The American Spectator : The GOP's Civil "Civil War"

Text Size

The GOP's Civil "Civil War"

By G. Tracy Mehan, III on 11.9.09 @ 6:07AM

It has an august recent history.

I have been thoroughly amused by all this talk about a "civil war" within the Republican Party, supposedly due to divisive "conservative" factions who, going rogue, are disturbing the Newtonian equilibrium of "mainstream" party regulars. What balderdash.

The present tension between conservative, moderate and liberal branches of the GOP, not to mention the differing relative priorities of the components of the Reaganite triad of economic, national security, and social conservatives, is at least as old as the struggle between the old Taft and Eisenhower struggle, and even more relevant to today's discussion, Ronald Regan's challenge to Gerald Ford, then a sitting president, albeit by appointment of the departing, defeated Richard Nixon. Reagan then followed up his defeat with a victory over George Bush, Senior, in 1980, another classic contest between conservative "insurgents" and mainstream, blue-blood Republicans.

As a young politico in St. Louis in 1976, serving as a kind of pro bono legal counsel for the major Reagan fundraiser in Missouri, the late William McBride Love, I was active in the caucus process in which Reagan challenged President Ford in the Show Me State.

What was novel in those primary caucuses was the recruitment of formerly Democratic Baptists and Catholics, primarily motivated by the 1973 Supreme Court decisions legalizing abortion for all nine months of pregnancy in every state of the union, and the mobilization of existing conservative constituencies -- Cold Warriors, Second Amendment advocates, free-marketeers and the like. Some of these people would eventually make up the as yet unheralded cohort, "Reagan Democrats." These would coalesce with the older, long-standing conservative factions into the tripartite Reagan coalition.

Reagan barely lost the primary to Gerald Ford, who went on to run a very close but losing campaign to the feckless Jimmy Carter. However, the Great Communicator lived to fight another day, defeating George H. W. Bush in the 1980 presidential primary.

It should be recalled that both the 1976 and 1980 Republican primaries were hard-fought, bare-knuckled battles to the death, metaphorically speaking of course. Yet, recall that Reagan did choose Bush for his vice-presidential candidate. Eventually, the Bush campaign manager, James Baker, became his chief of staff.

Looking at the smashing Republican victory here in my adopted Commonwealth of Virginia, Bob McDonnell, the new Governor-Elect, won a campaign focusing on the most pressing issues du jour, jobs and economic growth. Moreover, he is a military man and solid social conservative. There is not single person in either the right-to-life or pro-family movements who doubts McDonnell's credentials on these matters. The man prudently addressed the overwhelming concerns of the majority of Virginians while remaining grounded in the other two constituencies of the conservative coalition. It seems to have been a winning combination.

So we have all seen this picture of "civil war" within the herd of pachyderms before. With the benefit of hindsight, none of these kerfuffles have permanently damaged the party. In fact, these political struggles appear, in retrospect, to be quite civil.

Most of the prattling about division in the Republican ranks comes from those who wish the GOP only harm or actually favor one faction over another, i.e., the center-left over the center-right. Their views should be severely discounted.

Moreover, the fact that one set of issues or one leg of the three-legged stool of the conservative coalition might be under- or over-emphasized in any given time or place or jurisdiction is entirely defensible on prudential grounds. Democrats do it every day depending on whether they are running in west Texas, San Francisco, Montana or Missouri.

The best thing the Republican Party can do is to follow my Grandfather's advice: Age quod agis ("Do what you're doing")!

topics:
Republican Party, Ronald Reagan, Gerald Ford

About the Author

G. Tracy Mehan, III served at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency in the administrations of both Presidents Bush. He is a consultant in Arlington, Virginia, and an adjunct professor at George Mason University School of Law.

Letter to the Editor View all comments (18) | Leave a comment

Torquemeda| 11.9.09 @ 6:49AM

I think you mean to say 'rogue' not 'rouge' - although given the limp-wristed, lack-of-response by House and Senate Republican 'leaders' to aggressive, deceitful Democrats - your word may be more appropriate.

Alan Brooks| 11.9.09 @ 8:32PM

LOL.
And the eyebrow penciling, Torqie.

Anyway, since the cold War ended there has been little to unite the Right.

Alan Brooks| 11.9.09 @ 8:35PM

BTW,
Torquemedia would be a good moniker. Torquemada sure knew how to apply the TORQUE.

He was the torque of the town...

Hardius| 11.9.09 @ 7:43AM

I am an Independent voter and don't bow to either party. The next election like the last election will be decided by those who do not bow to either major political party. With that said, the next group of Republican Candidates had better talk the talk and walk the walk or the Republican Party is going to die on the vine. The RNC had better exclude the RINO'S better than they did in New York or only misery is going to follow their party.

Pete2| 11.9.09 @ 8:29AM

What is missing from all this talk ( except for one blogger) is the role independents are now playing in the game. These are the movers and shakers who will defeat liberal democrats and republicans at the polls. The NY race knocked out a RINO and the dem would have lost if he wasn't such a lier. In fact, he's damaged political goods now and a one termer. It was the Tea Party independents who worked Hoffman's campaign and propelled him almost to victory. The GOP came on board after they saw he was winning against their turncoat. In my state, the GOP has been such a hindrance to the movement to the point that Tea Partiers have told them to get lost. It's a civil war alright but it's independents who are waging it and they are going against liberals in both parties, as well as neo-cons...hear that, Newt?

martin j smith| 11.9.09 @ 8:32AM

I generally agree with Harius. Ex[posing the RINOS as Democrats is a first step. Challenge the in primaries is the next step And yet another step is to challenge the RNC and other leadership groups to recognize the falsehood of RINO idealology which is no ideology-- move with the people those who drink TEA at PARTIES.

Louis Jenkins| 11.9.09 @ 8:33AM

Conservatives ahve been much like a severely wounded animal that snaps at its own wounds. As the Great Communicator pointed out, a national talk show host who shall remain nameless, and this article too, the true Conservative message will win. Provided, as previously said, the Conservative candidates, and the GOP, walks the walk . The GOP is not necessarily dead even though the state run media likes to point out that it is. They also take advantage of the situtation by pointing out that the GOP needs to move to the center ( "all the better to eat you with my dear" they're thinking!!). The GOP is undergoing a heart transplant or a lengthy rehab. The cure had better be a good one, or this nation will perish.

Ken (Old Texican)| 11.9.09 @ 11:11AM

May I suggest we take a hard look at the incipient civil war in the Democrat Party?
1. Lunatic Left
2. Serious communist Left
3. Old time "liberals"
4. Poverts on the dole
5. Unions (States can pass "right to work" laws.)
6. George Soros' employees
7. (Add your own)
8. spendthrift State governments

Lots of spindly legs to start wobbling.

Adam Smith| 11.9.09 @ 12:10PM

The politicians, media and special interests groups can spin the recent interest in politics anyway they like.

The fact of the matter is that The Common Sense movement is past party allegiance, past tribalism and way past just sitting back and eating our cake.

Ken (Old Texican)| 11.9.09 @ 1:01PM

Hey Adam
Your arthritis is acting up again. Get those keys unstuck. (smile)

Adam Sith| 11.9.09 @ 3:17PM

Adam has been sent to a reeducation camp for resisiting our efforts to bring everyone Universal Healcare for all humans. He also seems resistant to our efforts to make everone equal, regardless of God given skills or aptitudes.
Until such conditions can be rectified, we will be detaining him in the cell next to Harrison Bergeron.

In the wake of the terror attack at Ft Hood, Freemartin Napolitano will continue to do everything necessary to keep the humans safe and wishes to reasure the suppliers(taxpaying humans) of sustenance(taxes) to us benevolent V, that everything is under control.

Derek Leaberry| 11.9.09 @ 1:06PM

McDonnell not only seemed ashamed of his old views on divorce, abortion and feminism, he seemed to repudiate them. His parading his military daughter around during the recent campaign to prove that he was now acquiescent to modern feminism was just another victory for the Left in the culture wars.

Margie| 11.9.09 @ 3:21PM

My 2 cents:
We have a 2 Party system. Third Parties don't work, and only serve to split the Republican vote. (It's a fact.)
The Democrat Party is Socialist. The Republican Party is conservative as far as it's base.
So what to do? Why not work to get conservatives nominated to office, as in the most recent elections?
Look, N.J. (my state) elected Christie. OK~ I admit he's not exactly Ronald Reagan. But he IS a Rudy Guilliani tough on crime former state Prosecutor and isn't a wimp, and has an interest in cutting taxes.
I get viciously attacked and accused of being a RINO because I voted for him. Not having any "principles." But with the help of my vote we've elected a Republican Governor for the first time in 8 years. I'm proud to have helped elect him. Now the state a chance, and is out of the clutches of the despicable Corzine.
The complainers will continue complaining that the candidates aren't conservative enough. Fine. But don't complain when Obama II gets re elected because the Republican candidate isn't good enough.

Freemartin Apparatchik| 11.9.09 @ 5:46PM

Mr. Smith asked me to pass this on:

"We will force the incompetent Republicrats to become an effective opposition party or they should rightfully die off. They are doing no one any good right now in role they are supposed to be serving in."

He said to tell you hello and understands your angst, but you should understand it is in all of our best interests to not continue to accept the status quo, and quid pro quo mentality that has become so pervasive.

Margie| 11.9.09 @ 6:37PM

Just don't forget~~ We ARE the government. I do hope Mr. Smith & friends will be hard at work nominating conservatives in the Republican Party. IF that is what they want. Of course, if all the complaining about the "status quo Republicrats", as you like to call them, is really just an empty complaint with no intent whatsoever to work with them to help elect conservatives, and if their intention is to help destroy it, then they obviously wouldn't be interested, would they? Sitting on the sidelines, complaining and throwing stones is so much easier!
Since We The People ARE the government, Mr. Smith must choose his Party, must he not? I mean, that's how we work things here in the good ol' U.S.A., isn't it?
Oh, and tell Ron Paul his space ship is waiting for him out in the parking lot. It's ready for take off. That is the "we" you are talking about, am I right?

Bydand76| 11.9.09 @ 8:40PM

A quick perspective,
What I find interesting is how much it is expected of the GOP to have these intra-party squabbles by the MSM. The Democrats are in just as much of a fight with each other right now as the GOP is.

In a purely historical sense it is pretty normal for a political party to re-discover and undergo a re-alignment of sorts within its rank and file after it loses a contentious election. Especially an election that was polarizing to its base and its opponents on a massive scale. Look at the political atmosphere before and after the American Civil War. I believe it is very relevant in this context as well. If you know what I mean.

You can look at it from a subjective point of view and say that this might be the beginnings of a new and re-vitalized GOP and/or you could also say that there are some pretty convincing signs that the democrats are starting to fracture. This will always work to the GOP's advantage and that is very promising news indeed! Democrats

I think that you will see a GOP that is going to attract a greater number of hard-core and moderate conservatives as well as independants who are starting to see the facsimile that is Pres. B.O. for what it is! The Paulites will continue to be a hyperbolic version of chicken little but in the long run the Libertarian Paulite Non-interventionist will become nothing more than a historical footnote. A latter day Aaron Burr perhaps?

You will also see a Democrat party that is going to continue to implode from here on out. They simply have to many people to please and there are to many factions to keep happy.

Nancy Pelosi has seriously damaged her party and her agenda by forcing this health care bill to a vote.

It will be very interesting to see what happens from here on out.

Margie| 11.9.09 @ 9:13PM

Excellent post. Politics is a messy business, and our world isn't getting any better. But you have to work with what you've got. Do you not?
How many Marriages end for lack of even trying? It's a fact that if you want something to work, you have to work at it. My Parents are Married 55 years ago, and are still together. Loyalty and integrity and commitment out of love keeps them together.
In anything that's worth fighting for, you have to choose to work at it. Our country is falling apart enough as it is and the Left wants the Republican Party to die. It's in IN thing to do to throw stones and complain.
Since We The People are the government, it's our jobs to restore it. I'm not giving up. There are plenty of conservatives in the country for us to back.
I say it's time to restore the Party of Ronald Reagan.

Clay Barham| 11.10.09 @ 11:40AM

Is the platform of the modern Democratic Party to lift up the impoverished, salute the failure, reward the takers, applaud the indecisive and elevate the self-centered to assure us more of these in the future? In giving away the treasure of the nation, they increase the line for hand-outs beyond all ability to satisfy. The downward slope increases its steepness and slip each moment. The result is to assign a willing dictator the control and management of what remains. Is this the future of America, once the greatest nation in the world for individual freedom and prosperity? The 19th century Democrat was the libertarian following Jefferson, cited in THE CHANGING FACE OF DEMOCRATS on Amazon and claysamerica.com. The 20th century Democrat follows Rousseau and Marx and condemns individual freedom, the free market and American exceptionalism to the ash heap of history, all at the hands of Obama and his cadre of communists. Khrushchev was right, that we will impose communism on ourselves, and we are doing it right now.