OPINION:
Republicans and conservatives need to face reality. The left is better at this whole politics thing than they are, and this week Senate Democrats proved it again. They not only rejected religious liberty protections to redefine marriage, they also got a dozen Republicans to go along with them.
A leftist activist group has also announced a robust opposition research program against the Republican House members who have indicated they will investigate the Biden administration come January.
Imagine if Republicans had the clarity of mind and purpose to think of doing that before the Trump-Russia investigations or the impeachments. Nah. Why bother?
Democrats know that it’s hard to separate the message from the messenger. Damage or destroy the credibility of the messenger, and the message falls apart.
In addition, organizations on the left are already working together to spend millions to prop up President Biden’s wounded and adrift administration in advance of 2024. They’re pivoting to drive their agenda in state capitals as well.
And the Republicans? They’re talking about hearings Americans don’t believe will go anywhere, the pointless impeachment of a Cabinet secretary and fighting over the speakership even though no viable alternative candidate has presented themselves.
If you needed to be in a political foxhole with any group of people, would you choose the guys knifing each other, or the ones with the latest laser-guided missiles trained on their enemy? It’s no wonder the GOP has lost every major policy battle of the last two decades. Without transformative shifts in leadership and strategy, that doesn’t appear to be changing any time soon.
In this time of political transition in America, with Democrats trending socialist, conservatives need a totally new mindset and approach if they want to compete, let alone save America.
For all their criticism of entitled millennials, zoomers and snowflakes, Republicans long ago adopted their methods. They appear to be simultaneously afraid, vapid and lazy. They don’t do what it takes.
Republican leaders tend to view politics in terms of election cycles. Democrats view it as an unceasing ideological battle. Republicans look at the next two years. Democrats look at the next decade.
Republicans are captivated by their reflection in the pond. The left throws a brick in the water and watches the ripples advance.
The GOP’s lack of strategic vision and absence of prudent forethought or tactical innovation is allowing the left to erode the very foundations of this country.
The welfare budgets continue to balloon with more forms of government dependency created each year. Conservative think tanks may produce nice charts that help define the problem, but they’ve failed to do anything about it.
Polls are showing that climate change hysteria, presented to young people in a dramatically biased and unscientific fashion, is having an impact on the psyche of the next generation. Republicans have yet to settle on a fact- and science-based message that will resonate with persuadable voters on the issue.
Anti-White, anti-Asian and anti-male discrimination is now perfectly legal and acceptable in the name of equality. For those girls who are looking for a fair shot at sports, you’re out of luck too. Everyone from doctors to a Supreme Court justice suddenly can’t or won’t define what a woman is, and now that’s apparently fine.
While Democrats are creating new genders and grooming children, the Republicans’ slim majority is already seeing more infighting. They may even vote for the Democrats’ massive year-end spending bonanza. Former President Donald Trump’s early and ill-advised announcement of his 2024 presidential bid is creating more division.
Another GOP “autopsy,” like the one announced by RNC Chairwoman Ronna McDaniel this week, won’t fix the long-standing cultural and leadership problems in the party. It won’t create the financial infrastructure necessary to fight the left on a more level footing, and it won’t give lawmakers the courage to drive the agenda America needs to thrive. It certainly won’t prevent Mr. Trump from saying whatever comes to his head at any given time.
Gimmicks and cheap publicity stunts by fringe figures in the party aren’t going to win against the left. Political grifters who don’t care about good policy, driving an agenda, or even winning elections cannot be the dominant force in the GOP, as they have been for decades now.
There are no more political honeymoons. Republicans need generational change. They need an aggressive shift in posture to tame the ravenous lion that is American government and its confederates in media, tech and education.
It will take more than a California-based Republican House speaker to fight and win.
• Tom Basile is the host of “America Right Now” on Newsmax TV, an author and a former Bush administration official.
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