The former VP Dick Cheney said today this about Colin Powell: “I didn’t know he was still a Republican.” This remark comes after Colin Powell explained that the Republican Party would do better by not listening to Rush Limbaugh. Limbaugh fired back saying that Powell should go ahead and become a Democrat already. A few things trouble me about this little verbal spat that has started within the Republican Party.

The issue here is one of principles and strategy. People like Cheney and Limbaugh seem to think that Republicans would do better by sticking to their principles in order to win elections rather than “moderate” or compromise some of them. Powell and his ilk believe that figures like Limbaugh are polarizing and “appeal to the lesser instincts” of those in the party. Personally, while I respect Colin Powell for his service to this country and his rationality when it comes to matters of national security, I disagree with him for a few reasons. The first reason is that Powell abandoned his party at its time of need by endorsing Obama.

I question Powell’s logic when he chose the candidate that opposed the winning strategy in Iraq, the candidate who was involved (in some way) with anti-American terrorists, the candidate who has been endorsed by terrorists and tyrants around the world. I think Powell followed his heart and not his mind. I understand it, but I disagree with it.

Second, when Powell insists that Republicans stop listening to Limbaugh, he is advocating that the Republicans not listen to a man who has devoted years to helping organize and motivate conservatives around the country. While I do not agree with everything that Limbaugh says, I believe that he has the right to give his point of view and people should listen to what he has to say. When Limbaugh says that Powell voted for Obama because of race, we should hear him out, at least to be able to refute him… which leads me to my next point:

Third, the reason that Powell pitched for the other team is not so much race, as Limbaugh implied, but rather as a rejection of Bush. In a sense, I do not blame him. Remember, it was Powell who stood before the UN with “proof” of WMD’s in Iraq only to later find out that the intelligence was less than reliable. Powell was left holding the bag. Powell was excluded from a lot of the policy decisions after the Bush administration decided to take the gloves off after 9-11. His advice was ignored. All the while, he faced criticism and inquiry from everyone. Sadly, the Bush administration left him hanging out to dry and when a person like Rush Limbaugh says things like “I guess he also regrets Reagan and Bush making him a four-star and secretary of state and appointing his son to head the FCC” I sense a condescension that deeply disturbs me. Powell’s service to this country earned him his stars and his positions and it is disrespectful to call them into question simply because of his recent actions against the Republican Party. Back to the point though, Powell has drawn his weapon in response to the Bush administration’s actions… so why must conservatives around the country be targeted? Why not just contribute to the discussion instead of criticizing conservatives in the process? Bush is not the Republican Party and in many ways Bush was not completely a conservative. All conservatives should not have to pay for their disagreements.

The fourth reason that leads me to disagree with Powell is that he insists that the Republicans need to move more to “the center” and that people are more interested in government intervention in their lives. Well, technically I think statements like this show that Powell is no longer a conservative, if he ever was. Conservatives cannot abandon “life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness” as their motto, and anyone who would diminish the “liberty” part has definitely gone astray. Specifically, Powell said that people are willing to pay for government services, but any transaction with the government requires surrendering more power to them and essentially limiting our liberty even further. Conservatives need to stick to their principles… Powell above all others should understand that the problem with the Republican Party is explaining the message, not the message itself. Bush was not effective at communicating the message and now what we need is an effective communicator, a Reagan.

The VP formerly known as Cheney (now known as Vader) is correct in rejecting Powell’s message but wrong in rejecting Powell. Republicans need to be open to all points of view, in as far as they do not contradict the basic values of this country, and the Democrat point of view that government needs more power to take care of everyone is against our first principles. Instead of arguing amongst themselves, Republican figures need to be discussing these issues. Listening to Powell nowadays, one would agree with Cheney that Powell seems to have left the party… what we need to do is invite him back… we need popular, rational people like him to carry our banner…

But only after he stops drinking the Obama kool-aid.

-AG