To understand what really lies at the core of problems of the West, we need to hark back to Adam Smith. He made two books; one on wealth of nations, the other on the basic imperative of the rational, moral man.
As all other philosophy, he pointed to the basic balance between ethics and freedom.
Now, we have had a century of freedom in the field of economics. Even the social democratic theorist Keynes held the believe, that we should just spend more and thereby induce new energy in the economical sphere.
So the basic problem is, that both the liberal as well as the social camp held the firm belief, that freedom and not ethics was the answer to the challenges of the West.
So, in order to drag ourselves out of the problem we face today, we need not more freedom, but more ethics. We need to hark back to a time, where business were led not by Enron types of CEO´s but Arthur Andersen types. People who, like the founder of Bosch, were idealistic, patriotic and hardworking.
In Denmark the founder of Carlsberg had two proverbs; one for the light, that is enlightenment as a tool, the other: Pro Patria.
This is the business credo of the persons who actually did build Denmark, and it was, probably the credo of the persons who, with incredibly hard work, build America.
Now, in times of a crisis, people are ready to put their differences away and start working together, to unite.
Everybody knows that the production of manufacture is the core of business. Everybody knows, that in order to rebuild America, manufacture has to be supported not by cutting expenses only, but by supporting them psychologically as well as making sound demands if they seek help.
This is the only serious strategy in a longterm plan.
Now neither Gingrich or Romney are patriotic when it comes to business. Yes, Romney is a business man, and a successful businessman, but he is not the patriotic kind. He is into replanning and optimizing things. That is too narrow a scope when it comes to rebuilding an entire nation. At that level you need to understand philosophy not just lean management. Romney is not aware of that fact, and that is his greatest weakness, because the average American knows that hard work is the only serious answer to the problems America is in right now. Gingrich is a whole other story, if he succeeds in his comeback, the next few weeks will tell, we would meet a much more difficult situation. Gingrich is virtually unbeatable, he is intelligent, crafty and honest in his own strange way.
So, focus on the economy in a patriotic and sincere manner, and you are able to draw on much of the anxiety people feel right now. Or rather, you would meet their worries on a level they can understand and relate to.
G-d bless America