The delusion of today's conservative

Gina Ciancone and Domenic DeSocio’s recent op-ed in the pages of this newspaper shocked us—not only for the extreme views on the nature of “conservatism” presented as fact, but for the decidedly unserious strategy they present for solving the problems that face the United States.

Let’s set aside for a second the argument that programs and departments such as Social Security, Medicare, and the Department of Education are “unconstitutional” and worthy of elimination—an extreme suggestion that is far outside the mainstream, not to mention groundless in modern constitutional law.

The deepest insight into the mistaken mindset of the “true conservative” can be seen in the focus the authors place on arguing that Republicans must become “a party of real conservatives for the 2012 election.”

The authors mistakenly assume that the character of U.S. citizens is overwhelmingly conservative, committed to a series of libertarian and ideological principles. Rather, voters place their trust in politicians who are serious about taking care of the issues facing the nation.

In describing the Tea Party’s relationship to the Republican Party, the authors also entirely distort the true purpose of political parties—to gather, mediate, and synthesize similar yet inconsistent views. That “outspokenly conservative viewpoints are being stifled in the party’s legislation” is not “frightening,” but rather expected—and frankly, reassuring.

Politics is not simply a sport, a game where the winner is determined by ideological purity. Our country faces very real and very serious issues both now and in the years to come, and the only winners—or losers—will be the citizens of this nation.

President Obama—regardless of what you may think of his policies—has proven over the last two years that he is deeply serious about solving the problems this country faces over the years to come, a theme he reinforced in last Tuesday’s State of the Union address. For members of the Republican Party to advocate “no compromise” is to advocate an abdication of the responsibilities of government.

Tea Party Republicans should feel free not to compromise. It will do nothing more than provide further evidence that the “intense conservative” is willing to risk the future of his country to be able to boast his ideological purity. And it will, thankfully, wash out those members of Congress who do not take seriously their responsibilities to continue working, in good faith, to create a more perfect union.

Peter Andrews is a Columbia College first-year. Charlie Starr is a SEAS first-year.