You can see the official republican principles at the following url: http://www.gop.com/about/imarepublicanbecause.htm
Basically it boils down to the the following precepts:
- Small government
- Fiscal conservatism
- Low taxes
- Protection of individuals’ rights
- Foreigner interventionism
While those principles are nice (well maybe not the last) they really are not followed very well. If they were I wouldn’t have to write this post, and the party would not be in such turmoil. Note that I have no party affiliation so don’t jump to any conclusions yet.
Before I start getting into the meat of this, let’s take a second and look back at how we got here. Over the past thirty years the United States has been fairly conservative. Presidents Regan and Bush laid the foundation for the prosperity resided over by Clinton. Then came along George W. Bush. And then the wall fell. In a mere eight years under the administration of W. everything changed as his faction of the republican party managed to tear the party apart, and drive a rift between conservatism and the American people. Now, in a fit of reactionism we as a nation have sacrificed ourself on the altar of socialism. Thanks George.
The republican party now finds itself attempting to improve their images with the populous. Right now the party is undergoing and attempting to build itself a new figurehead to lead the party back into control. Unfortunately, the far right / theocratic wing of the party has leaped at the opportunity. These are the same people that screwed everything up in the preceding eight years. So I am hoping that their loud attempts are just a death rattle. At least these voices are not going completely unopposed.
Colin Powell has recently been making public appearances, and denounces the policies of the far right. While I agree that opposition is necessarily it needs to come from someone else. Powell is preaching moderations / centrism in order to make the party more mainstream. His argument is undercut by the fact that he supported the democratic candidate Barack Obama for president. This was in the face of John McCain, who was the strongest moderate in the party. Had Powell really cared about the party he should have backed McCain. Had McCain won the presidency it would have effectively put him at the head of the party and he would have had the power to change the direction of the party.
Many republicans thought that Powell essentially became a democrat by endorsing Obama. However, I don’t think this single infraction should result in him being kicked out of the party. On the other hand Powell’s views make it difficult to understand how he can consider himself a republican. I know that he is socially liberal, and he makes no dispute of that, but that alone still is not enough to decry him. I believe the problem lies in fiscal conservatism he seems to have no stand on it. I would think that as a republican he would be opposed to the massive growth being pushed by the current administration, but I am as yet unaware of any such public expression of dissent. So, if you are socially and economically liberal, doesn’t that make you a de facto democrat?
Even with all the strikes against him I still don’t think it would be appropriate to force him out of the party. However, I think it does prevent him from ever being an effective leader within the party. I believe the views espoused by Powell are as dangerous as those of the far right. The republican party cannot settle for becoming democrats or theocrats. The party needs a new voice that can rebuild the party upon their principles. And, more importantly, be ready to step in to fix the mess being created by the current administration. As I see it, its only a matter of time before the shit hits the fan.
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