I remain baffled by last year's post-election assertion that Tea Partiers were a different breed of Republican. Tea Partiers weren't focused on social issues, and so the assumption was that they didn't care as much about social issues. Of course, we now know that's ridiculous. Between the "No Taxpayer Funding for Abortion Act" and the "Protect Life Act," congressional Republicans have been nothing but relentless in their social conservatism.
If there's any takeaway from today's CPAC speakers, it's that social conservatism is still a powerful force in the Republican Party. All major speakers said some variation of "we must protect traditional marriage," and one of the more well-received speeches was given by Rick Santorum, a potential Republican presidential candidate, and strong social conservative. There were sessions on Don't Ask Don't Tell repeal -- short summary, they don't like it -- and a number of speakers came out to warn listeners about the growing momentum for gay rights. As I've said before, the Tea Party is the same conservative base we've always known, and while they haven't emphasized social conservatives, they also haven't abandoned it. As Republicans run up against the limits of their power in Congress, expect to see more legislation like the "Protect Life Act"; symbolic, but a clear statement of priorities.
