GOP Crossroads

The Republican Party is at a fork in the road and recent events have propelled two of it's leaders into prominent positions as it gets ready to choose a path forward.

On one side stands Michael Steele, the newly elected party chairman, who is charismatic, conservative, media savvy and a person of color. On the other side of the road stands Rush Limbaugh, a crude and mean-spirited individual who gets rich by playing to base fears and likes to joke about "negroes."

Following the recent exchange between Steele and Limbaugh, it's obvious the party is in disarray. Some Republicans are hardcore Rush supporters and want the GOP to adopt Limbaugh's extreme views and continue confrontation with the Democrats. Others, including Michael Steele and Newt Gingrich, think it's time for new ideas and fresh policies:

Michael Steele:
"We're going to say to friend and foe alike: We want you to be a part of us, we want you to with be with us."
"..."apply [conservative principles] to urban-suburban hip-hop settings."

Newt Gingrich:
"It's not our job to be the opposition party. It's our job to be the 'better solutions party'"

Rush Limbaugh (and Limbaugh wannabes Sean Hannity, Ann Coulter & Glenn Beck) wants to continue the divisive politics that have been a mainstay of the Republican party for the past decade... perhaps longer.

Rush Limbaugh:
"I want Obama to fail."

"one thing that we can all do is stop assuming that the way to beat them is with better policy ideas right now."

Moderate conservatives like Ross Douthat and David Frum argue that the Republican party’s Limbaugh obsession “guarantees that the GOP will become a powerless rump party only for conservative true believers.”

What's good for Rush Limbaugh is bad for Republicans

In closing, moderate Dennis Sanders offers up three paths for Republicans - confrontation, accommodation or adaptation:

How to be a Republican in the age of Obama