“The man who grasps principles can successfully select his own methods. The man who tries methods, ignoring principles, is sure to have trouble.” -Ralph Waldo Emerson
In the debate about how to return the Republican Party to power, I subscribe to the belief that the GOP must re-establish its credibility with voters by embracing our timeless principles – limited government, individual freedom and choice, deference to the Constitution, free markets and commerce and a strong national defense – and adapting them to issues we face, in the spirit of the above quote from Emerson.
If we support candidates with questionable records for the sake of maintaining influence in Washington, we mimic the flawed thinking that far too many individuals in the party leadership displayed during the Bush administration – that Republican actions need not adhere to Republican principles, as long as the party has power. That line of thinking – to use a simple analogy, caring more about “winning” than how we “play the game” – contributed to the surge in government spending that occurred over those eight years, which led to deficits that shattered the party’s reputation for fiscal responsibility (how the hell did Obama get away with convincing people he would enact a “net spending cut” and cut their taxes more than McCain?).
So, where do we go from here? Again, the party must continue to re-discover the timeless conservative principles that have achieved so much success in the past. As the economy continues to struggle, unemployment rates remain high and inflation begins to rear its ugly head, the public’s superficial love affair with Obama (remember, voters like him, but not his policies) will fade, and the Democratic Party and the general establishment, which have invested so much in him, will see grave repercussions. People will see Democrats as what they (for the most part) really are – serial opportunists (with Biden courting Specter multiple times this decade and party officials attempting to bring McCain over to their side after his 2000 primary loss) who will do or say anything to gain power and influence. Republicans, if they remain committed to principle, will gain a new reputation as courageous individuals willing to stand up for their beliefs, even if it costs short-term pain or political loss.
And what about the party’s need for a big tent? Well, we can also make inroads in that area by sticking to principle. After all, most Hispanic- and African-Americans are self-professed social conservatives. Younger voters, often viewed as libertarians, should identify with the party’s respect for liberty and fiscal conservatism.
So in conclusion, the party should look toward principle, not moderation, as a means to return to power and re-setting (we all know how much the Obama administration loves resetting things) America down the road toward freedom, opportunity and prosperity. As Adam Graham showed us, Reagan phrased it perfectly:
A political party cannot be all things to all people. It must represent certain fundamental beliefs which must not be compromised to political expediency, or simply to swell its numbers.
I do not believe I have proposed anything that is contrary to what has been considered Republican principle. It is at the same time the very basis of conservatism. It is time to reassert that principle and raise it to full view. And if there are those who cannot subscribe to these principles, then let them go their way.
April 30th, 2009 at 5:20 pm
Hmmm…so for your prescription for success is for the Republicans to “embrace timeless principles,” but what does that mean? Does support of limited government and deference to the Constitution mean the party will drop support for warrantless wiretapping, waterboarding, and Bush’s gutting of civil rights? Should they play down the religious fundamentalist aspect of their coalition?
When I read this kind of commentary, I get the sense of a worldview in which the voting public is, was and always has been solidly on the right end of the political spectrum. They elected the GOP, got disgusted when the GOP acted like liberals, and then voted in the Democrats as some kind of desperate last option.
Sounds great except…in Middle America, Bush was not wildly unpopular mainly because of spending, which wasn’t the item at the top of the list for most people. And didn’t the Republicans run a candidate in 2008 who pretty much built his Senate career around fiscal austerity, cutting spending and earmarks? As I remember, the Democratic candidate had something like a 55-35 edge on the economy in that election.
A more honest answer is that the public, ideologically, culturally demographically, has, for lack of a better word, shifted to the left over the past 8 years. Yes, people are against too much government spending and always will be. But polls also show that a majority favors a government run health care system. In fact, the public is to the left of Obama on this. There is also widespread support for increasing taxes on the rich.
That’s before you get into the cultural issues the younger generation and minorities have with the GOP. 66% of people under 30 voted for Obama. There will be a whole new wave of young voters at the polls in 2012. These young voters are 60% pro choice and already, a slight majority under 30 supports gay marriage. This is driven by culture and media, and I have trouble seeing a reversal of the trend in 4 years.
67% of Hispanics voted for Obama. In 2008, they were 15% of the population. By 2012, it’s estimated they will be 17%. In between then, we’ll likely have a big immigration debate, and something tells me Republicans won’t exactly gain ground during that time period.
So how does “returning to principles” (whatever you mean by it) help the Republicans again?
April 30th, 2009 at 5:26 pm
It will be interesting to see if the hardcore social conservatives can both stick to their principles and still find room for the more moderate individual. Your concept of sticking to principles is easier said than done if the moderates don’t feel like they have a home in the Repbulican party. For example, Is it a requirement for all Republicans to be pro-life? It is a strong principle that many republicans have, but the party needs to decide because there are so many social conservatives that won’t budge. Otherwise it should just be the pro-choice vs pro-life parties and they can drop the Democratic vs Republican titles.
April 30th, 2009 at 6:12 pm
Anthony, I liked your article. Yes we need to get back to the core principles of our party. We need to be shouting from the rooftops the need for limited government.
April 30th, 2009 at 6:38 pm
Good article, but the devil is in the details, and in the end you have to be specific about what principles unite the GOP and what principles do not.
There are too many conservatives out there who talk about “principles” and “returning to Reagan” without really saying anything specific. In my opinion, that’s a cop out, and an excuse to avoid a substantive debate on how to move forward.
April 30th, 2009 at 7:48 pm
WA_Independent -
That was the most thoughtful, honest and coherent synopsis of the current state of affairs I’ve ever read on this site. Well written, well done.
April 30th, 2009 at 9:22 pm
Yes we do, but SoCons won’t join us in doing so, because they don’t want the government limited when it comes to regulating people’s personal lives.
May 3rd, 2009 at 10:51 am
I wonder what John McCain is doing in this group. He cannot communicate, he wants to hold hands with the Democrats and is proud of that. I have not noticed that the Democrats want to cross the aisle to hold hands with Republicans. It is utter silliness. We are ideological opposites. When we try to get Democrats on our side, we give up our principles, they never do. Dems don’t compromise. We lost the last election largely because of the economy. McCain suspending his campaign to go to Washington to vote for the TARP was more of the same from McCain. He should have continued to campaign – AGAINST THE TARP. He was in position to know what it was about. During the Bush administration, Bush put forth bills with Ted Kennedy on education (the bill has had some successes) as did McCain on immigration – a total disaster. The American people flipped out over the immigration bill. Moderates cannot sell conservative principles because they do not believe them. If we choose a moderate to run for President in 2012, we will lose again.