by Thomas Craig

As the GOP continues to debate over the best way to reassemble a Party which has lost its way, there seems to be a growing divide within our members.  There is a faction of Republicans who believe that the way forward should include returning the Party back to ultra-conservative values where religion dictates the direction of our platforms.  Of course, there are others who want to see the Party move closer to the middle, compromising some widely held religious beliefs for the sake of political gain.  Personally, I think they are both right.  I believe that instead of narrowing the Party down to stances based on religious beliefs or trying to separate our Party from the ultra-conservative factions, we can become a Party that includes us all.  Now don't get me wrong, I'm not going to put flowers in my rifle and start singing John Lennon songs, however I do think that the Republican Party has room for many people who share the basic principles of what a Republican is.  To begin with, a Republican is somebody who believes in limited Government, individual liberty, and both personal and fiscal responsibility.  We believe that we, the People, should be the masters of our Government and not the other way around.  We are law-abiding citizens, however, we acknowledge that there are certain unalienable rights to which we are all entitled to.  While Democrats use the Constitution as their justification for growing power for the Government, Republicans use the one single document that is above the Constitution, the Declaration of Independence, to maintain the principles to which our Nation was founded on.  It doesn't matter which hat you wear, just as long as at the end of the day, that hat says GOP on it.  One thing that I think has acted as an impediment to our Party is contradictory actions, which have been a staple of all Members of the Party.  For example, the fact that the Government grew significantly during the last eight years is a complete contradiction to the principles of Republican governing.  We spent ridiculous amounts of money, which was bad enough, however the fact that the money was borrowed from Countries with hostile intentions to the US makes it that much worse.  Gay Marriage is another example.  I know this will get me a lot of jeers from many Republicans but the simple fact is that it is difficult to argue for limited Government, and then advocate for the Government dictating who can and cannot get married.  I'm not saying that People have to morally accept it or be happy with it, but actively opposing it in the form of trying to pass laws to deny it is contrary to the core beliefs of the Republican Party.  Perhaps you, as a loyal Republican, disagree with me.  That's fine if you do because what is important is that at the end of the day, you and I are still Republicans.

by Thomas Craig

Alright, I'll admit it.  I took the bait.  I previously wrote about the ridiculous Limbaugh/Steele feud and continued the discussion.  I honestly could not anticipate how such a silly and meaningless story has been the focal point of the media for days now.  Republicans don't seem to see this "feud" as a big deal.  I couldn't help but wonder why I was hearing so much about Rush Limbaugh and so little about the thousands and thousands of earmarks that are trying to be pushed through as Congress moves forward with the budget.  It finally clicked with me when I was watching the news and they mentioned Terry McAuliffe (Democratic Consultant) was demanding the GOP reject Rush Limbaugh's statements.  You see, when you are trying to spend as much money as possible, and you don't want people to realize that it is their money that is being spent, you need to distract them.  Now I'm not saying that the Democrats planned this feud or that there is some complex conspiracy going on.  Quite frankly, I don't think the Democrats are smart enough to plan this.  I do think that the story has been exaggerated and amplified by the Democrats.  The Republicans, if not distracted by this ongoing defense of who our Leader is, would be front and center in the argument against all the earmarks and wasteful spending.  The Dems have done their job which is distracting us while they pick our pockets.   Now, instead of doing our job, we are wasting time and energy by playing along with this idiocy.  Rush needs to retreat back to his studio and Steele needs to stop addressing this.  The media will follow suit when no Republican wants to address it anymore.  Get back to work gentlemen, because there are much bigger battles to be fought.  

by Thomas Craig

As the Republican Party continues to regroup and return to our core principles, we find ourselves in the predicament of choosing who represents our newly reformed Party.  Not too long ago, Michael Steele was chosen to head the RNC, which I think was a good choice (however, my support has begun to slide a bit).  Steele has been doing an okay job representing the GOP and communicating its message to the People.  Not good, definitely not great, but okay.  He gets points for maintaining a semi-strong presence within the media.  His rhetorical skills, however, need some improvement.  A lot of people are criticizing his pick to lead the RNC and calling it nothing more than a political ploy to make the GOP seem more "minority-friendly".  This is to be expected from the Left, because let's be honest, we would have done the same.  We need Steele to be the loudest one in the room, shouting out our message, and telling each and every American exactly why their best interests lie with the Republican Party.  Furthermore, he needs to explain why the Democrats policies will harm John and Jane Doe.  Spreading the wealth sounds great to those who are receiving the wealth, but it does not CREATE wealth and jobs.  In the absence of this message being shouted from the rooftops, the People will listen to the loudest voice in the room which at the moment is good ol' Rush Limbaugh.  There is some internal conflict at the moment between Steele and Limbaugh regarding who runs the Party.  I don't blame Rush.  If the People cannot clearly have access to Steele and the RNC along with their positions, they will turn to media figures such as Rush who at times do not have the interests of expanding the Party as much as catering to those who are solidly Republican and form the solid right base.  If you aren't happy with the messenger, deliver the message yourself!

“Ronald Reagan made it cool to be a Republican – it wasn’t just his specific policies, but the timeless truths he so eloquently gave voice to upon which his policies were based. That’s the Republican Party we must re-establish. It can’t just be a business involved with the management of government. Instead, we must represent a transformative movement that speaks with empathy and compassion, but isn’t afraid of hard truths and productive debate. We must stand on timeless principles but with fresh ideas and a welcoming heart.”

Michael S. Steele
Former Lieutenant Governor of Maryland