The last time Republicans won a serious majority in California was when Ronald Reagan was President. Yes, Ronald Reagan, the right wing nut; that seriously immoderate fellow. Yet we are now being told we must moderate our positions to win. But how do we moderate? Do we like some taxes but not others? Do some people have the right to life but not others? What principles do we abandon, which constitutional provisions do we ignore, to move to the "center" of the political spectrum? And what is the center? If our socialist legislature proposes Stalinist communism, is the the center to embrace Hitlerian nazism or Mussolini’s fascism? Should we be moderate communists to counterbalance our radical socialists in the Legislature in order to be popular "at the box office?" What do we do, what do we do?
Earlier this week, I talked about systems determining strategies, one of the two rules of politics. The other rule is principles, not popularity, determine policies. Let me explain why.
The first question anyone asks of anyone else who seeks political power is: why do you want power? What are you going to do with that power? The entire political process is the means by which that question is answered. If the only response you give to that question is "I want to be popular," people, quite naturally, will grow distrustful. No one wants to be lead by a person who wants power just to want power.
The purpose of the political process is to persuade people to entrust those who seek power with that power. To do that, those who seek power have to convince people that they will use that power well and wisely. People will entrust power to either an individual they trust, or those that espouse principles in which they believe. People voted for Schwarzenegger because they trusted him, not because of what he believed. They didn’t know what he believed.
Most of us, however, do not have the luxury of being a popular movie star when we first run for office. We have to persuade people that the principles we espouse will make their life better. That is a long, arduous, complicated, and exhausting process. It is hard work. Most people get into politics to avoid that hard work. Seeking out popular policies is easy, but then those who seek power are left to the fickle whims of an electorate that doesn’t know what it wants. Quite frankly, those that pursue those kinds of policies are driven more by special interests than by popularity, because special interests can form a fleeting majority, get what they want by spending a lot of money to influence public opinion, and then leave a path of destruction in their wake. Witness the destruction of the teachers’ union in our education system.
That is why principles must define policies, and why, over the long run, a party is better off spending its time convincing people to entrust it with power by convincing them that the principles in which they believe are the right principles for people’s lives. It may be hard, but if forms long term majorities with the freedom to reform government. As long as the party in power acts in accordance with its principles, people will give that party a lot of leeway on policy, even if they are not sure that a particular policy will work.
Of course, once the party obtains power, it must act in accordance with those principles, or it will lose people’s trust, as the Republican majority in Congress proved. Once Congressional Republicans abandoned the principle of small government, people no longer trusted Republicans on any other issue, such as Iraq. Had Republicans remained true, people might be patient with the policies in Iraq, however, once people become convinced that all a party wants is power, without any guiding principles, people will remove that power once the policies are perceived to be failing.
That is why principle, not popularity, must drive policy. Principles, clearly explained, and passionately pursued, develop trust, and trust develops permanent majorities, not cults of personality.
September 9th, 2007 at 12:00 am
Excellent articulation of our position, Ray. Good job.
September 10th, 2007 at 12:00 am
Now let’s take the lesson of the introductory paragraph and stand with a back bone against becoming too much like a Democrat just to appease and win a few votes.
Principles, morals, ethics, and fiscal positions should dictate policy not who that policy may offend.
There is a country song that goes “You’ve got to stand for something or you’ll fall for anything. You have got to be your own man not a puppet on a string.”
There are times when not being politically correct is the right thing to do.
Richard Rios
The opinions expressed are purely my own.