The Current State Of Political Parties -- Part II
By Bill Burch
June 5, 2009

The Republican Party

You must know how Republicans got to where they are today in order to understand how Republicans can make a resurgence. Unlike the Democrats, where the leadership and the base seem to walk in lock step with each other, the Republicans seem to be all over the place. While the party was largely united in the 1970s and 80s, cracks began to show in the 90s and today we have wide canyons dividing the Republicans. The Democrats have opened the door for the Republicans to make massive gains throughout the United States, but can the Republicans get their act together in time to take advantage of the opportunities presented to them?

Senator Barry Goldwater was the architect of conservatism in the Republican Party. His brand of conservatism consisted mainly of less government, lower taxes, individual freedom and responsibility, and states rights. In Goldwater's bid for president, he lost by one of the largest margins in history. But this was more due to his stand against the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (a Republican piece of legislation) and the recent assassination of President John F. Kennedy, than to his conservative views.

Sixteen years later, Ronald Reagan, using the economic conservative principles of Barry Goldwater, supplemented by the social conservative principles of Jerry Farwell's Moral Majority, as well as his strong conservative foreign policy agenda, won an overwhelming victory over President Jimmy Carter and the liberal Democrats. Four years later, President Ronald Reagan won forty-nine of fifty states based on his successful implementation of conservatism.

In 1988 three things occurred that would lead to the eventual decline of the Republican Party. First, Jerry Falwell shut down the Moral Majority, an organization that welcomed into its fold Catholics and Jews as well as Protestant Christians. Second, after losing his presidential bid Pat Robertson used his remaining campaign funds to start the Christian Coalition which used heavy-handed tactics to get its way and began pushing out of the Republican Party Catholics, Jews, pro-abortion advocates, and others it didn't agree with. Third was the election of George H. W. Bush as president with a campaign based on Reagan conservatism (and the shadow of President Reagan), but then serving as the true moderate that he was.

It's important to know that what you do today in politics may not have an effect for years to come. And the shadow of greatness of President Ronald Reagan took an extraordinary effort to undo. In the nineties, you had in place three of the four factors needed to bring down the Republican Party. A move away from Reagan conservatism, the bullying of the Christian Coalition, and the push away from Ronald Reagan's "Big Tent" philosophy of inclusiveness by the social conservatives.

The final nail came in the mid-nineties with Republican political consultants. Aside from the political philosophy of Ronald Reagan, the next most powerful asset of the Republican Party was its base and in particular its network of Republican Clubs. In an effort to increase the reliance of candidates (and increase profits), consultants drove a wedge between the grassroots of the party and the candidates. This separation created the atmosphere that ultimately led to a disconnect between the grassroots and the Republican office holders. The synergy between the two, thus being broken, led to many office holders moving to the center, the Republican grassroots leadership working to push out all but the born again evangelical Christians, and "true Reagan conservatives" looking around going, "What happened?"

What this shows is the Republicans have a leadership problem. They're flopping around, scratching their heads, wondering what to do. Well let me point out a few things. First, we are at war. I don't mean war with the terrorist, which everyone recognizes. No, I mean a potentially much more deadly war with the Marxist. They are out thinking, out organizing, and out financing the Republicans in every way. They have learned that if a Republican says, "Isn't it a beautiful day for the President to give a speech outside in the rose garden with the blue skies and white clouds", then the Democrats respond with, "You're a racist, what do you have against black clouds?" Most current Republican office holders would say, "I'm sorry about forgetting about those beautiful black clouds". Why not simply say, "Black clouds mean it will rain on the Presidents speech, which might be a good thing now that you bring it up". It's the Democrats who are racist not the Republicans. The Democrats are now, have been in the past, and always will be racist. Remember that racism is not bound by color or national origin but only by intellect.

Regarding the Hispanics, simply tell it like it is, in English, and stop trying to pander. Hispanics are not stupid and pandering just makes them wonder about you. Most are believers in Reagan conservatism and honesty.

Republicans must embrace what works and that is Reagan conservatism. Lower taxes, smaller government, states rights, support of small business, strong for individual rights and freedoms, personal responsibility, pro-gun, pro-life, pro-family, equal rights, and religious freedom for all religions. Republicans must quit fighting each other. Were it not for the Republicans in recent history, the Republicans would win overwhelmingly. Republicans must turn off the TV and get back involved. If Republicans don't do this, then we must all prepare to be citizens of a Marxist or Communist nation.

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Chairman of Grass Roots Institute of Texas (GRIT), Member of the American Mensa Society, Member of the American Legion, Past Public Director of the State Bar of Texas

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Note -- The opinions expressed in this column are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions, views, and/or philosophy of GOPUSA.