Get This Party STARTed

Where is the party of Republican calls for Europe to revert to pre-1914 borders and thus end the First World War? Of those Republicans who resisted entry into the Second World War until America was actually attacked by either side? Of Eisenhower’s ending of the Korean War, his even-handed approach to Israel and the Palestinians, his non-intervention in Indo-China, and his denunciation of the military-industrial complex? And of Nixon’s suspension of the draft, his pursuit of détente with China, and the ending of the Vietnam War by him and by Ford, an old stalwart of the America First Committee.

Where is the party of Reagan’s withdrawal from Lebanon in 1983, and of his initiation of nuclear arms reduction in Europe? Of James Baker’s call to “lay aside, once and for all, the unrealistic vision of a Greater Israel” and to “foreswear annexation, stop settlement activity”? Of Republican opposition to the global trigger-happiness of the Clinton Administration? And of Bush the Younger’s removal of American troops from Saudi Arabia after 9/11, thus ensuring that there has been no further attack on American soil?

With the determined reporting of a nonexistent Tea Party landslide (in reality, the GOP old school did so well that Lincoln Chafee won Governor of Rhode Island), possibly the last opportunity that Fox and talk radio will permit is presented by the possibility of ratifying the latest START in this session. In that case, some lame duck. Joe Manchin, this is your opportunity to prove that you are indeed a conservative Democrat, not a DINO.

And over to you, Dick Lugar (voted for it last time), Bob Corker (voted for it last time), Johnny Isakson (voted for it last time), George Voinovich (retiring), Bob Bennett (retiring, because forced out by the Tea Party), Lisa Murkowski, Olympia Snowe, Orrin Hatch, Jon Kyl, Susan Collins, Lindsey Graham, Judd Gregg, Mark Kirk and Scott Brown. Yes, Scott Brown. Would that not be too, too delicious? Why, he and Graham might even bring John McCain with them.

Every Republican on that list who is not retiring, and one who is, the Tea Party has been after you, or will be after you, or both. Yes, Scott Brown, that does include you. It is time for you all to remind your party that it needs you a lot more than you need it. Voting for START in this session, not least by reference to the first two paragraphs above as well as to the fact of a strong Moderate showing this year, is the ideal opportunity to send the message.