GOP at a crossroads

So instead of posting something about the inauguration (I have my thoughts – I especially loved the racist benediction by Reverend Lowry "…when white will embrace what is right". Yeah, there is a new tone in Washington and change some can believe in) I have been watching the news and the GOP struggling with the losses of the last election. In the news there have been reports of finger pointing (from Colin Powell and others) that folks like Rush Limbaugh are guiding the GOP in the wrong direction.

So Fox News has a report today entitled "Obama: Quit Listening to Rush Limbaugh if You Want to Get Things Done". Here is the gist of the story – Obama warned GOP lawmakers that "if they want to get along with Democrats and the new administration" they need to basically turn off Limbaugh.

Let me be clear – this would be the death knell of the GOP. It would in effect bring one party rule to Washington leaving conservatives (social or government minded) with no real alternative. This is exactly what the Dems want by the way. They want to impose their agenda on the country with no loyal opposition to their policies. President Obama is actually encouraging GOP to abandon their base just for the opportunity to co-sign or co-sponsor legislation that their base would (probably) disagree with.

Many in the GOP leadership seem to believe that the real successful approach to politics is some "middle way", not being conservative and pushing "right thinking" policies and instead want to push a "Democrat Lite" agenda. The GOP who adopts this approach adopts a party focus that will put them right out of existence. In fact John McCain represented this sort of middle way and of course we see where that got him.

Dems are laughing at themselves thinking of how many GOP leaders actually are considering moving "leftward" and it is a reflection of the strength of their party that the Dems not once thought they had to muddle their agenda to get along with President Bush. They saw themselves as obstructing the Bush agenda not put in place to agree with it (or to support it just to "get things done").

The GOP better wake up and revitalize the base with principled opposition to the Obama agenda. Look to organizations like Heritage to help in that regard and embrace the power of talk radio like Limbaugh, Hannity, Levin and others to bolster the base. This isn't to say that the GOP should oppose Obama on everything (if President Obama comes out for Tax Cuts or extending the Bush Tax Cuts – by all means support it) but now is not the time to go wobbly as former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher used to say. The GOP base will not long support a diluted party and when all the talk is done about big tents and all that, recall you don't see the Democrats talking about changing their policies. The Dems are in lock step with each other and don't countenance any dissent. For example – tell me the last time a pro life democrat spoke at the convention and then recall the numerous pro-choice candidates who speak at the GOP convention.

The GOP have been sold a bill of goods that is harmful in the long run and before they go off and crow about how they are working with the new administration they should realize the deleterious effects their placid acquiescence is visiting upon this republic.

OS Roman