The primary election cycle is finally over. Some candidates won, and others lost. Regardless, the nominees have been chosen. Obviously, there are some who are disappointed with the current slate of Republican candidates. It’s natural to feel that way when something we believe in doesn’t come to pass. But most of us still agree that its time to rally the troops, get behind our candidates and march onward to a victory in November.
As the old saying goes, “The worst slate of Republicans is still better than the best slate of Democrats.” In theory, there’s a lot of truth in those words. Why? Because in the end conservatives and liberals are ideologically different. Our platforms are fundamentally irreconcilable, and so are our worldviews. Sure, we both love Texas. We both love America. But our beliefs as to what is best for them are rarely the same.
Over the past four years we have stood powerless as an extreme liberal agenda has transformed the greatness of America into mediocrity. We have watched as an economic crisis was met with more spending and more debt. We witnessed first hand the perversion of the Constitution in the name of healthcare and homeland security. There’s no question who our enemy is, but it’s not yet clear how willing we are to come together to meet that threat in November.
Unfortunately, we aren’t as unified as we ought to be. Perhaps it is the result of our misunderstanding one another. It could be that more time is needed to heal the deep wounds that were inflicted throughout the primary. Another possibility is that the political landscape is changing, and it’s hard for some of us to let go of safety and predictability that came with the old way. I don’t have all the answers, but I can certainly feel the division that has erupted in our party.
Over the past few weeks I have personally been the subject of great discontent. My only crime has been that I saw a need and sought to fill it. There are many young leaders within our party who are eager to serve. We ought to view them as an asset to our party, and welcome new approaches to advancing our timeless principles. These leaders are not the enemy. They are the future of our party.
Are there those who wish to do us harm from within? Absolutely. There’s no question that some people are not who they claim to be, and we should use caution when bringing fresh faces into positions of leadership and responsibility. But caution is not synonymous with exclusion, animosity or hate. Instead, as new conservatives join the ranks we should be reaching out to embrace them.
These young leaders, like myself, can benefit from the experience and insight of all those noble men and women who have come before us. We need to be trained, educated and encouraged. We need guidance and mentorship. We need a real purpose. But most importantly, the conservative movement needs us. It’s a waste of precious resources when we force these young leaders to fight within the party, when we ought to be training and preparing them to fight for it.
The dynamic that currently exists in our party is not unlike that which we see in our churches. We invite a lost friend to attend a service, only to have them never return because nobody bothered to reach out. So the question remains, how do we bridge the gap? We need to reach out. We need to make them feel welcomed. We need them to be ready to take the reigns when our time is through, because the war will ultimately wage on.
The bottom line is that we are all conservatives. At the end of the day we agree far more than we disagree. Some are just too blind to see it. Whether you’re a traditional Republican, a Tea Party activist, a Libertarian or a Constitutionalist, many of our principles and values are the same. Of course there are stark differences too, but if we start with our common ground then we allow the possibility of reconciliation. Until we open our hearts and minds, it is my fear the divisions that continue to persist and grow. I can’t think of anything worse for our party than allowing that to happen.
We have no problem trying to convince our liberal friends that our principles are right, or that our ideas will work because they’re based on logic and facts. But for some reason we have problem sitting at the table with a fellow conservative who doesn’t share 100% of our ideas. Why? We are the party of logic, and our ideas work because they’re based on something more than good feelings and rhetoric. It’s time to apply some of that logic to this corrosive situation that exists within the walls of our party.
Next time you encounter a Libertarian who wants to argue about foreign policy, try asking them how they feel about the Constitution. Next time a Tea Party supporter offends your ties to the “establishment,” consider asking them how they feel about the Second Amendment or limited government. You might just find that there truly is a common base from which we can reconcile and grow together. We will never agree on every issue. It would almost be un-American if we did. But we can, and should, learn to respect one another despite our various differences.
Age, appearance, education, labels, social status and wealth do not determine the value or quality of a person. Conservatives come from many different backgrounds, and we come in all shapes, sizes and colors. What truly matters are the principles we share, and our willingness to fight for them. With that in mind, I admonish all of my Republican friends to reach out. Consider a new approach. Fix the things that need to be fixed, and improve those things that don’t. Mentor and train those young leaders who want nothing more than to work and belong. And most importantly – find the common ground. A victory in this election and each that will follow depends on it.
