Why I Am Sticking With the Republican Party

I have been engaged with Andy Horning in a comment thread on another post here. We have basically been arguing back and forth on various theories of what should be the characteristics of the next Governor of Indiana. Mr. Horning, like many others of libertarian bent, are people who have become frustrated with the Republican party and have left to create or join another party. This has created several minority parties on the right and left of the political spectrum.

The end goal of these parties is to change our local, state and federal governments. I want our governments to change, too. I am a conservative—fiscally, socially and defense. I am not a progressive. I am not a populist. I am not a libertarian. I am not a hyphenated conservative. I am not a moderate. I want the government to make policies in line with my conservative views.

Like Libertarians and others, I am not satisfied with the Republican Party of today. Yet I have personally decided to remain a Republican. I do not feel that aligning myself with a third party will result in changing government.

Ultimately none of the “third parties” have been able to achieve significant electoral success—not just in modern American history, but throughout American history. Fundamentally America is a two party system.

There has only been one time in American history where a third party has made a splash and become one of the two main parties: the Republican Party replacing the Whig Party when Lincoln won the Presidency. The lesson here is that the success of a third party probably requires the social upheaval equivalent of the Civil War. I am sure many of third party persuasion would quibble with this analysis. But they would have to admit that their odds are long for becoming a majority party.

The current two major parties are not satisfying vocal groups of people. The Green Party believes that Democrats are not doing enough to save the environment (or destroy companies—I am not really clear what their purpose is). Libertarians and others who have left the Republican Party are unimpressed with its belief in freedom and the Constitution. They all are frustrated with the current state of our government and have chosen to attack the problem by going around the existing major parties by aligning with the third parties.

I believe that the most effective way to achieve these changes in our governments is to affect a change in the Republican Party.

The way to make that change to the Republican Party is not to abandon it, but to work from the inside out. Those of us who want change must become Precinct Committeemen and help choose candidates who are conservative. We must talk to our neighbors to convert them to a conservative political philosophy. We must run, when appropriate, for public office. We must contribute to conservative candidates. We must seek to replace non-conservative Republican elected officials with conservative Republican officials.

I am sure that many who have left the party feel that they have tried to change the Republican Party, but have hit a wall of “big money” and the “establishment”. Without minimizing their experience, I respond that it will be far easier to change the Republican Party than it will be to foment a revolution to raise a third party to replace the Republican Party.

I believe that we can change the Party.