The second step is to reject the path down which they were led by the father of the modern conservative movement, William F. Buckley, who supported a fusion of conservative ideologies. But by doing so, they ceded much of the leadership of the Republican party to the religious right. The Republicans would do well to remember once more the admonitions of Barry Goldwater:
"I'm frankly sick and tired of the political preachers across this country telling me as a citizen that if I want to be a moral person, I must believe in "A," "B," "C" and "D." Just who do they think they are? And from where do they presume to claim the right to dictate their moral beliefs to me?
And I am even more angry as a legislator who must endure the threats of every religious group who thinks it has some God-granted right to control my vote on every roll call in the Senate. I am warning them today: I will fight them every step of the way if they try to dictate their moral convictions to all Americans in the name of "conservatism.""...
"Mark my word, if and when these preachers get control of the [Republican] party, and they're sure trying to do so, it's going to be a terrible damn problem. Frankly, these people frighten me. Politics and governing demand compromise. But these Christians believe they are acting in the name of God, so they can't and won't compromise. I know, I've tried to deal with them."
Goldwater's words were eerily prescient and illustrate perfectly what led to today's state of the Republican party. I disagree with Republican dogma on so many levels, but their social conservatism is especially repugnant. If they are able to take the two steps I described above, if they can learn that public criticism of each other is not just healthy, but essential, and if they can suck out the poison of the religious right, then they should be able to return to being a big-tent party; and I hope they do, even though I know it would mean a more politically-powerful Republican party that is hidebound to the Austrian school of austerity politics. I hope the GOP is able to get back on their feet not because I want them in charge, certainly not, but because even when the Democrats are in charge, I want (and America needs) a loyal opposition that is powerful enough to force my fellow Democrats to negotiate, to bargain, to meet halfway, and to compromise. Without a powerful opposition party, corruption sooner or later infests whole the party in power, so as much as I disagree with the Republican party, we Democrats need them, and all America needs them as the loyal opposition party, not a pushover party to be ignored, but one with bite.
Article comments
1 - Doug Hunter
Not bad for you Glenn. To your last paragraph, I like gridlock. We did great with a Republican congress/house and a Democratic president in the 90's, we need a repeat performance this go round. I shudder when either party gets the bulletproof congress/presidency simultaneously, just know one sided dumb shit is gonna get rammed through.
2 - Dr. Joseph S. Maresca
The story of this election is that people don't want more expensive wars in the future. The public
recognizes that we had a balanced budget until the Iraq and Afghan wars. That's first. Second,
the soccer moms are having a difficult time paying off college tuitions and mortgages on coop
apartments and houses. I think they feared a return to higher interest rates on major purchases.
The public recognizes that both Presidents Bush had good representation of women and minorities
in the cabinet. That wasn't the issue. The issue was how the government spends its money. The
electorate said loud and clear that they want more money spent on domestic issues and lowering
the debt. This is the basic lesson of Election 2012. Mitt Romney lost by 3 million votes. Even
with a minority person or woman on the ticket, I believe he still would have lost with the message
provided in this campaign. i.e. cutting taxes and increasing the military
3 - Igor
Excellent article, Glenn.
The only political party I've ever belonged to was the Republicans, and I might join again if they reformed themselves. Certainly, I am in sync with many of their principles. But they've double-crossed me so many times...
4 - Glenn Contrarian
Kudos to the editor - and the title was much better than the one I submitted.