I would have found the recent gyrations of Newt and Cole amusing if they had merely been off the mark. The fact that they seem to think that they have some valuable input in addressing the woes of my beloved GOP sent a chill down my spine. They simply don’t realize that they are part of the malaise that has gripped the party since the mid-1990’s.

Once upon a time there was the Moral Majority. They made deals, compromised, and generally realized that you win some and you lose some. They helped get Reagan elected, but were not the sole, or even the main source of his support. They played well with others, and did not pack up their toys and go home if everything did not go their way.

At some point the Moral Majority was usurped, first by the Christian Coalition, and then by what has become known as the Evangelical Right. These groups played a significant role in getting a GOP slate elected in 1994, being a party to the Contract With America.

Then things started to go wrong. Not all at once, but wrong nonetheless. After ten years of control in the House and Senate, the GOP had failed at almost everything they tried. Even with control of the White House, they could not make a tax cut permanent. They abused the tool of impeachment to the point that grave divisions have been caused within the fabric of our nation. They oversaw one of the greatest disarmaments of our nation’s defenses. They failed to corral the Evangelical Right, and thereby disenfranchised the majority of their own party.

Now, here we are. No money, no leadership, and soon enough no party. This is bad.

What is worse is that the people who led us into this quagmire, Cole, Newt, Lott, and the rest of that pack, now come crawling out of the woodwork, having the temerity to claim they know just what to do. I would laugh if I could keep from crying.

So, after a great deal of thought, and after having borne insult, injury, and finally disaffection at the hands of my party, I offer what I believe it would take to get the GOP back into shape.

1)      Ride herd on the Evangelical Right. If these folks think they will do better with the likes of Clinton and Obama, let them find out for themselves. It is well past time for the tail to stop wagging the dog.

2)      Revise the tax code. The GOP has lost credibility with the fiscal conservatives because they have failed to carry out their mandate. Shrink the federal government, and pass the savings on to the tax-payer.

3)      End earmarks and unfunded mandates. It is time for the GOP to revisit State’s Rights. Increasing the burden of the state and local governments without increasing their revenues is making the national government less accessible, not more so.

4)      Pay off the debt. If you need an explanation for this one then get out of my party.

There are some bold moves. Air traffic control, national language, and petroleum reserves are eye-candy issues with no teeth. Fix Social Security. That in itself could keep the GOP busy for a year if anyone in charge had both courage and vision. Sadly, those qualities have been lacking in the GOP for over a decade.