Return to Party Roots

Many of us Conservatives in the Republican Party are feeling an ongoing pressure from mainstream hardliners to moderate our views. Perhaps this paradox is because our electorate is becoming more liberal or maybe it is because voters are getting tired with the grand old way of doing things. On the national stage we have a nice "oil on canvas" portrait of how the nation's political ideologies are ever swooning towards the left. If we take a closer look at the presidential candidates we find two very liberal democrats and one very moderate Republican.

According to the National Journal's 2007 Vote Ratings, presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Barack Hussein Obama, Jr. ranked number one, the 1st most liberal Senator in the Senate in 2007. Not far behind him, Hillary Rodham Clinton, was ranked 16th most liberal Senator in 2007. This may be significant, possibly indicating that democrats are becoming more liberal at a faster rate in recent years looking across past elections and the National Journal's Vote Ratings from 1980 - 2007.

As for Senator John McCain, he did not vote frequently enough in 2007 to draw a composite score according to the National Journal. He missed more than half of the votes in both the economic and foreign-policy categories and therefore could not be ranked in 2007. However in 2006, Sen. John McCain was ranked the 46th most conservative Senator amongst conservative Senators.

So what do we have? That is for the voters to decide. However, one thing is for certain, American voters favor moderates over radicals, which is a positive overlay for the McCain candidacy.

As for us after the presidential election, the Republican Party needs a return of conservative normalcy with the "Contract with America" type mentality. We need to be steadfast on holding our conservative ground on both the fiscal and social issues. We need to reposition ourselves in the minds of Americans, that we are the party of the people, ensuring life, liberty, property, and the pursuit of happiness. If we can accomplish this, then we like Abraham Lincoln, will succeed in securing the future of America for generations to come.