GOP capitulation turns into philosophical retreat

By Chris Adamo

In the wake of last week's spectacular GOP cave on defunding Obamacare, party "moderates" are feeling their oats and attempting a wholesale expulsion of conservatism from the party. Central to this effort is a continued and orchestrated effort to discredit Texas Senator Ted Cruz. As the point man of Tea Party activity in Washington, Cruz embodies the sentiments of Americans in the Heartland who are thoroughly fed up with the rampant irresponsibility and arrogance that predominates inside the Beltway. Consequently, his ongoing popularity spotlights a public demand for accountability that is abhorrent to the "Ruling Class."

Predictably, those same Republican "moderates" who have attacked and undermined Cruz and his supporters are now calling for "party unity" and "an end to the infighting." Believing that they are once again in control of the party and can chart its course, they piously insist that conservatives must dutifully shut up and carry their water. Clearly, the backlash from Democrats and their media echo chamber pales in comparison to the damage inflicted from within the Republican party by its cadre of self-serving career politicians. While remaining fixated on the ebb and flow of their own political fortunes they are comparatively unconcerned with the harm that will now befall the nation.

With "moderates" still pursuing the approval of D.C. Democrats and their liberal media lapdogs, the only manner in which further infighting can be prevented would be for conservatives to follow blindly as the party is dragged decidedly to the left. Amazingly, those all-knowing "moderates" are unable to grasp that historical impact of such actions on Republican political prospects have been entirely negative. America already has one liberal party to dismantle its legacy and sabotage its future. A second, watered-down version that is perpetually hamstrung by fear of disapproval from the liberal Democrat/media machine can hardly be expected to inspire or rally the electorate.

None of this sorry situation has been lost on the obsessively opportunistic Barack Obama, who is already laying the groundwork for a renewed push on amnesty for the twenty to thirty million illegal aliens currently living in America. Obama clearly believes he can once again muster intense public pressure by which to divide and conquer any opposition within the Republican Party. And once again, the party will have a chance to highlight the stark contrast between the interests and concerns of traditional America, and those on the left who hold such things in total contempt and hope to erase them entirely from modern society.

Were conservatives to remain steadfast and prevail on this issue or any other, Obama and his entire agenda would quickly be on the ropes. The initial reports of Obamacare and its implementation are a disaster, and the bureaucratic monster created for it is becoming a grim joke. The economy has yet to recover from more than four years of collectivist and redistributionist tampering, and is now being driven further downward by the onerous effects of Obamacare mandates on business. In such circumstances, a true opposition party that diligently sought to avert catastrophe could offer its vastly superior economic vision for the nation as an attractive and viable alternative.

Unfortunately, by their insipid reaction to the Obamacare fiasco and their previous unwillingness to strenuously oppose the collectivist efforts of the Administration, Republicans have largely missed the opportunity to set themselves and their agenda apart from that of the Democrats. Instead, they lamely speculate that perhaps Americans will be so incensed at the ongoing Obamacare debacle that they will reflexively turn to the GOP for help. And sadly, among Beltway Republicans, this is what passes for leadership.

At this critical juncture, the absolute last thing conservatives should do, whether they are inside Washington or operating at the grassroots, is back down. Indeed Ted Cruz is being maligned and blamed for all of the ostensible hardship suffered by Americans as a result of the shutdown. And his unwavering conservatism is being characterized, both by GOP insiders and many among the so-called conservative punditry, as a detriment to the Party. But this was the exact nature of the accusations made against such notable conservatives as Ronald Reagan, and ultimately it was those same maligned characteristics which propelled him to unprecedented victory and indisputable dominance over the political left.

Conversely, conservatives are being assured by self-professed political experts of the worthiness and virtue of the directionless posturing of seasoned Republicans who can function inside the Beltway without becoming targets of the liberal attack machine. Examples abound, such as Bob Dole, John McCain and Mitt Romney, who were not deemed "extreme" within the party and thus gained acceptance from insiders. This ultimately proved to connect them with everyone except the voters.

Does it make anyone among the Republican elite even a little uncomfortable to witness supposedly conservative pundits and political "experts" perfectly echoing liberal Democrat assertions on how to expunge conservative influence from the party in an ostensible strategy to revitalize it? Can the real repercussions of such a plan, with plenty of previous failed attempts standing as proof, really be lost on these whom the party deems its best and brightest?

Fortunately, Ted Cruz has his own version of "unity" by which the Republican Party, and all of America can be revitalized. Upon his October 21 return to Texas, he was greeted by cheering throngs who held up signs which read "Make DC Listen," a theme that ran through his recent twenty-one hour marathon filibuster. Speaking to those gathered, he voiced his hope for Republicans on Capitol Hill to "stand together against this train wreck that is Obamacare, and with the American people."

While such brazen unwillingness to toe the party line might seem blindly obstinate, it should be considered against the facts. It was Obama who refused to sign a bill keeping the government running unless he got everything he wanted, Obama who refused any negotiations, Obama who held the nation hostage, and Obama who inflicted as much pain as possible on the American people. Yet Republicans are blamed for the shutdown on the basis that they did not immediately respond by surrendering. And those who are supposed to be leading the GOP respond by now agreeing with this premise?

If this pivotal moment in American history is not the right time for conservatives to stand against the malignant onslaught of socialism and collectivism with every ounce of strength they can muster, then no occasion will ever warrant such a response. If "moderates," as epitomized by John McCain, Mitch McConnell and Ted Cruz's other critics are truly the mainstream of the GOP, then the battle is already lost and America is indeed finished. But far from the thoroughly corrupted and compromised halls of Congress, a great many Americans are unwilling to accept that fate.

© Chris Adamo