Is It Worth Fighting For?

Seems the latest flap is about the fight for control of the Republican Party. After the dismal showing in the last two general elections some might wonder. In two short years the Republicans went from control of both houses of Congress and the White House to being in control of none of them at the beginning of the year. It's not even close anymore! So, of course, the natural thing to do is start fighting among yourselves with the goal of establishing a particular faction as representative of the party.

The Conservatives, whose heyday began with Reagan and ended with W's first term, see their approach as the salvation of the party. The problem is that the best they can do for leadership is Rush Limbaugh. Sure they have a bunch of wannabes out there with about as much charisma as drying paint. Such guys as Mike Pence and Eric Cantor would like to be the Conservatives standard bearers. The problem is that the party doesn't seem to want to go that direction. At the first of the year the party elected Michael Steele as its chairman. His major attributes are being black and a moderate. The Conservatives that once elected Haley Barbour as the chairman were either on vacation or not in a position to influence this selection.

So it appears that the Moderates have taken the day. Michael Steele and Colin Powell are the face of the new Republican Party and the party faithful (other moderates) the likes of Jeb Bush, Newt Gingrich, and Tom Ridge want the party to move toward the center in order to appeal to more of the population. They also want the likes of Rush Limbaugh, Sean Hannity, and Michael Reagan to "shut up". They believe that the social conservatives will scare away the moderates they so covet.

Let's assume they get their way and the Republican Party becomes a "moderate" party. Just what does that mean? What are their principles and what will be the platform? Essentially, what will distinguish them from the Democrats? Here are a few major areas Democrats and Republicans have differed on in the last 30 years:

Education
Abortion
Government regulation
Economic policy
Foreign policy
Military strength

To tell the truth in the last five years they haven't been very far apart on these issues. In fact, Bush, along with his shipmates in Congress, spent money like a drunken sailor and moved closer to the Democrats in most of the areas. However, such was not the case with Reagan. So maybe we should do like Jeb Bush suggests and forget about Reagan. Living in the past does nobody any good.

This is one indisputable fact: in all recent successful Republican presidential campaigns the candidate ran as a conservative. The general population of the U.S. is more conservative than the press and democrats would have you believe. But they don't believe you are a conservative just because they call themselves one (ask John McCain). I believe these voters will be turned off by this new moderate Republican Party and the party will soon attain the insignificance they had in the '60's and '70's.

As for me the answer to the question is NO, it is not worth fighting for. I will be looking for that leader or party that will not require that I surrender my values to play in their sand box. Until then my shredder will continue to deal with the Republican solicitations for money.