The Republican Party Should Just Split Already: Part Two

Back in my July 8 post, The Republican Party Should Just Split Already, I suggested that the Republican Party should split in two because it was fairly obvious that "the conservatism that is supposed to define the current Republican Party has different meanings to different people. Fiscal conservatives may have nothing in common with religious conservatives other than the term conservative" and it has become increasingly clear that the two groups have differing agendas. I concluded that "The Republicans should get on it with it but first they would have to decide who keeps the Republican Party name and who becomes the newly chartered Conservative Party, a fine name I believe."

Well, it looks like the Conservative Party is taking shape as witnessed by the battle in NY's 23rd district between the "Conservative" (Republican) candidate, Doug Hoffman and the "Republican" candidate, Dede Scozzafava. Sarah Palin and Dick Armey have jumped in on the side of Hoffman, soundly criticizing Scozzafava, the GOP sanctioned candidate, as not being conservative enough, and have expedited an armload of outlander cash Hoffman's way. In this fairly unremarkable district that has been solidly Republican since the 1800s, the schism within the Republican party took center stage. Scozzafava decided to drop out before tomorrow's vote due to a big slide in her poll numbers but she did something remarkable and endorsed the Democratic candidate, Bill Owens, clearly demonstrating that the schism is widening.

Since Reagan, when I first became cognitively aware of the party politics, it never seemed right to me that religious conservatives from the heartland and corporate Republicans shared the same party. Somehow they managed to keep this all cobbled together until last year when the base of the base whipped up by Palin, Joe the Plumber and the like could no longer go unnoticed by the big money folks on K Street and Wall Street. I don't know how much longer they indeed to sit on the fence and watch the gutting of the Party.

I'm sure there is plenty more to come whatever the outcome tomorrow. But the Peter Principle lurks and one of these narrow-minded hypocrites could make a serious run for President. This is, after all, America.

The Republican Party Should Just Split Already

Why doesn't the Republican Party just split already? It seems pretty clear to me that the conservatism that is supposed to define the current Republican Party has different meanings to different people. Fiscal conservatives may have nothing in common with religious conservatives other than the term conservative which means favoring traditional views and values; tending to oppose change.

A split would not be a bad way to go considering that there are a lot of conservative Democrats who want out of their party as well. Fiscal conservatism linking smaller government, lower taxes, deficit reduction, balanced budgets and rational money-management carries a lot of bootstrap appeal, especially for today's middle class. This platform is worthy without being tied up with religious conservatism and the guise of family values.

The mere speculation that Sarah Palin would run for President, effectively becoming the new face of the Republican Party, even had Karl Rove shaking in his shoes. Party Leaders liked it when she was wing-woman to McCain riling up the "rest of the base" for the sake of winning an election. Unfortunately, the short-sighted fear-mongering that appealed to this base has been continued in earnest by the likes of Rush Limbaugh and other conservative media pundits. The "other" Republicans, the big business, small government, fiscal conservative, white and suited gentlemen who finance the Party have been very quiet lately. Perhaps they cannot admit to us yet that "the base" that has been rallying is no longer a base they wish to defend. Maybe they are still working it out.

The Republicans should get on it with it but first they would have to decide who keeps the Republican Party name and who becomes the newly chartered Conservative Party, a fine name I believe.