“I have a message, a message from the people of Kentucky… we have come to take our government back.” Those were the first words of Senator-elect Rand Paul, after he thanked his family, in his Tuesday night victory speech.

As returns came in one at a time from the East Coast out to the West, it was evident this message was not exclusive to the Commonwealth of Kentucky. Almost simultaneously, news flashes confirmed that Marco Rubio would become the next Senator from Florida, defeating Governor Charlie Crist and Congressman Kendrick Meek.

The anti-incumbent, anti-establishment fervor that gripped the electorate made massive waves, which crushed a former majority once thought to be permanent.

Just two years after President Obama’s historic win, the party that leans right is in control of the House, with seemingly all of the political momentum one side can have.

Did the GOP brand really change so quickly? Could they recover from the thrashings of the past two elections?

The ’06 and ’08 elections proved the Grand Old Party label to be a poison with no cure. Yet, “the last eight years of failed policies of this (Bush) administration” seemed to be a faint memory on Tuesday night.

With the fabled “tidal wave” wiping out Democrats and incumbents all across the nation, Obama and the Democrats can still look forward to 2012 if the GOP does not adopt the principles and ideas that generated the landslides in Kentucky and Florida. If the GOP wants to be successful in the coming years, they must follow the examples of Rand Paul and Marco Rubio.

And no, not candidates running away from witchcraft or slipping in a few off-the-wall comments here and there. (Both of whom lost.)

Fighting the attacks on religion and character, trying to clarify his stance on the Civil Rights Act (which he never said he would repeal), and separating himself from an overzealous supporter, Rand Paul reiterated over and over the need for “adult conversations.”

With the national debt over $13 trillion and government liabilities reaching over $50 trillion, it is about time someone talked about serious conversations. Paul made the proposal that we keep our pledge to seniors in Medicare and Social Security, but look into new options for younger Americans who can plan for changes that must occur to insure solvency.

We simply do not have the money to finance our current path of government. Even if we can fund this quest one day long after this downturn, be prepared for the burglars to clean the coffers as they always do. Government must learn to live within its means, like every American must.

Rand Paul offered solutions, which are alternatives to the GOP train of thought that governed the past decade. A realistic fiscal policy that realizes the government actually has $2.2 trillion to spend. Balance the budget, like all families are forced to do. Actually think twice before going to war, and then declare it.

Stop arguing and blame-gaming on Medicare and Social Security and keep commitments while preparing for the future. Get government out of the way, as the stimulus has failed to produce, health care premiums have rose since “The Bill” and no-fee checking accounts are disappearing with the “Banking Reform” bill.

Doesn’t sound too dangerous after all. Contrary to prior thought, late polling and exit polls showed Paul strong with seniors, whom Paul’s opponent said would be gypped by his presence in the Senate.

These ideas make sense and obviously resonated with voters as Paul gave himself a 10 percent chance of winning the primary when he first filed. The ideas made for a Rocky-like story for the son of the originator of the Tea Party, who, by the way, doesn’t recognize much of today’s Tea Party.

Marco Rubio presented ideas that make sense, and ousted the once popular Governor Charlie Crist right out of the primary and again in the general election. Cut the White House and Congressional budgets by ten percent. Use the TARP proceeds for reducing the debt. Reduce the federal bureaucracy, reform entitlements while keeping commitments, get government out of the way to reduce health care costs.

Sounds like the people like ideas like these. We have to face reality and we have to be responsible.

If the Republican Party wants to keep this momentum alive, they better adopt sensible ideas held by the so-called fringe of the party. Best they adopt those principles of candidates who stomped the establishment of the party.

The policies of pre-emptive war, bubble-creating forced home lending and massive spending has to be faint memory in GOP success stories.

The history of such policy lets us know that the mainstream ideas of the past decade won’t keep it alive for the Republicans.

John Anselmo is a senior majoring in economics.