Senator McCain won the Republican nomination, but was the weakest potential candidate in the field when it came to the general election.  Sarah Palin could not drag him across the finish line.  Now it is up to Republican and Conservative voters to bring their party into the 21st century and eliminate the mistakes that were made since President Reagan retired.   

Regardless of the outcome of the 2008 election, Conservatives must review their present situation and devise a new strategy to swing the future in their favor, and in favor of the continued existence of the nation as a viable political entity.  Even if Senator McCain had prevailed at the polls, he was not a long-term solution; he would have been a stopgap, who was elected because the public feared the alternative enough to vote against it.  Further, his failure to recognize key fundamental truths would have hampered his ability to make real progress where needed.  That is not how to build a future.  

Assuming that the Democrat party does not find a way to cripple the nation to the extent that it is incapable of recovering, there are a number of specific points which need to be addressed by Republicans and Conservatives.  The most important of these is the rebuilding of the relationship with the public that was achieved under Ronald Reagan.  A relationship that was built largely on trust and on the understanding that promises would be carried out if, at all, possible.  

In order to do this, today’s “conservatives” must realize that President Reagan, for all that he may serve as a model, was not a perfect political leader.  His time in office must not be looked back on, as a “golden age,” because it wasn’t one.  They need to understand that at times they must be willing to accept a less than perfect candidate in order to make progress toward something better.  They must realize that perfection is impossible, and the best available candidates must be supported and promoted.  In fact, they must be willing to seek out and promote those candidates and bring them to the nation’s attention.  

Along this line, there must be an abandonment of the Paleo/Neo split.  Conservatives must realize that the world has changed since 1800 and that isolationism is no longer a viable foreign policy.  It hasn’t been since the development of the long-range missile and the institution of international terrorism as a serious weapon.  The result of this is to necessitate anticipatory defensive actions.  While we may not like to do this, in some instances it may be necessary, rather than optional; particularly when dealing with people who have no interest in peaceful coexistence.  

Republicans and professed conservatives, who have been critical of the choice of Sarah Palin, must make a complete about face.  They must realize that they were wrong in their criticism.  They must admit to themselves, if not in public, that she was the force that resurrected a moribund campaign through her ability to do something that Senator McCain could not; communicate effectively with the public, and thereby gain their trust and respect.  Mike Huckabee might possess a similar ability, but I must admit that I lack enough data to render a firm opinion on him.  Like it or not, some voters must come to understand that people like Mike Huckabee, Bobby Jindal, and Sarah Palin are the future of the Republican Party or it will have no future at all.   Tradition must sometimes be hanged for the good of the future.  This is one of those cases.  

While Senator McCain won the Republican nomination, he was, without a doubt, the weakest potential candidate when it came to the general election.  There were two reasons for this.  First was his inability to communicate his ideas sufficiently and second, was his unwillingness to take off the gloves and duke it out when necessary.  He was too much the gentleman; a losing strategy in the rough world of politics.  Without the assistance of Governor Palin the results of the general election would have been a lot worse.  Her communication skills made a difference, but it wasn’t enough of a difference.

One of the key aspects of the communication problem occurred on the health care issue.  Senator McCain repeatedly pushed his idea to tax employer provided health care benefits.  As an experienced tax attorney I am well aware of the history of this benefit, and the reasons why McCain wanted to make this change.  What he failed to take into account was the fact that the taxpaying public simply didn’t like the idea.  The reaction was the same as if he had proposed eliminating the home mortgage interest deduction, although not as violent.  In any event, he should have known that the chances of getting this provision through Congress were slim and none.  It would have been better never to bring it up.  He also failed to properly make his case for allowing insurance companies to sell across state lines.  Dr. David Gratzer’s book, The Cure, provides a superb resource on this, by comparing the costs between states for identical coverage.  This information was nowhere to be seen.

Probably the biggest mistake of the election cycle was the fact that McCain ran at all.  While he certainly was not too old to run, his age did not present the right image in today’s political market.  It also made it easier to link him to the past administration.   The fact that he was not pushed aside by the party leadership in favor of younger and more dynamic appearing candidates betrays another weakness in the Republican Party.  They have been wedded too closely to their “old guard” and refuse to cultivate new blood to a sufficient degree.  It was the Bob Dole “lifetime achievement award” candidacy all over again.  This practice must cease.  Instead, the party must concentrate on developing young, new, articulate and intelligent candidates and spokespeople who can get their ideas across, without confusing the public as Senator McCain did.  

To be honest, both parties have been guilty of keeping ossified political figureheads around much to long.  Joe Biden and Ted Kennedy are two on the left.  McCain and Ted Stevens essentially mirror them on the right.  A better policy would be one of “up or out” after a certain number of years.  This would have two significant positive effects; it would provide opportunities for younger people to take office, billing the Republican Party as one of opportunity, and it would also act as a deterrent to the corruption that often sets in when one is in office too long.  Meanwhile, Republican Party leadership must open its eyes to the potential of intelligent, articulate and capable people who are not part of the Eastern Elite College cadre.  Keeping closer to the more ordinary American middle class; people who attended state colleges and have been successful in business or professions would provide a serious contrast with a Party that draws its leadership from wealthy elitists, regardless of who they profess to sympathize with.  Eventually, actions will speak louder than words.  Following the models provided by George Washington and Cincinnatus would help to do this. 

Finally, the Republican Party must become the party of solutions.  These must be real solutions, rather than pasting on band-aids by throwing money in the direction of the perceived problem and expecting it to bring results.  One major issue where this should be able to bear fruit is in school choice.  The Democrats have long agitated about the quality of public schools, while doing nothing about it.  President Bush’s solution was “no child left behind” which did essentially nothing because it didn’t deal with the root cause; lack of true competition in the education market which would enforce competency.  If a conservative state government could institute such a plan statewide with demonstrably superior results than the default public school system, it would shatter the wall preventing such competition in other states.  There should be opportunities to achieve similar results in other issue areas as well.  

Conservative politicians should own the slogans of “change” and of “solutions” lock, stock, and barrel because Democrats are unwilling to do anything that would upset the existing power structure.  As Ronald Reagan said, government is the problem, not the solution.  President Bush violated this doctrine when he embarked upon “compassionate conservatism” with its big spending, big government attitudes.  Conservatives must return to the Reagan doctrine by finding small government, or better still, no government solutions that cost less to the public and which work.  The states can provide the opportunities to do this, if the state legislatures and governors are willing to undertake the effort.  It may not be easy in some states.  It will require many legislators to put aside their petty power interests in order to serve a higher calling.  If they refuse to do so, enlightened leadership must call them out and promote new blood to take their place.

None of the above is easy, but any achievement worth reaching never is.  Republicans have dug themselves into a hole.  No one is going to throw them a rope.  The Democrats have learned to play hardball a long time ago.  They have adopted a scorched earth mentality in their political machinations.  Republicans must become just as effective, while not adopting the militant hate and emotionalism that characterizes the left.  They must be cool, rational and capable.  They must promote new ideas instead of the same old big government.  And they must genuinely connect with the ordinary American.  Then, if they keep this commitment they will have the long-term success that America needs.