Taking the party back

Last week, while speaking at the Conservative Political Action Conference, Sen. John McCain received a mixture of scoffs and applause. It seems that the right side of the country has yet to unify behind the one who appears to be the next Republican candidate for president. Though what may seem like a division within the Republican Party could actually be a symptom of something else entirely, a symptom of Republicans taking back their party after years of it being co-opted by others.

Republicans have, over the years, collected a few bad habits, and worse, a bit of a sketchy image. Though at the core of it, there truly isn’t anything wrong with the party’s philosophy. Republicans are, in fact, pretty great. It’s just a shame a Republican hasn’t run for office for quite some time.

For many Americans, the words “conservative” and “Republican” have become synonymous. Though perceptibly they are closely related to each other, in actuality, they are two different concepts.

Conservatives, according to The American Conservative Union (ACU), believe highly in limiting the power and influence of government (much like the Republican mindset) in almost every aspect of American society, such as the economy and social principles. At least those are the distinguishing values that separate them from other ideologies. On their website, they also state a firm belief in the Constitution and the Declaration of Independence, as well as in the importance of capitalism, all of which are shared values with Democrats, liberals and other ideologies.

Though the conservative mentality has not always been the dominant creed of the Republican Party, it has grown in popularity in the last couple of decades. Take President Theodore Roosevelt, for example, a Republican from before Reagan’s time, who offered America his “Square Deal,” which involved economic regulations on certain corporations. He provided a means for the government to monitor the economy so that all could share equal freedom. Contrasted to the Republican Party of today, where conservatism is strong, trying to place regulations on corporations and having a government-monitored economy would cause many conservatives to shudder and tremble.

Perhaps this is why some pick John McCain. Though both a conservative and a Republican, he has proven to be a moderate, as opposed to a strict hard-liner the party has become used to. Maybe after such a long string of far-right-leaning Republican figures, many have forgotten what an accurate image of a Republican looks like, or even that there is a difference between a Republican and a conservative. Believe me, there are some very conservative Democrats.

John McCain certainly is no Theodore Roosevelt, but he could be a step in the right direction that loyal Republicans have been waiting for. He is guilty, as with all politicians, of playing to his base. Though he has proven to politically side with his morals. He has shown that he can stay the course of his conscience even when he disagrees with his party. For example, when he felt that one of George W. Bush’s tax cuts wasn’t right, he did not for vote it-something a lot of politicians cannot claim.

I am in no way endorsing McCain. I am not asking you to consider him or to vote for him. Rather, to understand that if McCain pulls through the primaries, it may be a new direction for the Republican Party, away from what they have been experiencing for years now. Having a leader in the Republican Party who will for once stay moderate and lead from the middle of the aisle could nudge them back into the party that was once something impressive, progressive and American.