This list comes from MSNBC, it is supposedly a resolution being e-mailed around to Republican National Committee members as a proposed litmus test for Republican candidates. So far it goes like this, you are a Republican if you support/vote for:

(1) Smaller government, smaller national debt, lower deficits and lower taxes by opposing bills like Obama’s “stimulus” bill
(2) Market-based health care reform and oppose Obama-style government run healthcare;
(3) Market-based energy reforms by opposing cap and trade legislation;
(4) Workers’ right to secret ballot by opposing card check
(5) Legal immigration and assimilation into American society by opposing amnesty for illegal immigrants;
(6) Victory in Iraq and Afghanistan by supporting military-recommended troop surges;
(7) Containment of Iran and North Korea, particularly effective action to eliminate their nuclear weapons threat
(8) Retention of the Defense of Marriage Act;
(9) Protecting the lives of vulnerable persons by opposing health care rationing and denial of health care and government funding of abortion; and
(10) The right to keep and bear arms by opposing government restrictions on gun ownership

The email also contains some guidelines on how to apply the list.

“RESOLVED, that a candidate who disagrees with three or more of the above stated public policy position of the Republican National Committee, as identified by the voting record, public statements and/or signed questionnaire of the candidate, shall not be eligible for financial support and endorsement by the Republican National Committee”

I feel that this is a pretty comprehensive list yet not too restrictive, especially if only 80% is passing. Democrats have hidden the ball effectively by hammering the narrative that we are exclusive, unwilling to allow flexible viewpoints into the party. Conservatives have been angry, not that every candidate meets our standard, but that the tent is too big.  There comes a point where you’re not a Republican and if that line can be defined it makes it a lot more difficult for RINO’s.  The list is not perfect but it is not supposed to be. It leaves room for libertarians and squishy moderates. It is something that most of us ( Republicans ) can agree on with a dissent here and there. The RNC knows it must eliminate this third party talk while reassuring a place for everyone in the Republican party. The fact is less and less people are identifying themselves as Republicans and though conservatives continue to be the most popular political label we need to fix the problem. I support fantasy politics and realize that areas with a higher concentration of Democrats might not elect a Goldwater type candidate. I am fine with this and so should you. This is a good move.

The media will continue to sound the alarm that our party is fracturing but we know better. Republicans suffered the consequences of having a candidate in New York’s 23rd Congressional District who was so far from our principles that conservatives put their own man on the ballot. We lost, barely, but we made our point. There has to be some standard that we govern the party by and I am willing to embrace this list, with it’s accompanying guidelines.

You hear this Olympia Snowe (R-ME) !!!

The .PDF of the entire email is available by clicking HERE.

UPDATE: VIA  Allahpundit: “Apparently, Steele has nothing to do with it. It comes from a bunch of members working on their own, who want the full list put before the RNC for adoption at the next convention.”