A GOP liberal peeks from the closet

This FoxNews report I read today entitled, “McCain Strategist Warns GOP Risks Becoming ‘Religious Party’, I think really illustrates the divide within the Republicans today.  In the report, Steve Schmidt, McCain’s former top advisor stated, “If you put public policy issues to a religious test, you risk becoming a religious party,” he said. “And in a free country a political party cannot be viable in the long-term if it is seen as a sectarian party.”  He went on to urge the acceptance of  gay marriage and civil unions by the Republican party saying, “I believe Republicans should re-examine the extent that we are being defined by positions on issues that I don’t believe are among our core values,” he said, while still calling social conservatives an “indispensable part of the conservative coalition.”  

Mr Schmidt may have more experience than I as a losing presidential strategist, by I would submit that he has no “core values” as he recommends the true moral strength within the GOP, the conservatives, abandon their beliefs to move the Republicans in a direction favored by the Democrats until, with no moral compass to guide us, we are indistinguishable .  I instead would suggest that we should be in danger of becoming the ”party of morality”, where those who actually do have moral values and believe their actions in this life will be rewarded or punished over eternity are those who we should desire to lead us.  In his farewell address, George Washington declared,

“Of all the dispositions and habits which lead to political prosperity, religion and morality are indispensable supports.  In vain would that man claim the tribute of patriotism, who should labor to subvert these great pillars of human happiness, these firmest props of the duties of men and citizens…  Let it simply be asked, where is the security for property, for reputation, for life, if the sense of religious obligation desert the oaths which are the instruments of investigation in courts of justice?  And let us with caution indulge the supposition that morality can be maintained without religion.  Whatever may be conceded to the influence of refined education…reason and experience both forbid us to expect that national morality can prevail in exclusion of religious principle. (Padover, The Washington Papers, pp. 318-319.)

“Our Constitution was made only for a moral and religious people.  It is wholly inadequate to the government of any other.”  ~ John Adams 

I would submit that those who would represent the people of our republic should not be asking us to modify our “core values” to follow a broken moral compass which they believe will still point us in the proper direction.  The answer the GOP is seeking will not come from a modern politician seeking favorable position, but from the “core values” held by our nations founders.  I want everyone to ask themselves a simple question.  After 200 years of progress, could any in our modern congress write a Declaration of Independence or Constitution that would be equal to the ones created by our founders?  Why not?  Therein lies the answer to success the GOP is seeking.

Tagged as: GOP, Republican