As the Republican Party basks in the glow on Honolulu for their winter meeting one major piece of business they will be handling is a resolution that has been signed by 10 leaders of the party.  The purpose of this resolution would be to determine whether a candidate qualifies to receive campaign funds from the Party.  Any candidate who seeks their funding yet has broke from Party lines on three or more of the aft-mentioned guidelines.  The following are the guidelines and the litmus test.

We support smaller government, smaller national debt, lower deficits and lower taxes by opposing bills like Obama’s “stimulus” bill;

We support market-based health care reform and oppose Obama-style government run health care;

We support market-based energy reforms by opposing cap and trade legislation;

We support workers’ right to secret ballot by opposing card check;

We support legal immigration and assimilation into American society by opposing amnesty for illegal immigrants;

We support victory in Iraq and Afghanistan by supporting military-recommended troop surges;

We support containment of Iran and North Korea, particularly effective action to eliminate their nuclear weapons threat;

We support retention of the Defense of Marriage Act;

We support protecting the lives of vulnerable persons by opposing health care rationing and denial of health care and government funding of abortion;

We support the right to keep and bear arms by opposing government restrictions on gun ownership.

This resolution has been trumpeted by Conservatives as a return to Conservative Reagan Principles.  The Resolution has been called Reagan's Unity Principle for Support of Candidates.  Two of the sections invoke Reagan's name directly.

WHEREAS, the Republican National Committee shares President Ronald Reagan's belief that the Republican Party should espouse conservative principles and public policies and welcome persons of diverse views; and

WHEREAS, the Republican National Committee desires to implement President Reagan's Unity Principle for Support of Candidates;

The amazing thing about this idolization is that Reagan himself is tip toeing the line.  The Grand Ole Party is going by the principles of our "American Pastime" baseball, 3 STRIKES & YOU'RE OUT. Just for fun let's cover the first 3 items.

1. Smaller Gov't
   Reagan grew the National deficit by $1 Trillion.  Hey he destroyed the Communist Soviet Union but that doesn't matter
   STRIKE 1
2. No Universal Health Care
   As California Governor he expanded Medi-Cal to become the nations largest Medicare system
   STRIKE 2
3. Market Based Energy Reform
   Again as California Governor Reagan established the Air Resources Board that limits smog limits on big business
   STRIKE 3 YOU'RE OUTWow Reagan just struck out like he plays for the Washington Nationals.  Just for fun lets see how he does on the other 7 items.
4. Support Workers Rights & Union secret ballots
   Guess what as a Union President Reagan campaign against the Taft-Hartley Act
   STRIKE 4
5. Oppose Amnesty for illegal aliens
   Reagan signed the Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986 which granted AMNESTY to 3 million illegal aliens
   STRIKE 5
6. Support military-recommended troop surges
   1983 following the bombing of Marine barracks in Beirut against the wish of many including VP George HW Bush troops were withdrawn from Lebanon.
   STRIKE 6
7. Contain Iran/N. Korea
   Can y0u say Iran-Contra & no we are not talking about the video game.  Senior administration members sold Iran weapons.
   STRIKE 7
8. Oppose Gay Marriage
   Reagan was the first President to have a sleep over with an openly gay couple.
   STRIKE 8
9. Anti-Choice
   Reagan signed the "Therapeutic Abortion Act" which was heralded as an attempt to decrease back room abortions
   STRIKE 9
10. Anti-Gun Control
    Reagan was very much for the Brady Bill and was quoted in saying "California, has a 15-day waiting period that I supported and signed into law while Governor"
    STRIKE 10

Now one must concede that these positions of Reagan's cover a time period from 1941 when he served as President of the Screen Actors Guild and all the way until he was President handling of the Iran-Contra affair in 1986. No man should be expected to keep all the same ideas. One should learn and grow over 45 years as Reagan did.

It is unfortunate that Republicans are attempting to narrow their party in a time where an electorate has grown. They heralded diversity by hiring Humpty Hump (Michael Steele) as the party chair but have steadily taken steps away from that movement. There are many who are conservative on some issues. The 2008 election was won through independents and those who are not defined by the traditional partisan American politics. Again this resolution is simply a proposal. If the GOP has any sense they will laugh at this resolution and get release stress. Maybe they will all get lei'd while in Hawaii.