Too Sexy for the GOP?

Republicans now have their work cut out for them. They must prove to Americans that
they can not only get the job done, but that they will live up to their promises of limited
government, no taxes, reduced spending, accountability, and transparency. At the helm, the Tea
Party is holding Republicans’ feet to the fire, a spark that has generated, thankfully, a
conservative revolution nationwide.

One truth that the elite establishment of both parties cannot accept is that older
generations are dying off, period. As callous as that sounds, it is reality. For Republicans, this
does not mean a revamping of core conservative values – that should never have been
abandoned, in the first place -- but moving ahead with the times, modern trends,
telecommunications, and media relations are a definite must if they want to continue to survive.
In addition, members of the Tea Party and Independents are only too willing and ready to shove
them off the pedestal should they continue to make the same old egregious errors - including
unconscionable corruption. Removing the “earmarks” process is a great first start! No more
buying off Senators for votes for critically national disasters like Obamacare.

The GOP also needs to realize that sensationalism and glamour – and politicians as movie
stars and movie stars as politicians – are not trends that are going to reverse any time soon.
Unfortunately, Americans are not tired of Dancing with the Stars, but Americans are tired of talk,
lying politicians, and government ruling their lives, period. What establishment, other times
referred to as “country-club” Republicans forget is the mass numbers of upcoming proud,
strong, intelligent, and even beautiful women – products of Generation X, Y, and Z -- that are
replacing Baby Boomers. Gen X’ers were brought up on the then nascent 1980’s MTV – not
exactly your button-down, repressed type of individuals that fit into the mold of demure, plain-
Jane wallflowers. One could say that this largely includes Liberals, Libertarians and
Independents; however, it also includes a large number of Republican women who have grown
into more conservative viewpoints with age, time, experience, and education – and who literally
led the Republican cause in this past election (winners or not) – Meg Whitman, Carly Fiorina,
Christien O’Donnell, and Sharron Angle.

It is a fact that attractive, intelligent, strong, conservative women have been attacked by
the media more than Liberal women. Do not think for a second that the established elite GOP has
not also participated – incorporating both male and female chauvinists. Yet as a conservative
American, I support ALL adult women’s right to show off their beauty. This is freedom. These
are part of women’s rights – the US women’s right to vote not even 100 years old, yet still taken
for granted. This is everything that constitutes the complete antithesis of Sharia Law, where
women are clad in burqas and hijabs and stoned to death for the “crime” of adultery. Yet it seems
more and more we see “package deal” political women in the West with conservative values that
are still chastised on both sides for the crime of being both sexy and intelligent. I ask with full
sincerity, where is NOW on this issue on the assault of women’s rights? It is one thing to not
support a Conservative woman, but such a lack of acceptance will seem like ancient shibboleths
that they would long for as their problems if Sharia Law ever gained any traction in this nation.
In short, these groups have simply got to quit criticizing the political side of a woman; if one is
serious about women’s rights, move on to the true crimes of humanity such as those by the
mullahs and IRGC of Iran.

Back to the freedom of expression of women, my advocacy is not heralding lewdness or

promiscuity. Life is meant to be lived and celebrated, embracing and recognizing beauty and
strength at every opportunity. It’s a matter of keeping America beautiful, strong, smart, and free
by respecting and empowering these selfsame women. Is it not American for a conservative
woman to debate with the best of them while showing cleavage? There is absolutely nothing
wrong with class and sexiness. The party that will both win and succeed is the one that realizes
this, and is the one that breaks out of its tired old shell and embraces the reality of 2010:
package deals exist and are waiting on shelves throughout the nation. In order for men to be men
they must let women be women – including the smart ones that also might happen to be easy on
the eye.

Lauren Knapp Resnik is president of the Northern Orange Republican Women. She and her
husband are native Texans living in Hillsborough, NC.