Your Right-Hand Man: Thanks, George W... for nothing

Forever ago in the political Mesozoic era known as 1999, the George W. Bush administration promised specifically “small government” and no “nation building.” I’m not kidding. Those are direct quotes. After a Clinton era that, while prosperous, made some big spending moves and did a few other… things… most Republicans were especially ready for a new administration. As William F. Buckley lamented, Bush was “anointed” (sound familiar?) by the Republican Party. Then, after a furious election, the administration was off, ready to unite the country under the umbrella of Republican ideas. What followed could not be anticipated.

It is cliché to say that 9/11 changed the political landscape, but it did. It changed how people thought about domestic security and terrorism. What it didn’t do, however, or at least shouldn’t have done, was give the Bush II administration a free pass to go back on the promise of conservative government. In the last eight years the size of the federal government has tripled, we have plunged into debt and the executive branch increased its power so exponentially that Thomas Jefferson spun his grave into a black hole.

Republicans have had to make excuses for incompetent government for the last eight years, ignoring one contradictory policy move after another. This leads me to my point: If any older Republicans want to know the reason for so much enthusiasm on behalf of college students, here’s a big one: people of the current college-age generation know nothing of fiscal responsibility and legitimate small government initiatives because those concepts haven’t been adhered to. An entire generation has grown to know the GOP as one that can’t handle the economy, revels in pork-barrel spending and wastes time with ridiculous government intervention like the Gay Marriage Ban when there are clearly more pressing issues at hand.

This is a travesty. Real conservatism is nothing like what we have seen from W and friends. The philosophy of federalism is hardly brought up by anyone with any public spotlight, and this should be essential to the party platform. No one my age is even remotely aware that Republicans traditionally prefer local government over federal government, or that they are wary of the executive branch and power in general. Republicans in congress have been no better, pandering for votes or even worse, not voting so that they can hold their congressional seat (Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Utah) is a terrible and gutless Senator for just this reason, but that’s a different column entirely).

Worst of all, it makes conservative policies, truly conservative policies, sound terrible because they have no credibility. John McCain can discuss his domestic policies, which merit legitimate consideration, but they are immediately shot down when they can be deemed similar to that of the Bush administration. John McCain could possibly have led America into an era which truly embraced conservative spending, or at least I would think so with his record in congress. Republican behavior has cost the party the White House and it now looks likely to usher in a more liberal government than the country has ever seen.

Plain and simple, the Bush administration shares much of the blame for losing this election to someone who, from a policy standpoint, is far to the left of much of America. If you thought we were in trouble during the Clinton years, Republicans, the Obama-Pelosi era is going to be a disaster. However, there is a silver lining. A young generation, rife with attempts at individualism, could very well associate with the party in the minority, especially one that recognizes the individual. The youth of America could become suspicious of a Democratic Party that will soon have congress, the presidency and the media.

What needs to happen now for Republicans is a sincere ideological makeover. The party needs to dig deep and find an inner Teddy Roosevelt. American citizens need to see faces like Barry Goldwater’s and not Jack Abramoff’s or Ted Stevens’ or a number of other betrayers of conservatism. They especially need to be reminded that George W. does not embody truly conservative policies.

America was founded on the ideas of traditional Lockean Liberalism, and America is simply different from (and in my opinion better than) other countries for this very reason. The Republican Party needs to regain the sense of rugged individualism, creative policy ideas and intellectual merit it once carried. Only then is it conceivable that if the Republicans resort back to this more libertarian and practical concept of civic duty under an entirely Democratic government, they may become a party the people can recognize again.