Elephant in the Room Man of Steele

Author: Stefan Claypool

The election of Michael Steele as chairman of the Republican National Committee is a significant event in American politics. The 168 members of the Republican National Committee decided to place the former Maryland Lieutenant Governor at the party's helm, establishing Steele as President Obama's most prominent opposition, in a move that could serve as an important step toward reestablishing the Republican Party as a healthy political entity - something citizens of all stripes should be able to agree is a good thing for our country.

During the presidential campaign, Barack Obama claimed the mantle of change and reform, while John McCain was perceived as out-of-date and increasingly irrelevant. Republicans were criticized for their apparent unwillingness to embrace new political realities, including the current makeup of the American electorate and policy changes that have occurred since the early 1990s. By selecting Michael Steele as RNC chairman, Republicans have acknowledged the need to adjust and take steps to rehabilitate their image.

What Steele brings to the table is a confident public persona, vast policy knowledge and a commitment to fiscal conservatism. More importantly, he brings with him a well defined set of priorities that are different from those of his predecessors. Chief among these is his understanding that in our current crisis, economics, national security and government reform outweigh social issues. Under former president George W. Bush, Republicans became known as the party of evangelicals, more concerned with social issues than economics. While debates concerning abortion, gay marriage, stem cell research and the role of religion in public policy will continue to rage, it is encouraging to see Steele recognize that they are not the most pressing issues we face. In this respect, Steele represents a welcome shift from the old order.

Additionally, Steele recognizes the value of business and its role in the development of the American economy. Steele understands that it is the private sector­­­­ - not the federal government ­- which has enabled America's most spectacular successes. Steele knows that the blame lies primarily with the ever-expanding federal programs enacted under every president from Carter to Bush that have strangled the housing market for the last three decades. (For an insightful analysis, see Scott S. Powell's "The Culprit is All of Us," published in Barron's.) In a time when it is fashionable to bash the private sector - a social phenomenon encouraged by a government with a vested interest in an interventionist agenda - Michael Steele is willing to loudly trumpet the virtues of business. It's that kind of audacity that the Republican Party has been lacking.

And it is that kind of audacity that this country needs. It is in the best interests of all Americans for the Republican Party to regain its footing and redefine itself as a viable political entity. Simply put, any era in which one party dominates politics is an era that lends itself to bad policymaking (witness the Bush Administration, the Carter Administration, and the Johnson Administration for recent examples). When there is only one viable party, it tends to engage in excessive and counterproductive policymaking designed to shore up its own power base without necessarily making positive contributions to the country. A strong two-party system is critically important to our country's future. It is in the best interests of all Americans for there to be a strong Republican Party in this country again, and, for this reason above all others, the election of Michael Steele as RNC chairman is a positive step toward a better American future.