GOP having an 'identity crisis'?

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Well after severing some setbacks in the last election the Republican Party is having a very public debate.

About which way to go and our next guest says the GOP is in the middle -- a true identity crisis because it simply does not know.

What it wants to be Craig Shirley is -- books on Ronald Reagan and his presidential campaigns including rendezvous with destiny.

He's -- the president of Shirley and banister public affairs and communication company -- Craig a true.

Identity crisis you say that's been coming on for a couple years doesn't have to do with this this just read most recent election.

Why why do you think the GOP is in the middle of an identity crisis.

Well thank you -- did it came -- -- -- obviously with the election but two weeks ago but.

It's a problem that's been brewing for some time that's why you see it saw the outcropping of the Tea Party movement because.

They felt the Republican Party had grown into a second big.

Political party in America much like the Democratic Party and I think a lot of people see it that way today.

Is -- found himself in a very similar situation after 1976.

After -- reported lost to a Jimmy Carter.

And he went out and gave speeches calling for what he literally set a new Republican Party.

It can no longer be the party of the corporate board room it can't be the part of the country club.

It has to be the party the individual has been the party of the shopkeeper the cop on the street the homemaker.

But it cannot -- centralizing authority -- Washington.

Was antithetical to a conservative Republican philosophy.

It's -- -- you entering even the Republican primaries he saw this debate about.

You know mirror mirror on the wall who's the most conservative the -- And -- -- thing we also saw come up now we've we've seen this conversation continue now on the last two weeks did -- have a a similar attention that he had to navigate about.

What a true conservative.

Really is.

Bad you know that's a good question early in his career yes but -- he went through intellectual evolution over time so -- in the late seventies.

He's a fully formed.

Optimistic conservative who believes in federalism who was.

Rallies and and runs against.

The Washington buddy system he openly -- after big business big government big labor.

The big lobbyist and called for sending power back in authority back to the states and localities and the individuals so.

Yes it did to your question an early point his career he wasn't fully defined as as the modern conservative that he later became but.

Interestingly enough he was always a revolutionary even the eight years that he was head of the national government.

Nobody ever thought about Ronald Reagan as being part of Washington he may have been here but he was always challenging the status quo always challenging authority eighteen and it reminds you.

-- -- Now now but if that's -- -- this this is a very very unique man there's some people who understand him.

There's some people understand response be the -- people articulate his philosophy who who -- quote get Ronald Reagan.

But is far is.

Presidents like -- Reagan don't grow on trees and you know that's why we've had so few and far between great presents from Jefferson to Lincoln Franklin Roosevelt -- -- to a Reagan.

-- it quick final point one of the things you brought up -- your your op Ed piece recently is whether it was social issues like gay marriage or bigger -- in you know national issues like immigration.

You say there's something in their for the Republican Party that is not necessarily issue based but it returned to local -- And if you -- list and on that because I think it's an interesting point that maybe we should discuss the next several weeks and months.

-- absolutely -- is you know your opening up a pandora's box through conservatism when I was beginning to be coalesced in the fifties.

There was a philosophy called fusion is some which was that business interest.

-- -- there are threatened by big government and sort of social family values were threatened by the government.

So they found commonality.

Between in in lol and a small government philosophy and that's what brought them together and that's what form the basis of conservatism.

For forty years.

Beginning in 2001 -- 2002 that pandora's box was opened with the nationalization.

Of social issues and that is a very very slippery slope to get into because.

If you start nationalizing.

Marriage where do you where do you draw the line where you stop nationalize the social policy and.

-- saying you know a lot of people -- it was just needs better PR your PR guy is not just PR.

No it's not about NASCAR substance and philosophy and commitment to principles it in his you cover them out Craig we look for to have you back and -- do you have a conversation appreciate -- -- Happy Thanksgiving you --

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GOP having an 'identity crisis'?

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