"The Right Path", by Joe Scarborough, provides a brief review of the Presidents from Eisenhower through Obama, emphasizing the best aspects of the Republican presidents who led best.

The point he makes is that the GOP of the moment bears little resemblance of the Party of Reagan, and given that the Republican party failed to win the popular vote in five of the past six Presidential elections, that negative trend needs to be examined and reversed. Scarborough's states that he's tired of the Republican Party losing the White House, and suggests a movement back to the paths set by Reagan and Eisenhower, i.e., principled pragmatism over ideology, is needed in order to win future presidential elections.

Scarborough recommends that the Party adapt to the changing times, and reach out to leaders who would govern from the middle rather than the fringes. Conservatism must take reality into account. There are voices in the Republican Party, Tea Party activists, who preach that the reason the Republican Party candidates have failed to gain the most votes in recent presidential elections is because they weren't conservative enough. That push further to the right is the wrong path, per Scarborough.

If more electable candidates were supported in 2010 instead of ideological favorites like Christine O'Donnell in Delaware, Sharron Angle in Nevada, Richard Mourdock in Indiana, and Todd Akin in Missouri, Congress would be in Republican control today, and Harry Reed would be retired. Scarborough warns that primary voters who indulge in Republican resentments in picking candidates instead of choosing a candidate who could win in the fall is a losing choice.

General Colin Powell is one of Scarborough's examples. He was not supported by the conservative wing of the party because he was considered too moderate. But listening to the retired general made it clear why he was drafted as a key player in previous administrations. Powell is free market believer, supporter of educational reform, innovation and competition, and supports a realistic foreign policy vs. foreign adventurism. In spite of right-wing, profit-driven talk show radio hosts who unleash their fury against anyone who disagree with them, the Party needs to reach out and include realists, moderates, and conservatives. If the Party is big enough to reach out to disaffected moderates like Colin Powell, the Party will be big enough to win back the White House.

Scarborough's theme is that if the Republican Party only represents the far right spectrum of the Party, the G.O.P is in trouble. There's a need to pull in moderates, independents and swing voters who have been driven into the Democrats camp due to Republicans narrowing vision. The message I took from the book is that moderation is essential given today's trends and shrinking base, and that is "The Right Path" for the Republican Party. ( )