Ideology = Leadership?

For the past few weeks, Rick Santorum has been questioning Mitt Romney's conservatism.  He is trying to capture the "Anyone-but-Mitt" sentiment and he is now telling conservatives that he is best conservative alternative to Mitt Romney.  After watching Gingrich all but implode, Santorum is rising in popularity with the Anyone-but-Mitt's.  His approach seems to be working.  Santorum is now taking it further by claiming that he deserves the support of the Republican base because he believes that he is the best conservative alternative to Obama.

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I give it to him.  I don't think that Mitt Romney would ever try to say that he is more socially conservative that Rick Santorum.  Rick Santorum is very conservative and his social views on abortion and gay rights are very extreme -- even for my standards.  Yes, Mr. Santorum, we get it.  You are socially conservative.  (Being a fiscal conservative however, is still up for debate).

But there is a much bigger issue going on in the GOP race and it baffles me that conservatives are not addressing it.

Why is the "Ideology Test" the only test conservatives expect a candidate to pass?

Santorum can pass the conservative ideology test.  Yes, but shouldn't there be more to this nominee?

Has his ideology given him the skills to know how to lead with those principles?  Has his ideology made him an effective leader?  Has his ideology endowed him with the ability to know how to effectively manage?  Did this ideology grant him ability to know how to effectively eliminate the $15 trillion deficit that is crippling our economy?  Has his ideology taught him how to rescue broken programs?

Even in his own state of Pennsylvania, Mr. Santorum's strong ideology wasn't enough to re-elect him in his own state by his own constituents.  He lost by 18-points to a Democratic rival.

It goes without saying that strong ideological values are important.  However, deeply rooted principles don't grant someone the skills to know how to lead with those principles.

Ideology should not be the only test we give our candidates.

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We saw this happen with President Barrack Obama.  As a freshman Senator and presidential candidate, he was extremely liberal.  He had very deep liberal roots.  Democrats loved it and anointed him the leader for their party, which led him straight to the White House.

Well, despite his deep blue ideology, his Presidency has been a disaster.  He was in over his head.  President Obama did not know how to be an effective leader.  Which is why he could not even rally the Democratic House and Senate to pass his any of his initiatives during his first two years.  The only success he has experienced has been behind closed doors with rumors of scandalous bribes and back room deals.  Is that leadership?

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Did his ideology--even as far left as it was -- give him the skills needed to be an effective leader?  The answer is no.  (Thank heavens. I can't imagine where we would be as a country if he had actually been an effective leader).

Obviously ideology is important.  I would never advocate that it isn't valuable.  A candidate must prove him or herself and be able to defend their values with their record, but it goes far beyond that for finding the right leader.  Leadership is rare.  Leadership is invaluable.

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Mitt Romney's record demonstrates that he has already passed the ideology test.  As Governor, he cut spending, he defended life, he protected the sanctity of marriage, he balanced budgets, he eliminated wasteful and expensive programs.  He shrank the size of Massachusetts' government and he did it based on fiscally conservative principles.  Mitt Romney was a leader for the conservative cause in a very hostile environment.

But beyond conservative values, Mitt Romney has an innate and unique ability to lead.  He is a rare individual.  His successes in fixing broken systems are remarkable.  Time and again, he has fixed broken companies to the point of profitability.  He has resuscitated the damaged.  He has fixed the hopeless.  Over and over he has made weak things stronger.

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Mitt Romney is a conservative, but Mitt Romney is also a leader.  This is what makes him unique.  This is what makes him ready.  Shockingly, this is exactly what conservatives are willing to overlook.  He has been prepared in his years in the private sector and also during his term as Governor.  He is ready to fix our broken government.  He knows what it will take.  His record shows that he has been driven by conservative ideals.  He is ready.

Rick Santorum has demonstrated conservative ideals, but he can't demonstrate that he has passed the leadership test.  He hasn't shown an innate ability to lead.  

If conservatives do not begin to rally behind the right candidate--Obama will find himself still sitting in the White House on January 1st.  What is the most frightening thing about that scenario?  Obama has had four years of on the-job-training.  His second term will bring about the fundamental changes that he could only dream about in his first term.  His first four years have prepared him for his second.

Too much is at stake.  It is time to get America back in the hands of someone driven by conservative principles and more importantly, someone with the skills needed to actually be successful.  It is time to rally behind the right leader who has emerged at the right time.  

America needs Mitt Romney.