The fact that there are many in the party who actually think it a good idea to shrink the GOP by subtracting less conservative, less ideological, more moderate members is incomprehensible. In the minority already, draining the Republican Party of anyone who fails to demonstrate what many conservative activists determine as sufficient enthusiasm for their agenda strikes me as madness.Read the whole thing, here.
It’s not that the activists don’t have a point. Tossing aside conservative principles and running candidates who offer little in the way of contrast to the Democrats would be useless. But at the same time, there has got to be some recognition that the party must expand beyond the 30% or so of the electorate who identify themselves as “conservative.” Otherwise, you condemn the GOP to permanent minority status — a regional, monochromatic grouping that would exist largely in the south and pockets of the Midwest and Mountain West.
Moran suggests that Jack Kemp would be "drummed out of the conservative movement today" for his moderate positions on immigration and race. That may be so on legalization, although I hardly think that home ownership for black Americans is a moderate position. Geez, why don't some of the base conservatives start talking up some of the former HUD Secretary's proposals? Kemp was light years ahead of his time. We could use more people like him.
P.S.: Moran doesn't really answer this question: If the GOP becomes "pro-choice, or pro-gay marriage, or pro-amnesty," why will moderates choose the Republicans over the Democrats?
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