Republican Party needs to make room for a ‘big tent’ By Juan Tristan

Imagine, if you will, a big tent. Now, this tent doesn't hold a circus or campers, but a party - the Republican Party. For years, even decades, the Republican Party has strived to maintain a kind of umbrella organization, one that contains several different types of conservatives from many different backgrounds. But try as they might to pretend their party holds more than the typical social conservative, the big tent is quickly losing the diversity that would make such a party strong. The Republicans are losing diversity in both ideas and in demographics. Perhaps because of the conservative nature of the Tea Party movement, the Republican Party is rejecting many of the more liberal members of its party. Furthermore, Republicans have alienated women and minorities in a way that could make it hard for those groups ever to return to its folds. All this in the name of winning an election. Some might think I'm exaggerating, but I'm not. Take, for example, Colin Powell and the falling out he had with the Republican Party, specifically with Dick Cheney last year. In a May 10, 2009 interview on CBS's "Face the Nation," Cheney said he thought Powell had left the party because of his liberalism and support for President Obama. Instead of having Powell, he said he would much rather have people like Rush Limbaugh as members of the party. Powell is a telling example, not only because he represents one of the few powerful African-Americans in the Republican Party, but because he holds a relatively moderate view compared to his colleagues. How then should other African-Americans or moderate Republicans feel if such an important and high-ranking member can be pushed out simply because his views differ from those of the mainstream? A more recent example comes from Alaska. An Aug. 24 primary dealt a blow to the senior senator from the state, Lisa Murkowski. In retaliation to what she described as unfair treatment during the campaign, she decided to run as a write-in candidate for the general election. A Sept. 18 article by Bridget Johnson on thehill.com reported that Senator Jim DeMint of South Carolina responded by calling her a "big-tent hypocrite" who didn't care about winning seats for the Republican Party. DeMint went on to criticize his colleague because she does not support repealing the recent health care legislation and because of her stance on abortion. I can easily understand the importance of winning seats; that's the most basic reason for any party's existence. I cannot understand, however, the vehemence with which Republicans reject those in their own party with even slightly different views. Essentially, Republicans want members who are going to vote down party lines without exception. They want members who follow the words of pundits like Glenn Beck and Rush Limbaugh. More than anything, they want members who will help them win this next election. But in exchange for those few seats now, Republicans have lost sight of the long-term importance of maintaining a stable party. Much like the big tent they once strived to achieve, a stable party must be anchored down. Those anchors come not from a homogenous party that votes according to dogmatic ideals, but from diversity. Diversity in politics and in demographics would allow the Republican Party to address the changing nature of America effectively. Otherwise, Republicans will be left following the whims of public opinion and the politics of movements like the Tea Party. Instead of throwing those with different views under the bus (or in this case, the Tea Party Express), I suggest the Republican Party returns to its bigger, more inclusive tent.