Meghan McCain: The GOP Needs To Become More Moderate

Meghan McCain, who the media is furiously trying to make the voice of the new GOP, imparted some more wisdom to the masses today. This time saying that the GOP hasn’t been moderate enough and that’s why they’re losing elections.
Given that her own father, John McCain, is one of the most “moderate” (read: liberal) Republicans in the nation and just got thumped by Barack Obama, color me a little skeptical.

(CNN) — Meghan McCain, daughter of former Republican presidential candidate John McCain, said the GOP is going to have to become more inclusive if it wants to rebuild.
“I just wish that moderates like myself — more moderate Republicans and more socially liberal Republicans — weren’t looked at as, ‘Get rid of the dirty moderates. Get rid of them,’” the 24-year-old told CNN affiliate KTAR radio in a joint interview with her father.
“We need to be an inclusive party. We need to be an umbrella party. We need to inspire 20-somethings, which is something the Obama campaign did very well,” she said on the “Mac & Gaydos” show.
“And it’s not that I think that our message is neither good nor bad — I just think it’s that the Democrats package their message better, and I think if we could be able to communicate with my generation, the Republican Party can really rebuild itself,” she added.
Asked about the coverage she’s been getting for the GOP, McCain said she feels like she’s “speaking out for a lot of young people that don’t feel spoken for.”

I think that Meghan McCain, whose inane ramblings are given far too much attention by the media, is suffering from delusions of grandeur. As a young Republican myself, I can say that Meghan speaks for Meghan and that’s about it. Though I understand why the liberals like putting Meghan on the air. Running more of the limp-noodle Republicans of the sort she clearly prefers (read: John McCain types) is exactly what the real liberals need to stay in power for generations.
I will say that I agree when Meghan says that Republicans need to give some of the social issues a rest. As I posted earlier today, like it or not the GOP isn’t going to be riding gay marriage back to any national electoral victories any time soon. Besides, with the nation teetering on insolvency and Obama on the verge of nationalizing our credit, auto and health care industries we’ve got bigger fish to fry right than dudes marrying dudes right now.
But on the larger issue, Meghan couldn’t be more wrong. She says that the Democrats have done a better job of packaging and marketing their message. She’s right, but not in the way she thinks. Democrats have done a very good job of convincing Americans that they are the real fiscal conservatives, and they’ve been aided in no small part along the way by Republicans (like, ahem, Meghan’s dad) who have simply lost their way. Listen to people like Barack Obama and Nancy Pelosi when they talk. They talk about tax cuts. Cutting earmarks. Ending corruption. Responsible budgeting. Ending deficits. Reducing debt. Those things are the hallmarks of fiscal conservatism.
Democrats pay them lip service because they must to get elected. But that’s not how they govern. So yes, they’re very good at marketing. But not so great on leadership. Or keeping their promises.
If Republicans want to find their way out of the wilderness they don’t need slick marketing. They need to simply mean what they say when they move their lips about limited government and lower taxes. Right now they’re doing what the Democrats do, which is say one thing and do another. If they stop following in the Democrats’ footsteps, thus giving Americans a viable alternative to the Dems, they’d be on the path back.