Clueless Colin Powell

In his CNN interview over the weekend former Secretary of State Colin Powell revealed his true colors as a moderate and admonished Republicans about the recent election. He said that the GOP lost the election, because they emulated the approach of Rush Limbaugh.

“There is nothing wrong with being conservative,” Powell said. “There’s nothing wrong with having socially conservatives views.” Yet he castigated Republicans for following the lead of Rush Limbaugh. "Is this really the kind of party that we want to be when these kinds of spokespersons seem to appeal to our lesser instincts rather than our better instincts?"

In support, Powell referenced an article by Mort Kondracke in which Kondracke castigated Rush Limbaugh for elevating heartfelt, core social values of conservatives, such as the right-to-life and traditional marriage. The former Secretary of State must not have realized what he was saying. Could he really have meant that promoting issues that protect life and preserve the moral fiber of society is operating not from compassion or wisdom, but from our lesser instincts?

Astonishing! Since when is moral integrity and compassion rooted in our lesser instincts? Can you imagine those kinds of comments being made about abolitionists?

What would Powell have said to say to William Wilberforce, the great English abolitionist? Might he have said, “You are so strident in your commitment to your principles that you are alienating slave owners. You need to tone things down if you want to get anywhere politically.”?  Fortunately, Wilberforce persisted for 40 years with his campaign until he finally saw the slave trade abolished in England. He modeled what it means to stand for what is right in the face of opposition.

Powell reveals how little he understands the morally conservative heart when he suggests that conservatives need to stop caring about the issues that drive them. Conservative principles of personal responsibility, protection of life, and preservation of traditional moral values are not matters of personal preference that can be set aside or toned down. They are not cerebrally derived platitudes that can be changed like a personal preference. Morals come from the heart and express who a person is. Anyone who can tone down such morals didn’t grasp them too well in the first place.

I am uncertain why Powell considers himself even a moderate conservative. Throughout the interview he revealed only ignorance about true conservatism. To illustrate this I’ve compiled a chronological, point-by-point presentation and assessment of Powell's main points:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zflu8WYo5c0

Powell’s point 1: For the Republican Party to gain more support they need to avoid moving to the right.

Inference: If Republicans want more votes they need to abandon their values and move to the left.

Powell’s point 2: Speaking strongly about conservative values will alienate minorities and keep Republicans polarized.

Inference: If Republicans want to have a future they must either stop valuing what they value or hide their values to gain votes.

Powell’s point 3: There is nothing wrong with being conservative or having socially conservative views, but if Republicans want to maintain national influence they must change.

Inference: Heartfelt conservative values must be forsaken or hidden.

Powell’s point 4: Republicans must avoid telling minorities to pull themselves up by their own bootstraps.

Inference: Minorities are primarily welfare-dependent city dwellers who do not want to hear that they must take responsibility for themselves. To win the vote of those who depend on the government to take care of them, Republicans cannot be like Horatio Alger and tell poor people they can make something of themselves. Honest, helpful talk must be avoided.

Powell’s point 5: The Republican Party has to appeal to minorities by listening to their hearts and minds and stop trying to influence them with Republican principles and dogma.

Inference: To win welfare-dependent minorities Republicans must not tell them what will change their lives for the better.

Powell’s point 6: The Republican Party must stop “shouting at the world” and take a hard look at itself.

Inference: To gain more influence, Republicans need to stop being so blunt with their message.

Powell’s point 7: For Republicans to win in the future they need to emulate the approach Obama used to win the minority vote.

Inference: I noted in my WND commentary that in this recent election Obama bypassed people’s minds and appealed to them on an emotional level. Powell inferred that if Republicans are to win in the future they need to say little of intellectual substance and offer people a feeling of hope and security. The end will justify the means.

Powell’s point 8: Republicans need to stop following the lead of Rush Limbaugh, because he appeals to our lesser instincts rather than our better instincts.

Inference: The heartfelt, core social values of conservatives, such as the right-to-life and traditional marriage, must lose their importance to Republicans. To elevate issues that preserve the moral fiber of society is to operate not from compassion or personal morals, but from our base nature.

Overall, Colin Powell showed extreme ignorance of the conservative heart and the liberal mind. The majority of the welfare-dependent are like grownup children who know little of personal responsibility and look to the government as a parent to take care of them. Powell’s suggestion that Republicans listen to their hearts is unneeded. Conservatives already understand the liberal heart, which is why they stand with Horatio Alger and tout the importance of pulling oneself up by the bootstraps.

In one way Powell is right -- adults in the “child role” might not want to hear that they need to grow up, but the Republicans must continue to sing that song if our nation is to be helped. The Republican Party is not harmed by its morally conservative values -- it is strengthened! Our Founding Fathers warned us that without them we would disintegrate as a nation. We are already on that path.

It is just for that reason that I have written Born Liberal Raised Right: How to Rescue America from Moral Decline -- One Family at a Time. Professing conservatives do not need to forsake their commitment to moral conservatism -- they need a deeper understanding of what it means to live conservatively. Not only will their lives be changed, but the nation can be preserved as well.