CR Nation

An article written by Chistopher Banerjee, Chairman of the University of Maryland College Republicans:

In the aftermath of this past election, we are faced with questions. Where do we go from here? What does this mean for the future of the Republican Party, the conservative movement, and our College Republicans chapter? In this time of discord for conservatives, there are varying opinions as to what must be done to regain political power. However, it is clear that now is the time to look forward, not back. We must learn from our past mistakes and defeats, but we should not dwell on them, or lose heart because of them.

Although I certainly don’t claim to know all the solutions to the tough challenges facing our party in the coming months and years, there is one thing I strongly believe. We must ignore the siren calls of the left that aim to entice us into abandoning our conservative values and vitiating our Party, in favor of an approach that would turn the G.O.P. into merely a more moderate version of the Democrats. Alexander Hamilton once said, “Those who stand for nothing fall for anything.” At this defining moment in the history of our party, it is time to ask ourselves what we truly stand for. What are the core values and beliefs of the conservative movement in the 21st century? Our answer to this question will likely determine the future of the Republican Party for many years.

As the U.M.D. College Republicans, we form only a tiny part of the Party as a whole, but there is still much we can do on this campus in the coming weeks and months to promote the conservative ideals that most Americans share. Although the election is over, the fight in defense of our time-honored beliefs and principles will continue. Now that we are in the minority as a political party, we must fight even harder against the onslaught of liberal initiatives that will surely begin in January. In the spring semester, we will be organizing a conference on campus to discuss the future of the conservative movement and the Republican Party.

While many on the left are arrogantly predicting the demise of conservatism, they could not be more mistaken. Our movement has outlasted the New Deal during the 1930s and 1940s, the big-government programs of Lyndon Johnson, the humiliation of Watergate, and the presidency of Jimmy Carter. Undoubtedly, the defeats of this past November 4th were devastating; however, if we rebuild our party and our movement on the steel foundation of fiscal conservatism, traditional values, and a strong military and foreign policy, we will endure and the American people will rally to our cause.

There is an ancient Roman proverb I like that goes “Ad astra, per aspera,” which means “to the stars, through adversity.” Our journey out of the political wilderness will not be short, or easy. It may even be longer and more difficult than we imagine. Yet if we as Republicans remain true to our conservative values and work indefatigably to win back the respect of the American people by restoring our image as the party of reform and responsible government, we will ultimately prevail.

The immediate future may look bleak, but our day will come again.