If It's The Start Of A Revolution, Let's Make It A Conservative One

On the heels of Scott Brown's huge upset in the Massachussetts Senate race there is a lot of talk about the beginning of a housecleaning of Democrats in November. That may very well be, but if this is the start of a Republican "revolution", can we pledge right now that it's going to take the form of candidates who actually espouse conservative ideals?

Conservatives are for controlling spending. The Republicans who lorded over Congress for six of the eight years of the Bush presidency were basically tax-and-spend liberals without the "tax" part. While there is truth to the Right's contention that the Obama administration is slowing economic recovery with its policies, there's also truth to the Left's argument that our current deficits have deep roots in the Bush presidency. Let's face it: until 2006, when the Democrats took over Congress, Bush never met a spending bill he wouldn't sign. It wasn't his tax cuts that hurt the economy. It was his willingness to spend like deficits didn't matter.

Conservatives are for smaller government. The federal payroll grew during the Bush years. That it's growing faster under Obama isn't the point; the goal should be smaller government, not growing government at a smaller rate that a Democrat would.

Conservatives are for the rule of law and the sanctity of the Constitution, not for the expansion of the powers of the Executive Branch, the issuance of signing statements to circumvent the laws of Congress, or the intervention in lawful orders of the court system because the outcome isn't the desired one (remember the Terry Schiavo fiasco?).

I'm excited about Scott Brown's victory because it not only throws a hell of a monkey wrench into the works of healthcare reform, but because it signals that America may be ready to give Conservatism another chance. Note that I said "Conservatism" and not "Republicans". The Party of the Elephant shouldn't misread Brown's victory as some sort of mandate to take back power. If they waste the opportunity, if they pick up large number of seats between now and 2012 and go back to their decidedly non-conservative habits, the "revolution" will be short lived.