Some, like Rush Limbaugh, think Republicans need a pleasing personality to keep the old Reagan coalition of social, economic and defense conservatives dancing together in the same tent. Others, like Newt Gingrich, contend that Republicans must move beyond Reaganism with a message more attuned to today's voters.

What Newt seems to have forgotten, Kevan Ann, is that it's the Reagan Coalition, having seen enough of Demoscum-monopolized government, that put him and the Republicans in control of the Congress for the first time in fifty years in the first  place.

And he got there by running on conservative  platforms - specifically, a Contract with America that promised to reform the Imperial Socialist Congress and pass laws & implement programs favored by...wait for it...conservatives.

He'd do well to remember that.

We agree with the modernizers, which is why we recommended last month that Republicans nominate Gov. Mike Huckabee. The Arkansan has a keen ear for the economic anxieties of modern workers, which differ from the social and cultural worries that attracted "Reagan Democrats" to the GOP.

Uh, wait a minute, Kevan Ann.  Granted, you're cute as a bug - but that doesn't mean you get a pass when you start to spew bullshit.

In case you've forgotten, Ronaldus Magnus ran on a platform of tax cuts, spending cuts and economic reforms to bring us out of the...let's see, what was that word again?...ah yes - "malaise" - brought about by four years of failed economic policies of Jimmuh Cahduh.

And now you're wanting us to be led by another Ar-kansas governor who might as well be another Kaiser Wilhelm...?

I don't think  so.

Whether or not Republicans go with his fresh thinking, the GOP can't simply live off the intellectual capital of a generation ago. Not unless the party wants to make the same mistake Democrats did.

Bullshit.  Contrary to what you might feel, Kevan Ann (Cthulu forbid I ever accuse you of thinking), conservatism works every time it's tried.  The only times Republicans find themselves in any trouble is when they either act like or listen to Demoscum.  It is no coincidence that when Shrubya decided he'd rather get along better with Demoscum than fight them on things like border security, education and Glow-bullshit Wormening™, the American electorate decided to give him more  Demoscum to play with.

A conservative who ran like  a conservative, and didn't apologize for it every time a Lame Stream Mediot™ pooh-poohed him and called him a "big meanie", would sweep this country like fires generally go through California forests.

Republicans, particularly, need to reconsider the relationship between government and the economy. For instance, it makes sense in today's world to think every bit as much about investing in initiatives

Translation:  tax hikes and exerting even more federal control over education.  Neither of which America needs any more than they need another plane flying into a building.

that help students master math and science as it does to sprinkle tax cuts upon the wealthy.

In the first place, since "the wealthy" drive a damned good portion of the economy with this not-too-well-known-to-the-DMN concept called "private-sector investment", it behooves our economy to let them keep more of their money so that they can drive  this economy of ours.

Secondly, our kids used to do just fine at mastering things like math & science back when teachers were allowed to teach facts, rather than theories (read:  evolution and the aforementioned Glow-bullshit Wormening™), sex education in first grade and feel-good, self-esteem-enhancing  bullshit.

Kids learned a lot more when it was just "readin', ritin' and 'rithmetic".  Those that didn't learn...went on to become op-ed page editors.

Primaries serve to sort out and prioritize a party's message; the GOP's future rests on how this drama turns out. We're pulling for the modernizers.

I really miss the Dallas Times Herald.  When they were around, I didn't have to put up with this sort of socialist sewage from the Morning News.

Up yours, Kevan Ann Willey.