Civil War Is The Wrong Analogy

Since Christine O'Donnell became the latest Tea Party darling to unseat an established Republican politician in a primary this year the commentators have been repeating the phrase "Civil War" to describe the struggle between the so called "moderate" wing of the party and the conservative activists and voters. The analogy is completely wrong. A more accurate representation of what has happened in the last year is that of a hostile takeover. Not a hostile takeover by an outside entity but rather it is much like the shareholders of a company fed up with its performance replacing the board and management.

In this analogy, the elections are much like shareholder meetings. The Republican Party is a company who has strayed from it's original purpose and has become ineffective. Of course, the goal of the party is not to make money but to have a hand in managing the country. The majority of the registered Republican voters (or shareholders) expect a fiscally conservative approach to running Washington. They also expect government (especially the federal government) to have a limited role in their life.

For the last 10 to 12 years, Republican politicians have--for the most part--abandoned this approach to governance. They still push for tax cuts because they know that raising taxes is the one action that will kill any Republican candidacy. Other than this one issue, a large number of Republicans will talk out of the small government side of their mouths while pushing through or at least not opposing legislation that grows the federal government by leaps and bounds.

The worst part of this group is the party leadership (the management and board of directors). They are most concerned with winning power for the party and themselves as opposed to holding to and advancing principles the party is supposed to stand for. In this process, the Republican "brand" has been diminished. It has long been accused of being "country club elites" and similar descriptions. Unfortunately, the description has become believable as more of these types have acquired prominence and influence in the party leadership.

As a result, the average conservative voter looks at what is happening in Washington, D.C. and realizes that even though it is the Democratic party that has enacted so much detrimental legislation it is the Republican part that has stood impotent on the sidelines failing to offer any viable alternative and even cooperating in many ways. The shareholders have decided this primary season the problems in "the company" need to be replaced and have taken appropriate action.

Not unlike the corporate takeover, the ousted parties have largely bemoaned their treatment and refused to go away. Also, like their private sector counterparts, they refuse to acknowledge it has been their own ineffectiveness or even their collusion with the competition that created their situation.

Lisa Murkowski is running as a write-in candidate. Charlie Christ is running as an independent. Mike Castle refused to endorse O'Donnell. These are people who have been involved in the Republican party to expand their own power and influence. There is no actual concern for the good of the country. There are no principles on which they stand. The response from the "shareholders" has been overwhelming and very consistent.

So the supposedly conservative pundits can say this is a civil war while they whine about their friends who have been defeated. What they need to realize is their own influence is about to be greatly diminished. If they think they'll always be read or listened to because they are the lone token conservative at their paper or network, they need to think again. Did anyone think Bob Bennett would be ousted? A stance on anything other than principles that consist of common sense will make you irrelevant.

Additionally, the remaining leadership should realize this is not just a passing fad. Tea Party members or otherwise, the voters have begun to demand accountability and that the party stand for principles over power. They can either stand with the voters or the coming elections will be further rounds of pink slips.