I recently received an email in response an article I wrote on the “War on Women” from a woman claiming to be a Republican. She respectfully let me know that she disagreed with my opinion about Republicans and women. She also included gays and minorities.

I really appreciate her feedback because it reminds me that the Republican Party has failed miserably in defining who were are and what we stand for. Check that...The National Republican Party has failed miserably. So have many State Republicans failed in that regard including my home state of Massachusetts, which follows the National Party like puppy dogs.

It has been my contention for quite some time that the National Republican Party has been co-opted by progressives and intoxicated by the power of their positions and by the “Inside-the-Beltway” mindset. The National Democrats are the same way, but they are not my problem. Take Amnesty for illegal immigrants for example. No true Constitutional Conservative would ever consider granting blanket amnesty under any circumstances, but the Republicans in Washington are anxious to do so because they are willing to trade their principles for votes and power. The irony of that is that they probably didn't have any core principles in the first place, and the illegals aren't going to vote for them anyway.

On women’s issues, the National Republicans have allowed the Democrats and the obedient media to define their positions on women. Republicans don't hate women nor are we interested in preventing them from advancing. What we have is a disagreement with the Democrats on the role of government. The Democrats believe in strong State and Federal government and the really liberal ones believe that the Federal Government should tell everyone how to do everything. Republicans believe in the power of the individual, with limited government interference.

So when you look at contraception, for example, my new e-mail friend says that the government should provide free contraception, especially if we want to eliminate abortion. Conservative Republicans feel that contraception should not be limited for anyone, but under most circumstances it isn't the government’s place to be giving them out. We feel that handouts from the government should be limited to necessities like food and clothing and only to those who cannot acquire them on their own. Contraceptives do not fall under that definition to us. It doesn't mean we hate women, it just means we disagree on the role of government.

The Democrats and the media have stated that those mean old Republicans don't support women so you women should not support the Republicans. And what has been the response from the Republicans? Cue the crickets, please! Nothing, NADA, not a peep. The Republicans haven't stood up and exposed that for the nonsense it is.

We haven't had a strong, articulate voice on the national stage since Ronald Reagan.