Open Hand vs Closed Hand

This post is intended to push forward on the countless "What Republicans should do" posts that are flying around. Whether you are conservative, moderate, Main Street, Libertarian, NeoCon, SoCon, or WhateverCon is irrelevant because we are all Republicans. Christine Todd Whitman and Robert Bostick <a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/11/13/AR2008111303347_pf.html">argue</a> we need to divorce the religious right. Ignoring that it is the SoCon's that helped deliver most of our political wins in the last 20 years. The Nuge and countless others say we need to go <a href="http://www.humanevents.com/article.php?id=29458">RINO hunting</a>. Ted my sentiments are with you but unfortunately we need the moderates for a winning coalition. So instead of blaming this wing or that wing of our Party for our recent losses we need to define what it means to be a Republican and leave the rest to the rubber chicken circuit. What am I talking about? Open Hand issues and Closed Hand issues.

This concept is not new but needs to be applied to the GOP. We need Closed Hand issues that we all agree on. Ones that define Republicans. That are bedrock, firm, and ones that we will "go to the mattresses" for. We have to unite and not compromise on the issues of fiscal conservatism, limited government, lower taxes, national defense, a constructivist judicial system, and individual freedom.

In the Open Hand we have the issues that we can debate amongst our selves but are secondary issues and should not divide us. In particular I warn against becoming a single-issue Republican. These issues include gun control, abortion, health care reform, family values, capital punishment etc. These are the issues that are too highly debated on a personal level. If the Republican party sticks to the Closed Hand issues the Open Hand issues will take care of themselves.

This is the only way we will become the Big Tent party we all talk about and it is the only way we get back in the majority.