In his keynote address at last week’s Conservative Political Action Committee, talk radio host Rush Limbaugh reiterated his contentious desire to see President Barack Obama “fail.””I want any force, any person, any element of an overarching big government that would stop your success, I want that organization — that element or that person — to fail,” Limbaugh said.But for the Republican Party to truly succeed, it isn’t Obama who must fail — it’s Limbaugh.In many ways, Limbaugh epitomizes the ideological regression detrimental to the GOP’s revival.Limbaugh claimed conservatives could regain political prominence by staunchly opposing the socialistic agenda outlined by the Obama administration.While many Americans can acquiesce Limbaugh’s concern over increased nationalization and inflationary spending, they also realize conservative outcry for federal transparency and fiscal responsibility were noticeably absent the past eight years.For conservatives to re-emerge, they must first acknowledge their disharmony stems from a deterioration of principle.Many Republicans lost voter confidence because they invariably discredited the conservative brand of limited and efficient government.Rather than hold “phony conservatives” accountable, Limbaugh instead opted to stigmatize dissenters while ignoring the impetuous spending he now decries.This polarization manifested itself in last year’s elections as swing voters defaulted to the left. Republican attempts to reel in moderate voters by sidling to the center merely belied their  insincerity and lack of direction.Ergo, the more authentic brand prevailed.Rather than use the defeat as an opportunity to reconnect to their principles, many Republicans have regurgitated the medicine necessary for recovery.Limbaugh extolled congressional Republicans for uniting against Obama’s spending package. But until they can rectify their principles and identify a practical course of action, they’re nothing more than rebels without a cause.The CPAC’s headlining ensemble did not include the clairvoyant thinkers who portray a seminal shift in party philosophy. Instead, they embodied the true chasm that has unearthed many Americans from their conservative roots.And no one characterizes conservative hypocrisy more than Limbaugh.Limbaugh, Sean Hannity and others have used their clout to discredit genuine conservative doctrine instead of eschewing the misguided direction Republicans embarked on during the past eight years.Ironically, the most divisive voices are the ones now calling for Reaganesque conciliation.At a time when their congressional ranks have been decimated, conservative crusaders don’t need a haphazard voice of dissent.They need a voice of reason whose actions uphold their principles.Limbaugh showed in the early ‘90s he has the ability to galvanize people. But he shouldn’t be the standard for today’s transformation.He’s the quintessential used car salesman of the Republican Party, selling the same defective product with the same broken parts and pithy warranty voters shirked this past November.Contrary to recent economic tendencies, most people know a raw deal when they see one.They don’t want more of the same doublespeak and doctrinal infidelity emblematic of both Republicans and Democrats.They want a new product customized with pragmatic solutions to modern crises.Instead of berating the “drive-by media” and “liberal activist,” as Limbaugh does frequently, conservatives need to examine themselves and remove the beam from their own eyes.The way to do this isn’t by orbiting around the dark abyss that is Limbaugh.Real change radiates from the inside out.If conservatives want to reign in support, their actions must match their rhetoric.Limbaugh might still be able to rally the extreme right with his dynamic delivery and his adulturated brand of conservatism. But conservatives will merely wander in the political wilderness as long as they sheepishly espouse neoconservative ad hominem.Limbaugh might look like an elephant, but he’s really a wolf in sheep’s clothing.Scott Burns is a 19-year-old political science and business major from Baton Rouge.—-Contact Scott Burns at [email protected]