Mark Sanford: "Loyal to ideas, not to men"

Gov. Mark Sanford of South Carolina hits the nail on the head with his Politico piece asking what's ahead for the GOP ... and making some good points. I was alerted to it by Norm Leahy in his "Loyal to ideas, not men" post.

Gov. Sanford writes:

First, let’s go back to the principle of saying what you mean and meaning what you say.
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Second, our loyalties need to be to ideas, not to individuals.
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Finally, we need to look toward the states for answers, rather than toward Washington.

He fills in the reasons for all three points in a succinct way that the GOP would do well to follow, and concludes:

Where change must come, though, is in once again making our party one that governs on the principles it professes. That change starts with each of us in elected office, and more importantly, with each person who cares about returning to conservative principles making their voices heard.

We have to find our way ... or we will be wandering the political wilderness for a long time.