After receiving a sound thrashing on November 4 at the hands of the Democratic Party, the GOP has naturally begun to look towards the future in an attempt to revitalize its struggling base and strategize for the years ahead. At this point, despite excessive dialogue, no one really seems to know what to do next. As expected, a tug-of-war of sorts has ensued, leaving conservatives, moderates, and those in between uncertain and confused.

Welcome to the world of politics!

Though seemingly petty, the squabbling within the Republican Party “comes with the territory,” so to speak. After eight years of an extremely unpopular Republican administration, the Democrats’ new poster boy, Barack Obama, easily vanquished GOP nominee John McCain at the polls, leaving liberals everywhere in hysteria and sending Republicans back to the drawing board. Many of us saw this defeat coming, and Senator McCain’s loss on November 4 proved to be the ultimate wake-up call for our party. In response, we’re all wondering, “What now?” During times like these we all feel impassioned, so tempers naturally flare and disputes occur. In fact, we can expect debate to persist for many months, perhaps even years, to come. Fortunately, this debate is healthy; it ultimately helps us to understand each other and learn to work together in order to strengthen our party. So while we’re at it, I’ll throw my two cents into the fray!

Those of us who respect and admire John McCain realize that his career is far from over; on the contrary, the next several years might prove the most politically critical and challenging period of his life. Fortunately, John McCain need not face the daunting challenges of the Obama Administration alone; nay, many impressive conservative senators (as well as representatives) will join him in defending our freedom in the coming years. You see, despite all the talk, albeit constructive, of 2012, the present must command our immediate attention, for the present is the key to the future. In order to wrest the Presidency from Barack Obama in four years, Republicans must regain the trust of the American people—a job easier said than done. To pull it off, the GOP, which will be subjected to the utmost scrutiny in the upcoming years, must act wisely in Congress and around the nation and return to its conservative roots. As James Madison accurately observed in The Federalist No. 10, “[e]nlightened statesmen will not always be at the helm.” It is now up to the Republicans in Congress to keep any “unenlightened” public officials in check.

Fortunately, the Republican Party possesses many new and impressive leaders, perhaps the most familiar of which include Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal, Senator Jim DeMint (SC), Rep. Mike Pence (IN), and, of course, Alaska Governor Sarah Palin. Oh, and don’t count out former presidential contenders Mike Huckabee and Mitt Romney. If nothing else (and let’s hope for more), the next four years will certainly be interesting for Republicans.

The GOP clearly has messengers capable of furthering its agenda; now all it needs is a message. Why did John McCain lose? Well, he lost for many reasons, including his lack of a coherent vision for our country’s future. Similarly, although I believe much of the criticism heaped upon him is groundless and unfair, George W. Bush fell from grace in part because he tried to please everyone and ended up pleasing no one. Our future leaders must avoid this deadly trap!

I am not suggesting we transform the GOP into some elitist group that panders to a select faction of Americans; you don’t win elections through the diminution of your base. Even Ronald Reagan, the most staunchly conservative president of the 20^th century, believed in expanding the Republican Party, not shrinking it down to a single conservative clique. However, as we know well, the Gipper championed conservative principles like few others because he rightly believed that the Founding Fathers established America as a nation of certain inherent moral principles. The GOP has succeeded so frequently because of its dedication to these values; it will continue to succeed only if it remains dedicated to these values because, as we see, for example, in the passing of Props 2, 8, and 102 in Florida, California, and Arizona, respectively, many Americans still share these values. If you believe otherwise, so be it. Just know that Ronald Reagan and I disagree.

Ultimately, as with most of life’s challenges, balance is the key. However, conservatism will play a huge role in this country in the years to come. Because history so often repeats itself, we have a revival to look forward to in 2012. After all, America survived Jimmy Carter, and we all know who succeeded him. Just let Barack Obama and his liberal colleagues run amuck in Washington for a few years, and we’ll see voters singing a different tune at the polls.