The Core Of The Problem

This column by Bobby Eberle resonates with me.  Excerpts:

As the dust settles on what many are calling an "historic" election, the soul-searching has already begun in Republican circles on how to rebuild. Let us be clear: the Republican Party is in shambles, and a top-to-bottom house-cleaning is in order.

But, before we simply "throw the bums out," we must understand exactly what went wrong and not be misled by the media or certain political pundits. The Republican Party thrives (as does America) when it is driven by conservative ideals and a reformist vision. Step away from that recipe, and the Republican Party becomes "Democrat-light," and we all know where that has led.

In watching the election coverage on Fox News, one particular topic was discussed over and over again. The question was posed, "Is America, which has generally been a center-right country now turning into a center-left country?" The answer is an unequivocal NO. We are a center-right country which was governed by a center-left Washington. When things went bad in Washington, and Americans started looking for "change," most legislators with an "R" next to their name became a target. The center-right country wanted center-right government, and the Republicans didn't deliver. Period.

Republicans didn't lose on Tuesday. We were simply given our report card for the last eight years. When we stopped being reformists and conservatives, we stopped being the party that could govern.

Republicans (under a conservative banner) do NOT support big government. What ever happened to the idea of local control? By embracing big government programs like the prescription drug plan and no child left behind, the Republicans in Washington started adopting the liberal philosophy of "what can government do for you?" The answer is that it is doing too much, costing too much, and taking away my freedoms.

Republicans (under a conservative banner) support the rule of law and the protection of our borders. As soon as Republican leaders such as President Bush and Sen. John McCain started falling in line with Ted Kennedy and other illegal alien amnesty programs, the nation as a whole rebelled. Legislation when down in flames thanks to mass protests by the American people, and what was the follow-up? More legislation. How about protecting America and the American people?

Republicans (under a conservative banner) support returning tax money to the taxpayers, not keeping it in Washington to pay for pork projects. As more and more Republicans joined the list of those taking earmarks for ridiculous programs, the label of "reformist" ceased to apply. Tax money belongs in the hands of taxpayers, not in the hands of Washington beaurucrats.

We need to get back to our roots, and we need leaders who represent those values. In this past election, Obama won in-part by trumpeting a tax cut for 95% of the American people. The claim was patently false, but the point is that he promoted a tax-cutting message. McCain never mounted a serious message on tax cuts. Rather than having the courage to really explain the tax situation to the American people and tell them that Republicans will not pit one economic class against another and that "fair" tax cuts mean tax cuts for all, McCain eventually joined the Obama bandwagon and only talked about tax cuts for the "middle class."

When was the last time we actually had a conservative nominee? Well... that's too long. We don't need "fresh" ideas or a make-over of our philosophy. We simply need to return to our conservative roots and have leaders and spokespeople who will promote those ideals. Kudos to Rush and Hannity during the last two years for stepping up more for conservative ideals even if it meant calling Republicans to task. As we proceed with the house-cleaning, maybe Fox News can finally get rid of Fred Barnes and Bill Kristol. They are useless and do not represent conservatism. They represent elitist Republicanism which led to part of the decline. When Fred Barnes calls House Republicans idiots for standing up for conservative principles regarding the financial bail-out, he's got to go.

There are so many aspects to analyze, but another point to mention is that when Republicans come to power and are only focused on keeping power, the light at the end of the tunnel is an oncoming train. The last eight years showed that we could win the presidency, but at what cost. The conservative movement was crushed. The majorities we built in the House and Senate are gone and will take a generation to restore. Thanks a lot!

In short, when the Republican Party is led by a conservative core, then America, as a center-right nation, will embrace the party and its ideals. If we are corrupt, embrace big government, push for earmarks, and don't respect the rule of law, then America will turn away. America needs the real Republican Party... and I want it back.

This is EXACTLY right!  If you look at what made Reagan and the 1994 Gingrich crowd successful, it is quite simple.  They defined what conservatism was, explained why it worked, and committed to stick with it.  Done.  Landslide victories, clear mandates.  That's what the country wants, that's the center-right leadership that is needed.  Over the past 10-12 years, the Republican party has fallen away from that formula.  Not only have they become bigger spenders than Democrats (a feat that seems almost impossible), they have even lost the definition of conservative.  When McCain is accepted as the 'conservative' candidate, we have big problems.  Yes, he may be pretty good on killing earmarks, but he believes government is the answer to most problems.  He may be great on foreign policy and national security, but his domestic acuity is less than stellar.  He has joined hands with the open-borders crowd, the global warming nutballs, and the bipartisan bandwagon.  This is not conservatism, this is compromise against core beliefs.  We in the conservative movement warned of this before McCain wrapped up the nomination.

Now, don't get me wrong - conservatives aren't against those things, we're just against doing those things the wrong way.  We don't hate immigrants, we just believe that all our nation's laws must be followed, and that people breaking those laws don't deserve to be rewarded.  We're not against protecting the environment, but we believe that people should take priority over insects or prairie grass or worms.  We want to work across the aisle, but not if it means compromising on our core values like smaller government, individual responsibility, family values, strong defense, and freedom.  We'll welcome anyone who wants to help us achieve those goals.

There's a critical difference, and that difference is what has eroded the Republican party in recent years.  The closest thing we had to a real conservative on this ticket this year was Sarah Palin, and she had the subordinate role.  While she energized the base, the real person at stake was McCain, and he failed the conservative test.

Eberle is right - we now need a core-level gut check, and an honest assessment of what the Repulican party should be.  If we coalesce around true conservatism once again, establish priorities, and select leaders who have stood on those priorities even during times of trial, we will see a resurgence of the GOP in 2010, especially because all of these things will present a very stark difference from what an Obama-Reid-Pelosi trifecta will do in the next two years.  Just wait - if you think the past 8 years were bad, you ain't seen nothin' yet.

There's my two cents.