By Nina May

When Ronald Reagan switched parties from Democrat to Republican in 1962, it was because “the Democrat party left me, I didn’t leave it,” he explained. There was a huge exodus out of the Democrat party during those embarrassing days when all the governors of most southern states were not only Democrats, but active segregationists.

Millions of people switched parties during the very successful Southern Strategy, orchestrated by Richard Nixon and Pat Buchanan to bring southerners back to the party of Lincoln. They had become frustrated by the Democrats in their party who were clinging to the erroneous supreme court ruling in Plessey v. Ferguson that suggested blacks could be equal while being kept separate.

This exodus from the Democrat party ushered in the era of Nixon, but other than his positive position on civil rights, including introducing “Affirmative Action,” he was not necessarily a “conservative.” It was the election of Jimmy Carter that successfully galvanized the true conservatives in the country and elected the man who personified the very essence of the meaning of that word. There were no pale pastels in who and what Reagan was and stood for, and the world was changed for the good as a result of his principled stance on issues ranging from national defense, to decreased taxes, less government interference in our lives and greater personal freedoms and responsibility.

Now, as political pendulums have been known to swing, the Republicans find themselves in the same demoralized position that the Democrats were in 40 years ago, but for different reasons. The Democrats moved slowly, to their detriment, off the dime of racism, clinging to values that had been part of that party for over 150 years, even opposing the 13^th, 14^th and 15^th Amendments, unanimously. By the time they realized the nation did not want a separate but equal society, it was too late, and they lost control of the White House.

They suddenly realized though that this group of people they had tried so hard to

keep from voting because they traditionally voted 100% Republican, could fill in the gap of those much needed votes to win elections. As quickly as they moved to remake their racist image into the “champions of civil rights,” they had to move with that same speed to destroy that legacy in the Republican Party and developed the politics of personal destruction, bringing Nixon crashing down.

            Unfortunately, the Republican Party always seems to be a day late and a dollar short in realizing the game plan designed to bring about its demise. The party thought for years that because their intentions, and very founding were pure, that the rest of the world would rally behind their cause of justice for the slaves in not only emancipation, but in voting rights and equal civil rights. They seem to forget that half the nation, all Democrats, opposed that freedom and were willing to fight and die on that hill and divide the nation over it.

            For decades Republicans were convinced the righteousness of causes like the sanctity of life, individual liberty, freedom to speak their mind, believe in their God, defend their homes and country were values embraced by all compassionate, coherent Americans. But somewhere along the way they lost their moral compass and forgot why they were even in politics in the first place, until Arlen Specter reminded them that it has become a professional game of self-serving empowerment, the people be damned.

            So, what we now have are two parties jockeying for popularity with moderates and undecideds, while one brilliantly continues to court their very powerful and impressive liberal base. The Republican Party though, for some reason, has grown not only disenchanted with their base but actually blame them for losing races where Democrat-lite candidates are crammed down their throats. They don’t understand the definition of the word “base” in political terms and fail to understand that it means “majority.”

On the new “Listening Tour” where they are saying the same thing that keeps losing seat after seat, they have gathered an eclectic group of Republicans who are trying to appeal to their base . . . but not really. If they really wanted to appeal to their base, which they deplore, they would not have brought John McCain on the tour. He is a wonderful man who leans so far left that Arlen Specter has to reach over and keep him from falling over. That is like bringing the Marlboro Man to a smoke-free convention.             And what are they saying that hasn’t been said before except, Reagan was then, this is now, we have to move past Reagan. That is the new mantra of the now moderate Republican Party that ironically fought tooth and nail to keep him from getting the nomination in 1980.  They knew they could eventually put their moderate candidate in to prove moderation is far better than principled values and commitment to the original intent of the constitution and keeping as many freedoms for the individual away for the federal government. Can you say “Justice Sutter?”

            Reagan personifies more than any living Republican what the party used to and should stand for, but no longer does. They can’t seem to wrap their little minds around the concept of symbolism and purpose and think conservatives are trying to play “Weekend with Bernie,” with Reagan. They don’t get that to lose track of what direction you take in life as an individual, as a political party, as a leader, as a nation, then you no longer control your destiny, but it is now in the hands of those who would destroy it.

            There is only one way for the Republican Party to wake up to the reality that their erosion is not due to a drift to the right, it is due to a pole vault to the left and beyond, leaving any semblance of conservative identity in the dust. And since the base has become basically voiceless, marginalized, ridiculed and ignored, as witnessed during the nationwide tea parties, it is up to them to make a statement that is not only heard, but also listened to.

            What better way to get the attention of the national and state Republican parties than to change your voter registration to “independent,” and what better day to do it on than “Independence Day.” (This year it falls on a Saturday, so it would have to be July 3). This would serve several very important purposes. First, the conservatives of the party can not only move from the back of the bus, but get off the bus and find their own mode of transportation. Second, it will provide a huge block of undiscovered, unclassified, undistilled citizens who can’t be neatly packed in Petri dishes to be sliced and diced by all the political pundits who pride themselves on knowing to the person how they are going to vote before they do.

            If there really are conservatives out there, then you can take back your identity from the pollsters, take back your vote from a party that resents it, and take back the power to actually have an impact on future races. And the great thing about being an Independent is that it truly is bi-partisan and non-partisan the way the two parties claim they want to be. Which begs the question . . . why have a different party if all you want to do is be bi-partisan and non-partisan . . . just have one big party . . . sort of like we have now. There are leftist, conservatives and moderates who are independents and no candidate would be able to take that voting block for granted. They would actually have to say what they really are going to do, not what a handful of identified voters want them to say they are going to do.

            The most effective and powerful form of protest that would have a historic impact on the electoral process would be for people to regain their anonymity in voting and have both parties and all candidates truly seek their vote legitimately. It would allow candidates who don’t agree with the direction of either party to run independent of them, without having to go to the trouble and expense of starting a third party. Because the idea of independence is that you truly are an individual, expressing your opinion, running on that philosophy and allowing those who agree or disagree, to make their voices known at the polls.

            Many Democrats left that party because it left them, and they are the same, free thinking individuals who keep reminding the party elite that it is not the party they are loyal to, but the ideals and values that make up the foundation of that party. But if that new party moves from that foundation, then a free thinking individual is going to move in the direction of their own personal lodestar and plant their standard in a new ground of liberty, leadership and direction.

            So this Independence Day . . . Register as an Independent!!!

 

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