SmallGovTimes.com

By: Ken Marotte | Published on 03/06/07    

Each year, conservative giants like the American Conservative Union, Young America’s Foundation, and Human Events collaborate to make possible the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC). By its own definition, CPAC features “book signings by the nation’s leading conservative authors…hands-on training sessions from grassroots activism to media strategy, Internet row and a blogger’s corner, and much, much more!”

Translation: CPAC is the conservative’s Mecca. Anything he might want to do, and anyone he might want to meet or hear, is there.

Given CPAC’s popularity among conservatism’s most active proponents, the conference is widely recognized as a gauge for today’s conservative movement. Are America’s conservatives pleased with the GOP? Which presidential candidates are they supporting? Which issues are taking front stage? These are all questions directly or indirectly addressed at each year’s conference.

With the 34th Annual CPAC coming and going this past weekend, the results are in. And it’s not pretty.

From my bird’s eye view, everything at CPAC seemed to progress swimmingly – until columnist Ann Coulter took the stage. Granted, edginess and vitriol are part of her gig, but Coulter took her reputation to a whole new level. Answering a question about presidential hopeful John Edwards, Coulter quipped: “I was going to have a few comments on…Democratic presidential candidate John Edwards, but it turns out that you have to go into rehab if you use the word ‘faggot.’”

Elsewhere in her speech, Coulter targeted Al Gore: “What’s Al Gore up to these days – about 400 lbs.? Did Al Gore actually swallow Michael Moore?”

The worst part? Each of these comments drew hearty laughter and applause from the audience.

This puzzles me. You see, during my political maturation, I was taught that liberals’ arguments are more emotive, while conservatives’ are more rational. Liberals call names and hurl insults, I was told; conservatives use facts, history, and logic to construct their arguments. For the most part, this has always been true. But not now – and conservatives, evidently, seem to like it.

Nevermind the fact that conservatives are easily (yet unfairly) accused of bigotry for their views on homosexuality, affirmative action, and illegal immigration. Nevermind that conservatism, a belief system known for its principled thinkers, has always stressed character and integrity in its adherents. Nay, fling about vile epithets and give the liberals proof of our so-called prejudice.

That was Strike One: Cheering on and encouraging hateful words from conservatism’s most controversial commentator.

But that wasn’t all.

Each year, CPAC attendants vote on the upcoming presidential contest. While this straw poll is not known for its scientific accuracy, it certainly distinguishes who’s “hot” from who’s not.

This year, results were surprising – coming from a group of conservatives, anyway. Former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney triumphed with 21%, with former New York Mayor Giuliani (17%) at his heels. Neither are conservatives.

All you really need to know about Romney’s stance on the issues is this: He was elected governor of Massachusetts. In the past few years, Romney has most conveniently moved to the right on abortion, homosexuality, welfare, and taxes. The man even dissed Ronald Reagan during a debate in 1994. And he earns CPAC’s blessing?

Mr. Giuliani isn’t much better. (In fact, he’s worse.) Giuliani deems homosexuality “good and normal,” and when asked about a measure banning partial-birth butchery, Giuliani responded: “No, I have not supported that, and I don’t see my position on that changing.”

That was Strike Two: Rewarding and embracing candidates who not only are liberal, but use the mask of conservatism to win friends on the Right.

With twenty months to go until the presidential election, conservatives are about to strike out. Before 2008 ever rolls around, they’ll be wiped out. Annihilated. Obliterated.

But there’s one more chance to hit it out of the park. We must return to our roots and convey our conservative message honestly, respectfully, and passionately. We must remain loyal to our principles, and support candidates who truly subscribe to them.

Whether conservatives go home victorious with the trophy or amble back miserably to the dugout is up to them.

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