If ever asked to describe my politics, I tend to identify myself as first and foremost a conservative, or perhaps a libertarian-leaning conservative in order to distinguish myself from neo-conservatism. My initial reaction is never to call myself a Republican though, which is exactly what most conservatives will do. Although I am technically and officially a registered Republican, a Republican committeeman, and I try to advance my politics within and through the GOP, identifying my political views as “Republican” really doesn’t communicate much at all about my philosophy. The Republican Party is simply a political entity whose positions, personalities, and platform are subject to change and often have. It is a vehicle for instituting a political philosophy. At least this is what it’s supposed to be.
Conservatism is more than this though. It’s a way of thinking, a worldview, a way of life. And it has never been more important to make this distinction than it is today. At a time when there is a national effort underway to “rebuild the Republican Party,” we must recognize that the party is only as good as the principles of the people behind it. These are what need to be reformed and revitalized. Today we have an excellent opportunity to rebuild the GOP into a once again nationally viable party. In heavily Democratic regions like Albany, rebuilding the party locally is even more of a challenge and opportunity. But I am afraid that there is an overwhelming perception out there among many Republicans that this rebuilding is simply about making the party politically competitive once again through purely logistical and organizational means. Finding charismatic new party leaders able to utilize the value of the internet and organize better campaigns should not be the primary aim. This is secondary to discovering what it is that we are marketing. I don’t think Republicans are in the sorry state we are in because people agree with the party’s positions but just haven’t received the message. I think people can see quite clearly what the Republican Party is offering, and they don’t like it. The problem is not that the party is poorly organized and led, and people don’t really understand what the GOP stands for. The problem is it’s become obvious that the GOP has ceased to stand for anything! The Republican Party is supposed to be a means to an end. It has become an end in itself; power for power’s sake. The conservative philosophy that is supposed to be at its core has become unrecognizable. In short, while most Republican (and indeed American) voters are undoubtedly conservative in their perceptions and lifestyles, the GOP has ceased to be a conservative party that can inspire them.
I don’t support Republican candidates simply because they are Republicans. See Arlen Specter. The guy ran with an R next to his name for decades but has always voted like a liberal Democrat and is now making it official by switching parties. So what’s the point of supporting Republicans who could just as easily call themselves Democrats? The Republican candidates I do support I support because I believe they will deliver principled conservatism that will benefit the community, state, or country. Unless your job specifically relies upon one party or the other winning, I see no reason why anyone would support the GOP in and of itself regardless of what it does or stands for. I want to rebuild the party. But I don’t want to rebuild it just for the sake of returning it to power with the same bunch of empty suits that have occupied it in recent years. This is why we must now have a frank discussion on what policies and principles the Republican Party will stand for. Let us not avoid this conversation. Let us recognize that until the snakes that currently represent the party are thrown out we can’t begin talking about rebuilding. Empty slogans about government spending from the same demagogues that stood silent while Bush ran up the national debt aren’t good enough. Their credibility is shot. The politicians, pundits, and personalities of the Bush era, save a few brave souls that stood their ground, haven’t got a conservative leg to stand on. It is misleading to blame Republican defeats on an unpopular conservative message, because I haven’t been hearing this message. To say that the party needs to drift to the center is an utter distortion of reality. The real reason for recent failures is transparent hypocrisy and a lack of any guiding conservative principles. The political waffling and gamesmanship of party leaders is the reason people have lost faith in the GOP, not conservatism. People aren’t rejecting the GOP because it is too conservative. They’ve rejected it because of the double-talking sleazeballs that it has run as candidates. People will actually support a candidate they disagree with on most issues if they believe him to be an honest principled man. Getting them to support a candidate who espouses their own views but whom they don’t like or trust is a more difficult, if not impossible, sell.
So as we go about rebuilding the party, let’s not make the mistake of recycling the same empty suits that have driven it into the ground and continue following the same failed model we’ve followed in the past. Let’s instead find new leaders whom we can trust are in this game for a better reason than to simply return the GOP to power, regardless of what it has to do to get there. Let’s adopt leaders that will say what they mean and mean what they say, not say what they think is popular and still do something else. There’s no better time than now. Let’s make it mean something to call yourself a Republican again.
I agree with your observations. The GOP is not what it used to be, but together we can rebuild from a foundation of the principles that made it so “Grand”.