I am truly thrilled by the results of the Nov. 7 midterm elections. The Democrats rightfully reclaimed both Houses of Congress after 12 years of Republican control. With seven million more votes cast for Democrats than for Republicans and not a single Democratic incumbent defeated, the American voters sent a clear message to George Bush’s Republican Party: We are tired of their corruption, their war and their bogus social agenda.

But as we prepare to shift control of in the legislative branch in January, I think it’s critically important that we try to make peace between the two parties. As the likely Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid said, “The only way to move forward is through bipartisanship.”

I agree wholeheartedly, and it is in this spirit that I want to take a few words to offer up my appreciation of the Oberlin College Republicans.

Why am I, a self-identified and outspoken liberal, praising a group of Republicans with whom I probably disagree on most key issues? For exactly that reason.

There is a serious dearth of disagreement on this campus when it comes to political issues. We all expected Oberlin to be liberal — that is one of its most notorious characteristics. But the overwhelming hegemony of opinion is not in the best interest of any of us. With no one to disagree with and to challenge our ideas, we become intellectually lazy. We take our opinions for granted and lose sight of questions of ideology. Political discourse is nonexistent, and politics becomes a spectator sport in which we cheer for the blue team for reasons no better than those of a Yankees fan.

In addition to making us think harder about our beliefs, I think the the OC GOP helps keep us Oberlin liberals in touch with the real world. As we all know, we live in a very comfortable community. This is great in some ways. It allows us to experiment and feel comfortable trying all kinds of new things. But at the same time, it allows us to lose touch with the world outside of the bubble. We forget what the majority opinions are and then we delve too deeply into the fringiest of the fringe. The deeper we go into the fray, the further we are from enacting change on the issues that matter most.

Why else do I like the OC GOP? For one thing, as far as I can tell, they are pretty intelligent group. College Republicans President, Jonathan Bruno writes an exceptionally good bi-weekly column, “The Right Stuff” that appears on this very page. Twice a month I read Bruno’s column and am challenged to think more critically about my own ideas. Of course, in the end, I generally disagree with Bruno. His assertion last week that Nancy Pelosi will inevitably bring about tax hikes seemed just plain wrong to me, but at least he sounds like a real live conservative.

And while the Ronald Reagan Political Lectureship Series, the OC GOP’s number one project, has brought a lot of pretty thoughtless loudmouths to campus so far — Michelle Malkin and global warming denier Patrick Michaels come to mind — the group’s recent invitation to Weekly Standard editor William Kristol indicates that it may finally be attracting speakers who match the intellectual caliber of the Oberlin student body. I would like to see the group continue to bring more intelligent, thoughtful conservatives to this campus, not righteous ideologues who do little more than stir up hatred and incite anger.

I wish Jonathan Bruno and the others in his organization the best of luck. I would love to see their success. I would like to imagine that when our generation comes of age and begins running for public office, we will see more conservatives like those coming out of Oberlin and fewer in the tough-guy, anti-intellectual mold of George Allen, Rick Santorum and George W. Bush. 

Having been educated in a political climate like Oberlin’s will make these Republicans qualified to be a legitimate conservative force, just as their presence on campus will enhance the intellectual legitimacy of the Oberlin liberals whose ideas they challenge. The end result will be a healthier democracy and a more productive discourse — first here and eventually in America. I can’t wait.