The College Fix

ST. LOUIS, MO. – Unite and fight.

That was the main message from speakers at CPAC-St. Louis in Missouri on Saturday, as a parade of leaders in the Republican Party told the crowd that infighting must end and conservatives must strongly engage in the war for America.

The call for libertarian-Republicans, conservative-Republicans, neo-conservatives and social-conservatives to come together as one to take back the country was a prominent theme that ran throughout many of the 40 speeches during the one-day event, which drew more than 1,000 of the party’s most faithful.

While many speakers proffered different solutions to that end, the goal was clearly the same.

“We need to join together, not change who we are,” former U.S. Sen. Rick Santorum of Pennsylvania and a potential 2016 presidential contender told the audience. “The conservative movement does not have to change to win.”

Santorum spoke at length about his relatively new foray into the culture wars, as he’s recently produced a conservative movie. He said other conservatives should take on new challenges as well to win the hearts and minds of voters.

“We have to do a better job of convincing people that we understand, relate, and care by sharing with them the truth, through a medium in which they understand,” Santorum said. “Whatever God has called you to do … start with your family, get involved in your community, we need to be engaged and energized.”

At one point Santorum even admonished the crowd a bit, telling them Democrats have a rabidly devoted dedication to their cause, and Republicans must, too.

“They will do whatever it takes, and we have not,” he said. “So I ask you to join me. I am fully engaged, I am all in. … We need to have the same intensity.”

The nation’s ongoing Great Recession was also delved into by speakers, who rallied behind tried and true fiscal conservatism.

Americans For Tax Reform founder and President Grover Norquist in his speech, for example, encouraged people to hold Republicans accountable for their Congressional votes.

“Republican-elected officials who vote for tax increases are rat heads in a Coke bottle: They damage the brand for everyone else,” Norquist said. “Never let them tell us to compromise when they mean ‘please lose.’”

He went on to call Democrats “teenage boys on a prom date– they keep asking for the same thing in different ways.”

“We want one thing from the government: we wish to be left alone,” he said.

Texas Gov. Rick Perry, another potential 2016 presidential contender, echoed Norquist’s sentiments that fiscal policies resonate with the masses, telling the audience to tout “red states that are out-performing blue states” for tax-policy examples.

He also explained why low-tax policies are vital for a state’s economic success, and what’s worked for his Lone Star state.

“We cut taxes, we don’t spend all the money, we create fair and predictable legislation and we stop frivolous lawsuits,” Perry said. “Because of that we have an abundance of jobs and revenue that demonstrates that while you can’t spend your way to prosperity, with the right policies you can grow yourself there.”

In addition to economics, the heart and soul of the Republican Party was defined and highlighted throughout the day by many speakers who revved up a crowd quick to cheer and clap through it all.

Louisiana State Sen. Elbert Guillory (R-Opelousas), a black lawmaker and former Democrat, said he’s tired of “hyphens.” He said he’s not “African-American” – he’s “American.” And as for what kind of Republican he is, he spelled that out, too.

“We need to define who we are with crystal clarity and no hyphens,” he said. “We are the party of freedom. We are the party of a less intrusive government. Republicans are the party of the free press and are the party that will shrink Washington D.C. down to size and bring an economic boom to this nation again.”

“Republicans are the party that will tell OPEC where to get off, and will free American energy producers to bring us into a new millennium. Republicans are the party that will finally fix our education system that is so broken. Republicans are the warriors, Republicans are the protectors of America.”

Sen. Tim Scott, R.-S.C., the only African American serving in the United States Senate, also encouraged the crowd that the Republican Party is the party that believes in America.

Scott told his personal story, how he started life as a poor student flunking high school. But thanks to the help of a Christian businessman and mentor, and a mother who was quick to discipline him, he is now an American success story.

He told the audience not to lose hope.

“America’s finest hours are still ahead of us,” Scott said. “We are an opportunity society, we are not a society that believes in redistribution. … If we do what it is we need to do, all of America will stand up and join this conservative movement.”

Fix contributor Miriam Roff is a student at Saint Louis University.

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