President Ronald Reagan once said the country did not need a third party but a rejuvenated Republican Party. He pointed out that most commentators make a distinction between what they call “social” conservatism and “economic” conservatism.  He was a unifying figure able to open the Conservative umbrella and keep both factions dry.

I wonder if he would still believe that today?  It’s a different political landscape and there is very little difference between a Democrat and a Republican.  There is a huge chasm between a Liberal and a Democrat and an equally wide crater between Conservatives and Republicans.  There is a universe between a Liberal and Conservative.

Would the country be better served with a three party system?

The media likes to paint the Tea Party as right wing nuts bent on re-shaping social issues.  The media actually portrays all conservatives in terms of social issues versus discussing the value of conservative principles like limited government, lower taxes, peace through strength, and belief in the individual.

Moderate Republicans may believe in these tenets but do not have the guts to stand up for them.  Moderate Republicans are not willing to fight for freedom, faith, family and American Exceptionalism.  They talk tough during the Primary when courting conservative votes but quickly acquiesce to the middle when in a general election.

I once believed in that strategy never realizing I fell prey to rejecting the very reason Reagan was so successful.  He knew opening the umbrella “…will mean compromise but not a compromise of basic principle.”

Moderate Republicans are pretenders in the primaries so they do not have the depth of understanding of conservative principles to know how not to compromise basic principle.  In short, they cannot be trusted to advance the conservative principles.

In his book, 11 Principles of a Reagan Conservative, Reagan biographer Paul Kengor analyzes the late president’s speeches and actions to paint a full, accurate picture of conservative beliefs. Moderate Republicans do not have the capacity to fight for these principles.

That’s why I think it is time for three partiers. The three can be a Liberal Party, a Conservative Party and a Moderate Party.  Let the chips fall where they may and let’s see what type of governance the American people want.