Since November the Republican Party seems to be falling further into the political abyss. Rather than coming to terms with its departure from party principles under the neocons the party elite has muddied the water with name calling and finger pointing. There are those who want to point the finger at Sarah Palin as the reason for McCain’s loss.

I was a bit shocked when Governor Palin was chosen as the running mate. I hoped this could turn things around, but felt it was the death knell of the McCain campaign. Governor Palin is a great governor, a smart conservative and a wise politician who was eviscerated by the media and the self proclaimed defenders of women. I was alarmed at her pick, because a candidate picks a running mate to make up for personal shortcomings or to open up other regions of the country. For example, Kennedy picked LBJ to run with him in 1960 to make him more attractive in the south. Obama chose Biden because of his own lack of experience. John McCain, instead of bringing in someone to help win new areas, had to bring in someone to help win his own base. Over the course of his career, he has so alienated himself from the Republican party that there had been serious speculation after 2000 that he might defect to the Democratic party.

The Republicans loss had two side. On one you had Obama, the historical candidate—masses couldn’t wait to say they’d voted for the first black president. On the other side the actions of George Bush, a misguided GOP congress and the maverick John McCain left conservatives adrift without a party.

Today, the GOP Chairman announced the creation of the Center for Republican Renewal. The Center is supposed to promote the parties core principles, which sounds good until Chairman Duncan says the Center will be dedicated to “identifying the most inventive and effective ideas and policies across America.”

It is my hope that the Center for Republican Renewal will be an honest effort to return the party to the days of limited government and fiscal responsibility. If the chairman means to take the party further along its route into the darkness then it should learn to enjoy its position on the political periphery. The GOP had eight years of trying to win the populist vote. The populists didn’t trust them and the conservative base had no reason to support them. More of the same will lead to more of the same.