Catering to the Base: Why the G.O.P. Should Reject the Media’s Advice
One of the big topics in Washington right now is the future of the Republican Party. The Republicans have elected a new committee chair, Michael Steele, who is promising a revival of the party that hasn’t had anything to celebrate for the last four years. Many pundits in the media and blogosphere are asking what changes, if any, the Republican Party is going to make to its platform to rebrand itself and repair its tarnished image. Nevertheless, recent events indicate that serious change is not in the cards for Republican ideology.
After House Republicans voted against President Obama’s stimulus plan – a move which was championed by conservative radio personality Rush Limbaugh – many in the media criticized the Republican Party for catering to its base and alienating the rest of the country. They argue that taking such a strong, partisan stance against Obama and the Democrats will only continue to marginalize the G.O.P. Certainly, the media is not exaggerating about the fatigue the country is feeling toward the Republicans and “politics as usual”. Nevertheless, it is precisely due to this anti-Republican climate that Republicans should cater to their base now more than ever.
The logic behind this is simple: after the disastrous Bush years the country has become thoroughly disenchanted with the G.O.P. Democrats have won overwhelming electoral victories and established a presence in many traditional Republican strongholds (like Virginia). Swing voters have clearly tilted to the left, and only the most devout conservatives remain in the G.O.P.’s corner. At times like these you need your party faithful to carry your torch through the darkness. After alienating everyone else, the Republican Party simply cannot afford to push away its true believers.
The talking heads are correct to suggest that this attitude will doom the G.O.P. to minority status – at least for the time being. But nothing can change that. Obama and his Democratic revolution are a force of nature. If the Republicans attempt to declare themselves the true advocates of change in this political climate they will be perceived as cheap Obama knock-offs; independent voters just won’t buy it. Worse yet, if they attempt to change their platform they’ll dishearten the very people they’ll need most if they are ever to make a comeback.
It’s remarkable to think about how dramatically times have changed in just the last four years, and it is here that the Republicans should take a lesson from history. After losing the 2004 election to President Bush (despite his rising unpopularity) many in the media began to wonder if the Democratic Party was on the way out. Indeed, questions about the party’s platform and message began to circulate. Rather than attempt to reinvent itself, the Democrats chose to hunker down (i.e. cater to their base) and wait for a time when their message would be compatible with the mood and outlook of the nation. When that time came, devout Democrats came forward en masse to promote their party’s message and put Obama in the White House.
It’s not hard to see how this could also happen for the Republican Party. Expectations for President Obama are high – ridiculously high. He is dealing with an economic crisis that doesn’t appear to have any good solutions, and yet people expect him to affect a radical “change” of goodwill and prosperity. The fervor that propelled him to the White House has put him on a pedestal so high he could easily fall off and break his neck.
As the Republicans learned during the Bush years, control of both Congress and the White House is as much a curse as it is a blessing. You simply cannot blame anyone else for your mistakes. History also tells us that when a political party obtains an overwhelming command of power in Washington, as the Democrats have, it is only a matter of time before the cancer of corruption sets in. It may not happen in two, four or even eight years – but it will happen. Republicans would do well to settle in for the long night and wait for that time. Their future is not their own; they must rely on the benevolence of circumstances outside their control. But nothing solidifies the will and determination of a group of people like being the minority. Only the faith of the truly converted, harnessed at the right moment, can bring the Republican Party back to power and relevance. And then the cycle begins all over again…
I’m interested in what you have to say about this article! Whether you agree or disagree, please feel free to leave a comment. If you are reading this article from the main page, you can get to the comments area by clicking on the “Comment” link seen below; otherwise, just type your comment in the box displayed below. You can also use any of the social networking links below to recommend this article to others. I look forward to hearing from you!
