Reagan faced — with a smile on his face — in 1980. Inflation: sky-high; unemployment: through the roof; the number of ICBMs the Evil Empire had pointed our way: unfathomable.

And yet. . .

And yet, Americans were hopeful, optimistic, cheerful and elected the man who embodied these values to the highest office in the land. One need only listen to the greatest pop rock album of all time, REO Speedwagon’s High Infidelity, to get a sense of the positively peachy zeitgeist.

Seriously, listen to this entire album if you have not. But, if you (incorrectly) choose to not listen to the album in its entirety, at least listen to this song: “Keep On Loving You.”

I will bring back this culture of magnanimity, wholesomeness, and happiness if it takes me the rest of my life. I’m confident my fellow happy warriors and I will bring it back long before then. I invite you to join us.