The left wants you to despair.  It is part of their game plan and a partial explanation for why President Obama has been throwing so many awful, intolerable new offensives our way.  From demanding that Catholics pay for abortion services to offering our most critical military secrets to our enemies, his goal is not merely to destroy this country, but to disable our resistance with an overwhelming string of demoralizing offensives.  And just when we start to get a handle on one of them, he initiates another ten.

President Obama is counting on our despair to help him win.  Reflect on that.  His leftist friends, like ACORN founder Wade Rathke for example, have been gloating over Andrew Breitbart's tragic death.  Reflect on that.  Then go to Rathke's lousy blog, modestly called "Chief Organizer," and let him know what you think of his slanderous comments about Andrew.  He will probably welcome the attention.  The site gets little traffic judging from the comments -- almost all of which are critical -- and Alexa.com finds it too small to track.  Over 3 million other sites larger than it.

Admittedly, with the collusion of this president, Senate, and media -- with Soros and an endless string of foundations and NGOs throwing billions into taking our country down -- while Republican leaders flounder around in self-conscious ambivalence like a bunch of virgins on prom night -- there is much to despair about.

But despair never won any battle.  Not a single one.  So don't despair.  It is a useless emotion, and a deliberate trap set by your enemies.  Take up the gauntlet and fight on with renewed enthusiasm, because the worm is turning.

There is not a better example of this right now than the state of Maryland.  Not only do endlessly corrupt Governor Martin O'Malley (Obama's Mini-Me) and the state legislature endorse criminality with their Sanctuary policies, but they fund it through the illegal aliens' ACORN, CASA de Maryland, and other similar groups.

Last year, the state actively thwarted a grassroots referendum to repeal Maryland's version of the DREAM Act.  They failed miserably, so they have now proposed legislation -- hilariously misnamed the "Referendum Integrity Act" -- to hamper further petition efforts.  This comes right on the heels of a new referendum petition in opposition to Maryland's just-passed law allowing "Gay Marriage."  Now they have added further injury to countless insults by proposing an eye-popping array of new taxes.  To top it off, last December O'Malley signed off on PlanMaryland, an executive order enacting a statewide planning document mandating Agenda 21 "smart" growth policies.  This destructive Plan was publicly opposed by eighteen of Maryland's 23 counties.  Baltimore City was all for it, of course.

The conventional wisdom is that Maryland is lost to Republicans.  With a two-to-one Democrat/Republican advantage, the left says Republicans just have to sit down and shut up.  "Don't waste your time, Republicans" is the oft-heard refrain.  But Maryland Democrats, like Obama, have overplayed their hand.

Their redistricting efforts angered both Republicans and Democrats.  Their pandering to illegals has infuriated minorities, including legal immigrants, because it is costing them jobs.  Fully 30 percent of DREAM Act repeal petitions were signed by Democrats.  And while redistricting may have diluted the conservative strength of Republican Congressman Roscoe Bartlett's 6^th district, it has also put into play the formerly secure seat of corrupt Democrat incumbent Chris Van Hollen.

The two frontrunners challenging Van Hollen are both excellent conservative prospects.  Most readers should recognize the name Ken Timmerman.  A widely respected expert on foreign policy, former NewsMax contributor, and investigative journalist par excellence, Timmerman brings extensive experience in the ways of Washington, a firm commitment to conservative principles, and courage to match.  Timmerman has the endorsement of heavyweights like Ambassador John Bolton, Simon Wiesenthal, Congressman Roscoe Bartlett, Commissioner Richard Rothschild, and a host of others.

My friend, Dave Wallace, is also a great prospect.  A committed conservative his entire life, Dave is a small business owner and an incredibly good organizer, personable and principled.  He was an early organizer of Tea Party efforts in Maryland, and he gained widespread name recognition as emcee of the Dave Wallace Show, a Saturday afternoon WCBM Radio talk show.  Dave also has the endorsement of a number of heavy hitters, including former Governor Bob Ehrlich, a number of county commissioners, state Senator Joe Getty, Delegate Kelly Schultz, and many others.

Defying the odds once again is another friend, Frank Mirabile, running for Congress in Maryland's 7^th District against incumbent and Congressional Black Caucus member Elijah Cummings.  I wrote about Frank's efforts in 2010.  Frank is also a small business owner.  He understands relevant aspects of economics as well as any professional -- a fact to which I can personally attest.  With his engaging, friendly, and forthright manner, he knows how to reach people.  He spent much of his time during the last cycle garnering support from inner-city black residents, constituents who see Cummings only when he shows up for ribbon-cutting ceremonies.  Many blacks are sick of the hypocritical Cummings and see Mirabile as a viable alternative.

But perhaps the greatest threat to Democrat hegemony in Maryland is the U.S. senatorial candidacy of Dan Bongino.  Bongino is running against Senator Ben Cardin.  If you recall from the ObamaCare debates, Cardin is the one who nonchalantly wiped out two hundred years of Senate rules to help pass the Senate version.  He is an unscrupulous, detestable leftist who sits quietly by while this president undermines his fellow Jews in Israel.

Bongino, on the other hand, is the real article.  I saw him at an event last week and can honestly say I have not been this excited about any political candidate for decades.  Watch the presentation he gave here (economics), here (health care) and here (education).  He gets it, at the most fundamental level, and can communicate effectively and convincingly to a broad audience.

Dan is a former Secret Service agent who had nothing to gain and everything to lose by leaving his secure and promising job with the Service, where he was a rising star.  In his own words, he left because saw what was happening in our great country and could not stand by and do nothing.  Those of us who are in this fight can all relate to that.

Dan has gotten national exposure through countless appearances on Fox News, NBC, CBS, ABC, CNN, MSNBC, and many others.  He has also racked up an impressive array of endorsements.  The best thing, however, is his optimism.  He says, "I don't think we can win in Maryland, I know we can win in Maryland... Folks, this isn't Mao's China."

Not yet, at least.

These are some bright highlights.  There are many other good conservatives out to challenge the entrenched left in Maryland.  Whether you live in Maryland or not, it is in your interest to support these people.  Like the Massachusetts miracle candidacy of Scott Brown, these people can win.  Unlike Scott Brown, they are all hardcore conservatives, and they will bring much-needed relief to the beleaguered residents of Maryland and strong voices in the U.S. Congress.

(See also: "Congress and the Country Need Ken Timmerman")

Correction:

This is to correct an erroneous statement made in this article. I had initially written that 8^th District Congressional Candidate Dave Wallace received the endorsement of former Governor Bob Ehrlich. This is not correct. Bob Ehrlich did not endorse Dave Wallace, nor has he endorsed anyone in this race. I apologize for any misunderstandings this may have caused. Ehrlich's staff has said that the governor does not endorse candidates before a primary. They confirmed however, that they do intend to issue a statement of support for both the Wallace and Timmerman campaigns.

 James Simpson