NCNA, Reagan Conservatism and Sarah Palin

I have to disagree with Tony Perkins here:

In another step away from its conservative roots, Republican members of the House unveiled The National Council for a New America in hopes of recasting the Party's ailing identity. The effort only underscores the Republicans' present identity crisis, as the GOP leadership kicked off the campaign devoid of the values that once caused voters to identify with the party.

If there going to be an NCNA (and there already is one), then conservatives such as Eric Cantor, Haley Barbour and Sarah Palin should be fairly represented on its Council of Advisors (and they are). The last thing conservatives need is for a group which aims to get the party back in touch with the views of the people to have those views interpreted exclusively by party apparatchiks who are not conservatives.

Therefore I agree with Ramesh Ponnuru's post in response to Perkins:

"I'd point out that what the council is doing is very similar to what Haley Barbour did at the RNC in the first two years of the Clinton administration: holding panel discussions around the country to discuss conservative policy ideas. Barbour's effort didn't stress the social issues either, but its inattention to them did not mean that the influence of social conservatism in the Republican party declined during the early 1990s. Far from it."

On another point, Perkins takes Jeb Bush to task and says the GOP must not abandon Reagan's principles:

"Former Gov. Jeb Bush explained the values void by saying it was time for the GOP to give up its 'nostalgia' for Reagan-era ideas and look forward to new 'relevant' ideas."

I'm not a big Jeb Bush supporter, but to be fair to the former Florida governor, he never said that the GOP should abandon Reagan principles or Reagan ideas. Here is the actual quote:

"I felt like there was a lot of nostalgia and the good old days in the [Republican] messaging. I mean, it's great, but it doesn't draw people toward your cause," Mr. Bush said."

I was outraged, too, until I carefully re-read the article. I think Jeb is the victim of some sensationalist writing by the Washington Times reporters here. In fact, deeper in the story Bush says that the party should remain true to its conservative principles.

I'm no mind reader, but I believe Bush meant to convey the the thought that nostalgia for the Reagan era without any attempt to apply Reagan's timeless principles to today's issues does conservatives no good. The best way to keep Reagan's spirit alive, in my view, is to give the voices of conservative young guns like Sarah Palin a serious hearing. Her inclusion in the NCNA panel should serve to do just that.

Update: Mark Tapscott represents the view of those conservatives not willing to cut Jeb any slack. You decide.

- JP