The nomination of Harriet Miers to the Supreme Court has set off a bit of a family squabble within the Republican Party. President Bush is used to battling senators Edward Kennedy and Charles Schumer, but suddenly he is going toe to toe with the likes of William Kristol, George Will and a host of other leading conservatives. Alas, there are few things more fun than watching a good intra-party rumble.

The president’s conservative critics argue that a real cowboy never walks away from a fight and yet that is exactly what Dubya did by nominating Miers. Lagging popularity or no, this was the showdown conservatives have been awaiting for 30 years and our gunfighter failed to show. 

Democrats, of course, love it.

Adding to the hilarity is the recent indictment of House majority leader Tom Delay and the Valerie Plame debacle, which continues to hang over the White House like a storm cloud, further draining the president of political capital. All the fun has folks scratching their heads, wondering aloud, “whither the Republican Party?”

Abolitionist, founding member of the Republican Party, and former slave Frederick Douglass said, “Men are not made for parties. Parties are made for men.” It is the principles under which men govern that are most important, not which party is in power. The question therefore should be:  Whither the conservative principles of limited federal government, personal responsibility and strong national defense?

Conservatives are up in arms over Harriet Miers, but where was the outrage when Republicans in congress were expanding federal intervention into public school education with No Child Left Behind? Where was all the wonderment when the Republican congress voted for the $400 billion -- I’m sorry, the $800 billion ... oops the $1.2 trillion -- dollar prescription drug benefit for seniors? Where were the tight lips when Republicans began making noise about a guest worker program that, during time of war, would further flood our nation with illegal immigrants? Why no harsh criticism when all the Republican gunslingers cowered from a shootout over Social Security reform? In fact, where are the cries of outrage now that, rather than endorse a flat tax or value added tax, the president’s tax advisory commission has instead recommended a middle class tax increase in the form of limiting the mortgage interest tax deduction?

Now, that is funny! A room full of Republicans, and they fail to come up with one recommendation grounded in conservative principles?

As the Democratic Party looks forward to capitalizing on Republican dysfunction during the mid-term elections next November, it might behoove Republicans to recall what Douglass said so simply and eloquently. Fidelity to principles is what makes the Party strong.   

The disappointment over the nomination of Miers is merely the boiling-over of months of frustration. Conservatives are finally standing up and saying we are tired of Republicans paying lip service to conservative ideals only to deliver us “liberalism lite.” It is a declaration that our principles matter, and, as the fellas on the street might say, that we are no longer falling for "the okie- doke." More than a few pundits have offered that conservatives will have to like it or lump it. After all, we have few options. Certainly, we will not stay home next November and risk a Republican defeat at the polls.  Conservatives may not, but others fed up with Republican broken promises just may. 

If the president must take a thump on the nose, and Delay and Karl Rove must fall on their swords in order for conservative principles to thrive, then I, for one, say, hey, a little bloodletting is just what the doctor ordered.