Conservative Purism Is Needed Now for the GOP

With all of the talk about Biden's bill and policy proposals getting dubbed as ''bipartisan,'' a conversation needs to happen about the current lack of backbone in the GOP.

With Biden's infrastructure bill passing both the United States Senate and House of Representatives, Republicans have no one to blame except themselves and their leadership.

A range of questions can be asked why Republicans, who are supposed to be the judges of fiscally conservative policy, would vote for an infrastructure bill with more pork in it than a Buddy's Bar-B-Q.

Regardless of the Republicans betraying their belief systems and ideological stances by voting for the bill, it does not make much sense from a strategic standpoint.

Because of the Democratic Party's progressive wing possessing many ''No'' votes from ''The Squad,'' House Republicans had a prime opportunity to allow the bill to fail, leaving Democrats to have to go back to the drawing board even though the U.S. Senate had already approved the legislation.

Instead, the GOP has to game plan about other avenues to put a bandage on one of the most significant conservative losses during this legislative year.

One plan that needs to get crafted moving forward is promoting conservative purism on some of these Senate and House members.

It is well understood that some Republicans, such as Maine Sen. Susan Collins, often vote for Democratic-sponsored bills due to living in and representing bluer areas in the country.

However, what excuses do members such as Reps. Don Young, Alaska, Nicole Malliotakis, N.Y., or John Katko, N.Y., have?

Many of these members represent districts dominated by Republican voter bases yet are caving on primary principles which make them conservatives.

Not only are members betraying their constituents, but they are actively hurting their ideology with the promotion of fiscal responsibility that even progressives question. It is time to take a long, hard look at congressional members who do not represent the party adequately.

We have already seen former President Donald Trump's strategy toward 2022 advocating for loyalty and purism.

Trump is already supporting primaries for incumbent representatives who voted for his second impeachment and is calling for more and more as GOP House and Senate members make questionable votes.

He promotes primary opponents such as Joe Kent, who has shot up in polls over incumbent Washington-03 Congresswoman Jaime Herrera Beutler. Kent's surge is evident to how sick Republican voters are of congressional establishment members voting in directions that do not represent their views.

The rest of the GOP needs to take notice. The same situation has happened in Alaska, where long-time Senator Lisa Murkowski is barely polling above 25% as she takes on a Trump-backed primary challenge from Kelly Tshibaka.

Whether it is from a lack of loyalty and party principle or simply voting for Democratic policy as a Republican in name only, purism is not bad for the party moving forward.

Republicans need to know the states and districts where better options exist to represent the voter base and back those candidates.

The GOP does not need Democrats in sheep's clothing serving in Washington or anywhere else.