Saturday, January 31, 2009

Is Michael Steele the Best Man For the Job?

I watched with interest the news and commentary programs last night to see what was said about the election of Michael Steele as the new head of the Republican Party.  I will say up front that I know virtually nothing about Steele or any of the other front-runners for the position.

My first concern is that all of the news and commentary programs made a big deal about the election of the first African American head of the GOP.  That's a problem.

Not that an African American can't or shouldn't be the head of the GOP.  The problem is that everyone commenting on his election to the position seemed to focus on his race to exclusion of everything else.  

If the Republican party elected and African American just because he is an African American and because it's time for us to have a token black leader, then the Republican party is in trouble, indeed.  And after watching three hours of news and commentary programs, I learned very little else about Steele, other than his race.  

Now, in all fairness, that may reflect more on the particular news anchors and commentators that I was watching than it does on the party or on Steele.  After all, I don't know what was going on in the minds of the delegates who were actually doing the voting.  Furthermore, most of the conservative commentators were complimentary of Steele.  That gives me a little hope.

After googling and reading a number of blogs today, it would seem that Steele is a fiscal conservative, but not necessarily a social conservative.  I'm not sure that bodes well for the party.  Part of McCain's problem (aside from a poorly run campaign and an energized Democratic party) is that he had trouble appealing to the base of the party.  Particularly, he did not have much appeal among the religious right.  

The religious right is frustrated with the party, and has been for a number of years.  For the last 30 years, we've been told that if we vote for Republicans, they will support us on social and cultural issues.  And in the last 30 years, abortion has been easier and easier to obtain, homosexuals have made significant advances to their agenda, and everywhere we turn, our religious freedoms are disappearing. 

In my opinion, the last thing we need a party leader who is willing to alienate the base in order to attract a few moderates.

Of course, I'm making a few assumptions here.  I have yet to hear Steele himself say what direction he plans on taking the party and what he hopes to do to put the GOP back into contention in national elections.  We have yet to see. 

I will say this:  The Republican Party is in danger of losing is strongest and most loyal members.  The farther we move from the social and cultural issues that brought Evangelicals and other religious folks into the party, the less inclined those people are to go to the polls.  In fact, while I, personally, am fiscally conservative, I know many Christian people who only go to the polls because of the social and cultural issues.  They are moderate or dispassionate about fiscal policy.

One think I know is that the Democrats do not have the solutions that our country needs.  They are planning on taking this nation down a path to secular socialism.  That is a road that will tear down everything our forefathers fought and died to build.  Let's hope Michael Steele understands where the strength of the party lies.

2 comments:

cocked and loaded February 1, 2009 at 2:43 AM  

Steele has some 2nd amendment
issues that need to be cleared
up.

EatYourOkra February 1, 2009 at 7:43 PM  

I'm sick of politics being focused too much on race and not on the issues. Obama is black. Fine. I don't like where he stands on most social issues. Not fine. Steele is black. Fine. Now will someone let us know more about him besides what race he is?

About This Blog

This blog is about my opinions and world view.  I am a conservative, evangelical Christian.  Generally speaking, if you post a comment, I'll allow you to express your view.  However, if you say something hateful, untruthful, or just generally something I don't like, I may remove it.

  © Blogger templates The Professional Template by Ourblogtemplates.com 2008

Back to TOP