When discussing a possible Republican revival, most conservative commentators let their ideological bias obscure the obvious. They miss the forest for the trees.
Some say the party must jettison the social conservative agenda, which appeals only to an aging, shrinking demographic, and recast itself as a modern, big-tent party united only by its opposition to the socialization of the economy and the explosive growth of government.
The opposing view insists that after neglecting the GOP base of values voters for too long, the party need only follow through on its election year rhetoric by actually making family-values issues a priority once in power.
Both seem to have forgotten about one of Ronald Reagan’s central insights: a winning Republican coalition must include both economic and social conservatives. Neither agenda can be successfully pursued without the other; they fit hand in glove.
But we must recast the argument in support of this coalition so that it resonates with voters’ concerns today.
For example, there is a groundswell of alarm at the rapid growth of government in the wake of the financial crisis. Republicans must articulate that government grows when families and communities fail. The breakdown of these mediating institutions is at the root of many of our social problems—including crime, illegitimacy, poverty, and low academic achievement—all of which increase the demand for government to step into the breach to address them.
Policies designed to strengthen families and communities should be the basis of a new pragmatic consensus that reaches across party lines. “Family values” were once exclusively associated with the “religious right”; now a Democrat president speaks with authority to the black community about commitment to family.
But we must go beyond rhetoric and put our money where our mouth is. We can start by reducing the tax burden on families, who are so deeply invested in America’s economic growth.
Republican fortunes will revive to the extent that we remember that a family values agenda and a pro-growth agenda for limiting the growth of government are not opposed. In fact, they have always formed the basis of our winning coalition.
Rob Wasinger is a Republican congressional candidate in the First District of Kansas.
