In the spirit of public service and responsible, even-handed bloggery, this normally leftish facility is going to reveal to you why the Conservative Party has been so unsuccessful in winning over Canadian hearts and minds. I hope the senior CPoC policy wonks are listening. Pay close attention.

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Canadians want, need and deserve a real alternative to the Liberal party. Not a Liberal party with a thin, right-wing frosting; and not a political Frankenstein pulled together from disparate elements in a desperate bid to win votes from across the political spectrum. We need a real Conservative party, born of a strong, clear and consistent vision, and built on the bedrock of solid Conservative economic and social principles. The CPoC was conceived as such a party, and its strength is the clarity of that original vision.

But there are many within the party - well intentioned, decent people - who feel that the Party should be weakening its policies and its principles for the sole purpose of attracting voters. They believe, sincerely, that the pursuit of a few ridings in Ontario is worth the abandonment of the Conservative beliefs and traditions that united the Party in the first place, and that still forms the core of its founders and current leadership. They advocate soft pedaling many of the policies that are the actual expression of those founding principles. And therein lies the threat.

Well, the Conservative Party cannot, and must not, compromise its core principles. The Catholic Church doesn’t give its adherents options when it comes to same sex marriage, abortion, or Papal infallibility. You accept the Church’s position…or you stop calling yourself a Catholic. The Catholic Church has done pretty well by sticking to its guns, and the Conservative Party needs to learn a lesson from that.

There is no place in the Party for fake Conservatives like Belinda Stronach, whose values run so deeply counter to those of the real Party. There is no place in the Party for so-called “progressives” who are forcing the Party to dilute its stance on key social issues. There is no place in the party for those who cannot put their own egos aside and accept the current leadership and direction. In order to actually start winning broader support in Canada, the Conservative party needs to forget the notion of accommodating those who just don’t get it. They confuse the Party’s message, they weaken the Party’s focus, and they make it harder for Canadians to understand what authentic Canadian Conservatism is really all about.

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Did you follow all that? Still with me? Good. Now, the Big Answer.

Why are the Conservatives stalled?

Because so many of them would read, and actually accept, the preceding four paragraphs of high-minded nonsense. They really believe it. In fact, every sentiment expressed in that little sermonette was stolen directly from the right wing bloggers and pundits I enjoy.

The notion that somehow “purifying” the Party - applauding the departure of MPs deemed insufficiently loyal, moving further right, hardening the Party Line to return to “real Conservative values” and thus kissing off Ontario - will magically increase votes is a peculiar one, almost Orwellian in timbre (Less is MORE! Losing is WINNING!). Nevertheless, it seems to be one of the rising memes-du-jour among our right wing brethren.

We who are not of the Conservative persuasion are greatly comforted by this strategy. I personally encourage the Conservatives to administer a Purity Quiz to potential party members to ensure that no closet liberals accidentally sneak into the party. Best to have a small, like minded group of ideologically pure supporters in Opposition than a sloppy, diverse undisciplined group forming a government. Hear, hear.