Some Governors Have It Right

The first true salvos in the fight for control of the Repbublican Party have been exchanged.  Most political observers across the spectrum, from die-hard conservatives to the far-left have seen it coming.  The left has generally realized something that many on the right have not; this fight is about much more than who runs the Grand Ole Party.

The recent comments from Republican Governors have defined the debate pretty clearly.  On one side there are those such as Bobby Jindal, who believe that Conservatism is the best hope for the Party.  On the other side are those such as the governor of Florida that believe that we must broaden the base.

The answer, unlike many, does not lie somewhere in the middle.  The party needs to return to, and most importantly live, the ideals of the Conservative movement.  The desire to regain seats that have been lost in the last two election cycles leads some to believe that we must invite those with widely different views into the “big tent.”  The problem is not a lack of diversity in the Party, it is a failure to present, explain, live, and prove the ideals of limited government and fiscal responsibility.  Republicans don’t need to move to the center, we need to show America why it should move to the right.

This is not the time to water down our ideals to try to gain votes.  Although the last election cycle proved that Americans aren’t necessarily the clearest thinking voters in the world, the electorate is not stupid.  A party that doesn’t stand for anything will not appeal to much of anyone, nor should it. 

We as members of this party must explain to our neighbors, friends, and co-workers why liberalism will fail all of us in the long run.  We must teach our children why taking more and more wealth from those that create it makes most of us poorer.  We need to help others understand how increasing taxes and regulatory burdens on businesses causes them to send more and more jobs and corporate assets out of this country.  Most of all, we need to teach them the principles of Conservatism that will enable them to think through political and social questions and come to correct conclusions on their own.

Our children are learning knee-jerk liberalism in our public schools and by watching TV.  We must teach them to think for themselves, to resist peer pressure, and to challenge the liberal and socialist messages they are bombarded.with.  We should point out the hypocrisy of the left, and teach them to spot it on their own.  We must not let the left define fairness for us.  Our children should understand that they are the better judge of how to distribute any of the fruits of their labor, and that government rarely makes the right choices in this regard.

It is also up to us to ensure that the Party’s leaders are fully aware that watering down the principles that made us strong is not acceptable.  Contribute to the Republican Party, but be sure to let them know that you don’t want the money to go to candidates that move to the left.  Participate in local party meetings, and express your insistence that the party stand on principles.  We must hold our representatives to high standards and not allow them to violate the principles of responsibility and accountability.

The fight is on, and we must choose our side.  The center is not an option.

This entry was posted on 23. February 2009 at 22:51 and is filed under Uncategorized. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response or trackback from your own site.

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