In the wake of the last presidential election, while we were still reeling from the defeat, but before we knew exactly what we should be afraid of, I was asked a question: “Do you have a plan or suggestion to help rebuild the Republican party?” From the moment I read it, I found myself giving mini-lectures in my mind, to the television, to my dogs. Here’s my answer.
My suggestion for rebuilding our party is to recover our party. I’ve heard over the last several years that we should reinvent our party—to be more liberal, more moderate, more like our opponents. But here’s the thing. I am not a conservative because it’s the sum of my views on issues. I have certain views on issues because I am philosophically, thoughtfully, intentionally conservative. While issues are up for debate, my principles are not.

When I was in school, I always resented the notion that Democrats are “idealistic” and Republicans aren’t. I knew no one who was more idealistic than I. I stand by the ideals that our strength and success have always been tied to our hard work, ingenuity, education and opportunity to rise regardless of who you or your ancestors are.

I stand by these ideals. I will not apologize for them, and I am tired of my party apologizing on my behalf. As a party, we succeed when we stand on our idealism. When we have compromised, apologized, moved to the center, we fail. Our party will be rebuilt when we speak about these things. The people resonate with idealism, with philosophies of hope and duty and opportunity. We will rebuild when we recover and communicate those conservative beliefs. They—not issues, not political ambition, not disdain for the other party—are what hold us together, and what will rebuild our party. I am an idealist, and I believe I am not alone.

Laura’s copywriting & editing company: www.singletonwordsmiths.com

Laura’s newest Bible Study (through Insight for Living): www.insight.org/mgp (under “Resources”, click on “Bible Companion“)

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The phrase “memory of an elephant” has taken an ironic turn over the last few years for the Republican party. While some are singing funeral dirges for the GOP, a better diagnosis would be amnesia. Whether it’s a temporary or permanent illness depends on what the party does next.

Attempting to find the key to a Republican resurrection, some forgetful moderates in the party have added their voices to the liberal and mainstream media who suggest that the GOP’s too conservative. “Our tent must be larger!” they cry. “The tent must move left!”

Meanwhile, the conservative voters–who remember quite well–are motivated, mobilized and making their own tent. Some savvy politicos scramble enter, and a few conservative politicians actually belong there, but many still don’t get it. The solution isn’t to move the tent left. The solution is to bring the tent back to the people. Can’t find the people? Here’s a hint: they’re right where the party left them.

Party leaders seem a bit perplexed. They see the grassroots’ outrage, and try to speak for the movement without understanding it. They interpret the anger as issue-driven, and miss the context. The GOP has forgotten the most important thing of all: its roots.

Our party—and our nation—exist because liberty was threatened. The most shining moments in Republican history are those when we championed liberty. The most shameful, when we forget its importance. Patrick Henry once said, “Guard with jealous attention the public liberty. Suspect everyone who approaches the jewel.” We should revere the right, and protect it above all things.

While they don’t agree on everything, even some things they feel passionately about, a huge number of American citizens are demanding their liberty. Positions on regulations, taxes, the redistribution of wealth, religious freedom, states rights, guns, social issues, education, judicial concerns aren’t unrelated issues. They’re the groans of people straining under a too-big and too-involved government. They’re the protests against a national government that usurps rights from both the states and the individuals. It’s about liberty, and it always has been.

The tent is plenty big—big enough to hold a whole herd of elephants. Just bring it back where it belongs–we’ll have the tent poles ready.

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In the State of Crisis known as California, Girl Pundit found a true Jane in Gubernatorial candidate Meg Whitman. Sound familiar? It might if you’re a fan of the Wall Street Journal–or if you sold your Aunt Mabel’s hideous porcelain cats online. She’s the former CEO who guided eBay from a 30-person start-up to the “eBehemoth” it is today. A fan Mitt Romney and a late-stage national co-chair of McCain’s presidential campaign, Whitman is taken seriously by the RNC, and with good reason.

Both Whitman’s high-powered history running multi-billion dollar organizations and her experience in interviews show. A graduate of both Princeton and Harvard, she’s sharp, articulate, and has no trouble controlling the conversation to stay on message.  She’s powerful without coming across as snarky, and is as practical as she is smart.

So, what does she believe is the key to a conservative comeback in California? What she calls “the Power Alley”.

In Whitman’s view, Power Alley issues are those core values that appeal to virtually every voter. The big one: economic recovery. Admittedly, libs may argue with her strategy to achieve this recovery (lower taxes across the board, pro-business policies, smaller government), but she believes that the message will resonate with Californians she’s targeting—namely the Conservative core of the GOP, the huge numbers of women who’ve left the party (she’s even started a “MEGa WOMEN” coalition to unite California’s politically minded females), and 18-29 year olds who overwhelmingly sway left.

These groups, she believes, will respond to a vision of the future where government gets out of the way and lets small businesses create wealth, where jobs are plentiful and future generations aren’t drowning in this generation’s debt.

Whitman hopes that her Power Alley is strong enough to offset her conservative Achilles heel: Her decidedly more liberal stances on socal issues. Whitman’s betting that the wide appeal of her fiscal policies will outweigh her position on these issues in her state. While her positions may not play as well in other parts of the nation, in California’s more socially-diverse and financially-stricken environment, this may be a good bet.

Whitman’s confident that Californians will respond to her Power Alley message: “We’ve got to fix the state’s economy.  We’ve got to start creating jobs again.” And that’s worth more than all of Aunt Mabel’s cats put together.

For more information on Meg Whitman or the MEGa WOMEN coalition, see http://www.megwhitman.com/