<erfect time to tell the Republican Party to reclaim its moral compass. In the days of Lincoln and Eisenhower, the Republican Party both spoke and acted on its principles, championing civil liberty, responsibility, and patriotism. These values should never be lost in our society, and it is time for encouraging them again in our leadership. Here are a few easy steps to revitalize Republicans we can respect.
First: Pursue unity. To all those putting out ads on both sides that claim to support/stop Trump, quit it. Drop the cult-of-personality act and the resistance act. Our country is made up of two unions, We the People and 50 sovereign states. Many people together, not one, define our unique heritage of freedom and patriotism. Our “one out of many” is no single man, but our nation united.
Second: Maintain economic responsibility. “Less” government spending is, among Republican voters, usually a request for “more responsible” government spending. The services and security our Armed Forces and Departments offer us is a good and necessary cornerstone of our country. Direct that money to veterans before lobbyists. Invest in energy that we (and the world) obviously need, especially if it’s renewable. Taxpayers should contribute to the cost of the public good, not a carte blanche for the powerful.
Third: Encourage and promote legal immigration. Offer a fast-track to full citizenship to immigrants already in the country. Today’s immigrants tend to be hard-working people who love their families. Since its founding, America has been a land of economic opportunity and religious/ political liberty. Republicans who care about these quintessentially American values must uphold them in their practices; it just makes sense to heed immigrants and win friends among people with similar values. Immigrate legally or not at all, but remember that America is one nation of many ethnicities forged together by hope and perseverance.
Fourth: Endorse second chances. Any candidate who’s flatly rejecting government’s hand in health care has missed the train. Anyone who insists that over-burdened, private prisons and life-long records solve crime has their head in the sand. We must punish the wrongs people commit but also encourage rehabilitation. Self-improvement is hard, but opportunity is built by hard work and honest living. No one should be ever able to go wrong following that path.
Republican leadership is close to being on point with these issues. No matter how you identify, recognize that this party today as before can stand for things that are worth protecting. Regardless of your background, respect Republicans – when you ask for things like this, use the language of their values that inspire them to be nobler than their times. We too want to be one people, united by peace, thriving in opportunity, secure “with liberty and justice for all.”