This was a perfect opportunity to do two things:

1. Talk about the importance of marriage family.
   
2. Show that principles are not formed with opinion polls.

There is, or at least there was, an opportunity to have a real debate within our party about this issue, and instead we let two people frame the terms and the direction of that debate. Regardless of how you feel about the two, both had same major flaws in their opening salvo.

While media across the state was laser-focused on this issue we chose to do almost nothing to talk about the issue. I didn't see any coherent discussion about the importance of marriage, why we on the right seemingly are "old fashioned," or why - right or wrong what was posted on Facebook - the discussion should be about the importance of marriage and what it means to a stable society.

But instead we let the media pin that article on each person that chose to stand up and talk. Why? Because this became about a person and what they did; instead of being about an issue based in principle.

Most reading will disregard this post and have some self-defensive reason for saying and acting how they did. That's fine, it is expected and really part of human nature. But if no one takes this to heart, and if no one on the right is willing to start talking about principles and policies again (regardless of it they read this blog) we are in trouble - deep trouble.

I know that many in the Tea Party movement feel that we need to hold the feet of those in office and with platforms to the fire but we have lost our way. Now, instead of debating ideas, we are simply about anger and disgust. We have become consequentialists who care more about the ends than the means. We have become intellectually lazy.

So let's turn this train around. Let's start talking about the ideas again. Let's shelve the faux-rage (and the real rage) and accept that in politics people will do no-good, low-down, dirty-nasty things to people for gain. Let's accept that they will attack people because they are seen as a foe.

And then let's do what conservatives have always done and beat them with ideas. It shouldn't matter who is saying it, if they are wrong - let the ideas lead the day.

If we aren't willing to put aside the inter-personal battles in favor of the war of ideas, we will get trapped in a quagmire. Then, someone will come along willing to talk about ideas, any ideas, and they will be whom the people here. So if we aren't there to counter those ideas... our voice is silenced.

A parting note: having seen many Tea Party and Liberty movements across the country, the ones that are most effective are the ones that put intelligent, well-spoken, and unflappable people to the forefront that have the most cogent and well-said ideas. The ones that get people elected are the hardest working, because they spend their time listening to those smart people and then taking action: walking doors, making phone calls, writing well thought out blog posts with lots of links - not pictures.