Tapscott: Conservative Conscience

Mark Tapscott is a Republican’s conscience, repeatedly reminding us of a core principle, fiscal probity. Without fiscal responsibility much of conservatism wanders adrift not only in acquiescence to runaway, unaffordable spending that squeezes out basic duties of government-- like in defense, education, roads --but as well in misprioritizing spending to the neglect of or harm to productivity building and morality strengthening.

Tapscott takes time today from his day job as editorial page editor for the Examiner to post at his blog of the need for a new second party, steeped in conservative policies. Tapscott and I remember all too well being in distinct minorities in 1964, supporting Goldwater, he in Oklahoma and I in Brooklyn. We share similar disappointments now.

Because they could mold it into an anti-establishment, insurgent party of outsiders, the GOP was the conservatives' chosen vehicle for attaining political power and implementing their vision of limited government, individual liberty, economic freedom and national security, beginning in 1960.

But for a number of reasons the GOP is no longer the insurgent party of rebellion against the Liberal Democrats and the Big Government Establishment. Much of the GOP congressional caucus has become part of the same establishment and has zero interest in being anything else.

Similarly, there are legions of GOP political operators for whom the expansion of bureaucracy and proliferation of earmarks simply mean more jobs when a Republican is in the White House and a steady flow of lobbying contracts and related opportunities regardless of who is chief executive.

That is why the party lost its majority in November and why its prospects for ever again regaining control of Congress and the White House as an insurgent political force are slim and none. The GOP has lost the ability to present itself credibly as the party of change in Washington.

Tapscott concludes:

I remain of the "Tapscottian" view that America is ripe for the creation of a new, genuinely conservative second party, but so far nobody on the Right has stepped forward to lead the way. Maybe no one ever will. It's so hard to think outside the box the Republican Establishment has kept conservatives in for so long.

Mark and I corresponded this morning about his post. I confessed to being torn between practical politics and beliefs, “confounded by my social democrat upbringing,” the last finding important benefits in compassion and aid to the downtrodden. I emphasized that doesn’t require giveaways but, rather, cost-effective use of resources and prioritization of needs.

That’s where conservative policies generally triumph, when clearly proven as more cost-effective.

Cost-effective, however, as a rousing political slogan only works at conventions of accountants.

Political pragmatism, a variant of cost-effective, is a common hesitancy to conservative rebellion, which works among political activists.

Principled leadership, however, resonates with Americans.

The “Republican establishment” has not kept conservatives in a box. Conservatives control the Republican Party. Conservatives have kept themselves in a box of their own making, being politically pragmatic. However, being conservative also means being cost-effective and that means reforming their investment, not abandoning it or trashing it.

Republican politicians, who after all, or before all, largely exist to be elected and wield power, need to be led, and with the reasonable expectation of winning. The most damning criticism among Republicans of George Bush is that he hasn’t led or has repeatedly reversed course after stirring Republicans to another course.

The acceptability to most Republicans of most of the diverse field of 2008 candidates, even when veering from conservative social policy preferences, clearly demonstrates that their willingness to take and keep principled positions is preferred, as is their superior ability to communicate. The Republican frontrunners outpoll the Democrat likelies, even despite Iraq. That shows more Americans are aligned with the more moderate and conservative policies that dominated the past generation’s politics. Only a third of the electorate are redistributionist and extreme relativists, the other third of conservatives and third of independents emphasizing the benefits of work and basic morality.

So, Mark, a new second party is not needed, just reaffirming and insisting upon what brought us to the party to begin with. Have faith, and couple it with action.