We’re finally hearing rumblings of the Republican party coming to it’s senses. Senators and Representatives are calling for at least sounding like we’re listening. Republican strategists are suggesting a new face for the party and a better “ground game.” Needless to say we wouldn’t even be having this discussion with out having lost not only the Presidential race, but seats in the House and Senate as well.
It seems to me while these tactics are good ones it would be easier if Republicans worked back to some more of their historical ideals. The idea of a republic of concerned citizens, the idea of a fair and even playing surface, the concept of protecting each citizen’s right to pursue happiness. Instead we’ve been dragged off course by all sorts of other interests. Religious groups, Business groups and a myriad of small groups with their own agendas. Trying to encapsulate all of these diverse attitudes has strained the party to the breaking point.
Fighting the anti-global warming battle has made us the anti-science party. Fighting the anti-abortion battle has us now as the party against women’s rights. Fighting the anti-regulation battle has us as the “Rich and Wall Street” party. Fighting the anti-tax battle has us as the anti-government party. Worst of all, all the legislative blocking we’ve been at for the last four years has us billed as the party of no.
And where has this gotten us? Out of the White House and on the losing side of the negotiating table. Out of the hearts and minds of what used to be “mainstream” Republicans and into the laughingstock section. It’s just too much, and most of what we’re railing against should not be core party policy. It’s been glued on the party platform to appeal to voters, but they aren’t voting our way anymore. A great deal of one-time Republicans are now voting for Democratic candidates. It’s no wonder, forced to adopt all sorts of “far out there” policies our candidates are sounding a lot more like fanatics than potential lawmakers. A “new face” isn’t going to fix that, we need a more concentrated platform of Republican ideals.
The original basic ideals of the Republican party are attractive to voters. Why are we fighting gay rights, do we want government in our bedrooms? Why are we fighting abortion rights and on women’s healthcare issues, what Republican wants laws between them and their doctor? Some decisions are deeply personal, and we have a right to make them on our own, at least that’s what Republicans used to think. If some company is severely affecting a citizen’s health and property values, why would a Republican defend them? Even an entire industry should be coming under fire from the party that puts each citizen’s home and hearth first. If we need to make substantive changes to protect ourselves from the effects of climate change, why are Republicans not on the forefront of apportioning out the bill? We used to be a party of fiscal responsibility, big bills are coming why aren’t we planning?
How come we keep getting stuck with the “rich man’s party” tag? Most Republican voters are not “rich,” not even close. It used to be that Republicans realized that most of the money in the country comes from the non-rich. These are the people who buy products and services every day, who drive businesses, work the regular jobs, the people who are the real wealth of our country. However since we’ve let some elements in the party stack the deck, over a good long time, the “wealth of the America” is not keeping pace. They are buying less, saving less and losing their will to succeed. Sooner or later everyone figures out the game is rigged, and they show it by giving up or protesting, but mostly by voting. Can we get out of the “dead end” game? Fiery words and immutable principals are not cutting it anymore. It’s time to focus on the core of our beliefs, and skip the “oh yeah, and don’t forget to add…..”
Sometimes you just say no, that’s not part of what being a Republican stands for. It’s alright not to govern by Christian, Muslim or Farsi principals. You can hold them dear in your own heart without forcing everyone else to adhere. It’s ok for each citizen to make bad decisions. It’s hard, but that’s how everyone learns. It’s even ok for a judgement against a toy manufacturer, car maker or fast food vendor to be made by a jury of the injured’s peers. That’s the basis of the American justice system, we like that remember?
It’s time to get back to what “would-be” Republicans really need, not what they’d all like. We’ve spent enough time making sure the big can get bigger, it’s time to make sure the small can get bigger as well. That may slow bigger, richer people and companies down, but it’s fair, and part and parcel of being a true Republic. It seems that we’ve gone down a long trail of standing up for big business and left the little citizen behind. More and more of our efforts seem directed at bulwarking special interests rather than promoting free and even enterprise. The sooner we get off the support big interests train and back to supporting the individual citizens, the sooner we get back to earning people’s trust.
By the way the “Snarkier” version of this is in my Patch column.
Copyright Prentiss Gray 2012
Prentiss Gray is a writer and columnist and currently writes the Domesti-Tech Blog for Gannett. He can be reached through his website at GrayResearch.net
Prentiss Gray
Prentiss Gray is a writer/columnist/blogger from New Jersey. After 27 years as a Information Systems consultant and the death of his wife of 21 years, he returned to his roots as a writer, creating the national column Adventures of the Lone Dad/ Daddy chronicles. He now Blogs for Gannet on domestic technology, and writes feature pieces and stories for general publication. He is a member of the American Society of Journalists and Authors and contributes to Bloomberg News, Daily Record, Gannett and the Tribune Syndicate.
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Fine points Prentiss. We have more in common than I realized regarding our party, not that it is generally important, but as one(me) who often has condemned your political perspective, now I am curious as to “how” I was at odds with you(respectively) in the first place. Nice post!
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What you are saying about a more inclusive party is hard not to agree with in part. One of your best considering your affection for the liberal ideology. I find it long on Obama like lofty utterances and short on specifics. You ignore the administrations proclivity for “my way or the highway” patent lies and general undermining of Constitutional and legislative norms. If the Republicans were not also corrupt, and the entire Congress is, there would be an ongoing battle of ideas. Which is conspicuously absent in the current climate.
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Excellent points Prentiss. I’ve been wondering if the Republican party as it is currently configured is really a national party. I mean if there is an election somewhere the Democrats have a candidate. I don’t know how many times I’ve been in the booth in New York and the Democrat is running on the Republican line. They had a Governor’s race two years ago and the Republican Party didn’t even have a viable candidate. It seems they found someone to run for Mayor. I have no idea what’s going to happen but at least the guy Joe Lhota is a legitimate candidate. I mean this is still a very big and important state. If you have no one to run here what does that say about you?
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Kevin, that’s very generous of you. Don, exactly the right question. David, walk away and take another look.
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Exposing human-caused global warming as a scam and opposing abortion are called “having political guts” and taking a stand. That what parties do. The “play along & get along” mentality has emasculated Repubs because their base has revolted.
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Prentiss, interesting post.
Don, The reverse is true in Texas, where there are often no Democrats running for office, counterintuitive, even though minorities are in the majority. It is evidence of the political polarization currently endemic in our nation.
I saw this list elsewhere, which seems like a good start:
1) “Originalist” interpretation of the Constitution.
2) Small federal government.
3) Strong military.
4) A balanced federal budget.
Thomas Jefferson said something on the order of: “If it neither picks my pocket or breaks my leg, what does it matter.”
My personal Libertarian bent makes me agree with him, as there seems little difference in the parties other than which wedge issues they use, and what stakeholders contribute to them. That condition is a good argument for devolving power out of Washington, putting our representatives back to where they have to see us in church or at the grocer.
That said, the Republican still usually gets my vote…
Bold colors…no pale pastels.
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Term limits would help and should be the first order of business to put a stop to lifelong politicians who serve themselves for 30 years (and get nice pensions when they finally retire to end up working for lobbyists)not their country.
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Prentiss,I have always found you to be wise and level headed and to date you give me no reason to doubt my impression.
I promised myself that this year I would refrain from commenting on anything political or republican but I find I must make a exception here.
My dad was a stanch republican back when it was unheard of and very unpopular for a man of color to be anything but a democrat but my dad and his friends were not at all part of the norm. He remained loyal to the party to his dying day as did his friends. Yet, I would venture to guess that had he lived to see Obama run he would have stood proudly behind him.
To be honest, I was truly embarrassed by my dad during the Kennedy/Nixon election although I was just a kid. My friends and I were very much aware of the election. Our parents were heavily involved in the community and in politics. All of my friend’s parents (well most of them anyway) were supporting Kennedy. I wanted to run and hide anytime someone asked me who my parents were voting for. Nonetheless, I stood proud when my dad chartered a bus to take folks from the community to the March on Washington.
In my view, in my lifetime, Republicans have always been the party that promoted separatism, that promoted elitism and pitted the poor and middle classes against the rich. In recent years it has not been a party that celebrated the working class or those who were not of European extraction. My view hasn’t changed. What I see happening now is not a true and genuine desire to become a inclusive group or to see and address the error of their ways no, what I see is a scrambling to regain power by whatever means necessary.
For republicans to believe that they can garner the Latino vote by supporting immigration reform is sorry and rather insulting. It will take more than just lip service. Republicans have become a party that doesn’t live in the real world, that alienates Latino and African Americans and women. That promotes discrimination; just ask the Gay and Lesbian community and that 47 percent. They have alienated the youth as well. Their conservative arm keeps slapping them in the face. Bobby Jindal didn’t fool anyone with his Stupid Party speech. When Romney told my friends and relatives to go home you are not wanted here by promoting self deportation he conjured up the same sentiments share by those who promote sending African Americans back to Africa.“Go Back to Africa” is still hurled at folks. They really want us to believe that all of a sudden by some divine enlightenment Asians, Latino and African Americans are welcomed? AND, women don’t have a rape turn off mechanism built in.
I think the spot light needs to remain on Prentiss. It is gonna take a long, long time to turn the core and conservative republicans around because right now they still don’t get it.They still happily walk around with their self serving blinders on. Gun reform will prove that if nothing else does.
Little if any has changed I’m sad to say. But, there is always hope. Keep that crazy light on, it might just reach to the end of the tunnel.
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The 4 items you saw elsewhere MR Crumling were in a post by MS Goldberg in one of her posts. She also included an anti-abortion point. We do need BOLD colors and not watered down pastels. That’s his the Repubs lost their way!
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Couple of things, personally I’m against term limits because it stops congressmen and senators who are really good from continuing. It also means I can’t vote for the person I want. Congress requires experience more than fresh faces.
Second I think “bold colors” is what has stopped the congress and lost the election for Republicans. Governing means compromise and that, at least to me, is the opposite of “Bold colors.” Our system has been designed to achieve consensus and stop one side from ramming through whatever they want.
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