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It is difficult to understand the conclusions to which many conservative leaders have arrived after the Republican electoral defeat on November 4^th, denying the real causes of such a defeat throughout the country with such simplistic statements as “we lost because we were not conservative enough” or “we lost because we nominated a moderate.” It is even more striking to hear what they believe was the major asset of the campaign: the emergence of Sarah Palin to the national spotlight. Let me put this in the clearest possible way: THIS IS NON-SENSE. You cannot arrive to these conclusions unless you are in a state of denial. They are denying the facts. You just need to look at the numbers in the exit polls.

It is clear that John McCain was the only Republican who had a chance (before the economic crisis exploded) to retain the White House. It is also clear that the McCain Campaign’s pick of Sarah Palin as the VP nominee was a flawed decision. Sarah Palin was not an asset to the ticket. She cost us independent voters, moderate voters, upper-middle-class voters and suburbanites (a traditional Republican constituency), and those making more than $200,000 a year (a once GOP stronghold). Did she make inroads among the “working class”? No. Oh… She energized the base… which base? Evangelical Christians? You can’t just win elections if you are strong only among a single group.

It is also striking to hear these people say that “we need to kick moderates out” of the GOP. What are they thinking? Didn’t they look at the congressional map? Republicans have been officially wiped out of New England. They only have three congressional seats in New York State. The southwest is becoming a Democratic stronghold. The west coast was lost a long time ago. The Midwest is going away. To sum up: after Tuesday, November 4^th, the Republican Party has officially become a regional party, a southern party. More than half of GOP congressional members come from the South. And, what about the Senate? Not much different. Who would have thought, just some years ago, that both senate seats in Colorado and Virginia would be in Democratic hands? A party that has litmus tests on every single issue in order to become a member cannot and will not survive.  

And what about the so common statement “we lost because we abandoned conservative principles”? Well, in this case I would have to agree. The problem is that what these “leaders” see as conservatism is totally at odds with what real conservatism is all about. Social “conservatives” are already saying “we lost because we didn’t stress abortion and gay marriage enough.” Cultural “conservatives” are saying we lost because we didn’t bash immigrants enough. Others are directing their anger to the typical targets: “the liberal media,” “RINOs,” “moderates.” They are even saying in these days (prepare to read this!): “We need to move to the right” (!).

As someone who considers himself a proud conservative, I simply can’t understand the way these people think. Moreover, as a proud Reagan conservative, I can’t help but think that these people have no clue to what Ronald Reagan stood for. Even when many of them were foot soldiers during the Reagan Revolution, they seem to have forgotten (I don’t want to think they are distorting Reagan’s real record) what Reagan’s conservatism was all about. Well, in case they forgot, let me remember them:

-Reagan conservatism stood up for freedom above all, not populism.

-Reagan conservatism believed in individual liberty, not in imposing certain religious beliefs.

-Reagan conservatism was inclusive and welcoming, not a promoter of hate and division.  

-Reagan conservatism was pragmatic, not dangerously dogmatic.    

-And, above all, Reagan conservatism inspired optimism and opportunity, not fear and chauvinism.  

Unfortunately, the latter describes better the current state of “conservative” politics. What used to be a movement of hope has turned into a machine that delivers populism and prejudice. The good news is, we, center-right conservatives, are still the majority, and we will not let the movement Ronald Reagan built to be destroyed by a group of self-proclaimed conservatives who could be best described as far-right populists. We believe in the true tenets of conservatism: the belief in the power of the individual, the belief in free enterprise and free markets, the belief in individual liberty and personal responsibility, the belief in a strong (and wisely used) defense, and the belief in inclusiveness and tolerance.