Voices of Moderation (i.e., Surrender)

The incomparable Thomas Sowell writes:

History shows that muffling your message can mean forfeiting many a battle to extremists…No one has had more of a mixed and muffled message than Sen. John McCain, which is why Barack Obama is president of the United States…Republican moderates warn their fellow Republicans that they need to move away from the Ronald Reagan approach, in order to attract a wider range of voters. But Ronald Reagan won two consecutive landslide elections — and he couldn’t have done that if the only people who voted for him were dedicated conservatives…Apparently some moderate Republicans don’t realize that you can’t buy your opponents’ assumptions and then try to oppose the conclusions that follow.

In the face of the predictable calls for Republicans to "moderate" their views, language, political beliefs (translation: roll over like submissive dogs and give the Democrats whatever they want), it would do us well to remember Reagan's advice in a similar situation.