On Saturday, Rush Limbaugh gave a little speech at the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC). It was about conservatism. In his typically populist style, Rush inserted plenty of jabs at his favorite targets: the media, big government, bureaucrats, and Barack Obama. His enthusiastic audience of conservative activists ate it up; they applauded constantly and laughed at all the right spots.
Rush Limbaugh believes that the future of conservatism should look a lot like the past of conservatism. Or, in his own words: "Conservatism is what it is and it is forever." Rush's recipe for conservative success is simple:
"The American people may not all vote the way we wish them to, but more Americans than you now live their lives as conservatives in one degree or another. And they are waiting for leadership. We need conservative leadership. We can take this country back. All we need is to nominate the right candidate."
In the real world, things aren't so simple. Polling has consistently shown that most Americans want lower taxes but more government services. Consistent conservatives are hard to find.
If they want their glory days to return, conservatives need to do more than preach to the choir. This doesn't mean that conservatives need to abandon their principles -- but they do need to abandon Limbaugh's rhetoric.
Limbaugh's schtick works well on the radio. It generates ratings, controversy, and money. It is not, however, a winning electoral strategy.
The Limbaugh formula is defined by a sustained negative tone. Conservatives are always the victims of the "Drive-By Media." Democrats are to blame for the nation's ills, even if Republicans are in control. The Clintons are always secretly pulling the strings somewhere. A vast liberal conspiracy seeks to create a Stalinist dictatorship.
Limbaugh derides government solutions to national problems, but rarely offers alternatives. Sometimes he doesn't even acknowledge that the problems exist.
The end result is a product that sells to a certain audience, and infuriates everyone else.
Sarah Palin's train-wreck of a Vice Presidential run illustrated the hollowness of Limbaugh conservatism. In her role as McCain's lipstick-adorned pit bull, she sarcastically attacked Obama for working as a community organizer, for being a socialist, and for "palling around with terrorists." Most of all, she continually disparaged the "elites", that elusive group of evil liberals that lurks somewhere in the sewers of San Francisco. She was not a policy expert. Her main role was that of a demagogue, firing up crowds that already agreed with her message.
When she made a fool of herself on network television, she blamed the liberal media.
Nationally, she became a laughingstock. But Limbaugh and his ilk are still convinced that Palin represents the future of the Republican party. On the other side, liberal commentators have pronounced that Palin failed because she was too conservative on social issues.
Both sides are wrong.
Palin and other Limbaugh Republicans will consistently fail on the national scene because they present a stale combination of negativity and overused buzzwords instead of solid leadership.
It isn't enough to rail against big government and socialism. The size of government is irrelevant to the concerns of average people. They just want a society that works. If smaller government achieves that goal, make a reasonable case for it. Republicans can no longer assume that everyone agrees with them on the fundamentals.
American healthcare is very expensive. Lots of people are uninsured. Saying that we have the "best healthcare in the world" doesn't help anyone. Optimism is a good thing -- but there's a fine line between optimistic and out of touch.
Sarcasm can be beautiful, but not when it's a major component of a political campaign. Americans like being inspired. Ronald Reagan used plenty of soaring rhetoric; making fun of Obama when he does the same isn't winning any points.
Beating up on the media is a dead end. When you lose a game, don't blame the referee. Play harder next time, and win.
The East and West Coasts are a part of the U.S.A. If you want to expand your party's reach, it might help to stop demonizing large geographical regions of your own country.
Government can only shrink if community involvement grows. There is nothing liberal about volunteering to perform community work. Apathetic individualists who hide behind their white picket fences ensure the necessity of government welfare programs.
These truisms could go on forever. But it comes down to this: we need conservative leaders who can present conservative principles in a fresh way. Conservatives shouldn't be content to merely disagree with the other side; they need a bold plan for the future that can rival Obama's ambitious liberal agenda.
Rush Limbaugh can keep on doing his thing. He's certainly making enough money. But if conservative politicians want another Reagan revolution, they'll have to blaze a new trial.
