OT:

I just had to say how glad I am that Michael Steele stood up to Rush Limbaugh. I agree with Rush on a lot of things, but I really disagree with the way he is trying to draw some fictional line in the sand to claim “conservative” ground only for himself and those who agree with him on every single issue. His cheap shot about John McCain “not being a conservative nominee” as the reason the Republicans lost the election was also dishonest and a declaration of civil war within the Republican party. Rush wants to distract people from the fact that he himself contributed to John McCain’s defeat by undermining him during the primaries and then giving him only tepid support after he won the nomination. John McCain has been a better fiscal conservative than many Republicans that Rush has supported over the years, such as George W. Bush.

There really is no disagreement among conservatives over major issues such as keeping government spending down, lowering taxes to create economic growth, and maintaining a strong national defense. Rush is attempting to define Christian right views on social issues as necessary in order to be a “true” conservative. However, if William F. Buckley were alive today, he would take great issue with Rush on this. True conservatism is to keep the government out of one’s private business such as whether or not you choose to own a gun, whether or not you choose to continue your pregnancy, whom one chooses to marry, whether or not you choose to drink alcohol, and whether or not you choose to smoke marijuana. The Christian right view on social issues is a Big Brother government view on social issues.

But more importantly, the Republican party needs to make room for both libertarian and Christian right views on social issues, avoid a civil war within its ranks over these issues, and try to concentrate on the issues where conservatives all agree, such as fiscal responsibility and maintaining a strong national defense.

Unfortunately, if there’s a civil war coming in the Republican party, you can blame Rush for trying to appoint himself as the final arbiter of what conservatism is.