It seems simple enough. Yet today we have so-called moderates and liberals claiming that Republicans need to act more like Democrats if they want to get elected. Isn’t that what turned off their voters in the first place? It seems I’m not alone in that reaction, as I found when I read a recent column written by David Steelman. While he tends to paint all elected Republicans with the same brush (and not all deserve it), he makes some very good points:
Unfortunately, the labels and platitudes have confused what should be a simple charge. Elected Republicans should govern by the principles they profess in campaign rallies and advertisements. Those principles were once the difference between the parties. The Democratic Party has always been an amalgam of special interests and constituencies with specific needs and wants cobbled together with government programs and spending. The Republican Party, at its best, is a party of broad ideas and principles. For example, those who tend to vote Republican believe in limiting the size and scope of government and respect the guarantees of individual freedom and liberty of our Constitution; they respect life and its diversity; and they understand that free market capitalism, the glue that holds the Republican party, and our Nation, together, is both the most efficient and most moral economic system.
Elected Republicans, particularly in Congress, have expanded government; ignored the Constitution; bailed out failed big businesses with taxes collected from successful small businesses; and spent, and spent, and spent. The Republican Congressional network of wasteful earmarks, corporate welfare and politically motivated subsidies simply recast the Democratic model of purchasing votes (ethanol anyone?). Now, Republican leaders express surprise that in a fiscal arms race to decide which party can spend the most, the Democrats have won.
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When Republicans stick to their principles, they win elections. We had no choice in November 2008. John McCain was not a “Platform Guy”. He scoffed at those of us who hold dear our conservative credentials. Of course the Dems want us to move to the center because they know that to win elections, you must be right of center (at the very least). They play that game at campaign time: they become what we are. Just stick to the Republican platform, and we’ll succeed. Beware advice from the left. They only want to weaken us, not strengthen us.
Couldn’t agree enough!!! So what about Jenkins?? She voted to keep giving Planned Parenthood federal funds!! (its true, it was called the Pence amendment) She stopped a huge chance to get tax dollars out of the hands of killers!! If Lynn Jenkins is on the ticket next year I don’t think we can call this a conservative slate!!
That’s too bad about what Jenkins voted for. Planned Parenthood is just another excuse for murder.
What will help Republicans is sticking to core values instead of trying to use the Dems playbook.