Where is Republican Party headed?
GOP has lost its way but not its strong foundation
The Republican Party of my youth was the party able to capture all generations and, once again, could lead our country to its greatest period. We believed in fiscal responsibility, smaller government and more personal freedom. We did then and must now concern ourselves with the real job of government: public safety, national defense and the economy. However, the Republican Party has lost its way.
A political party is a living, constantly changing entity based upon the current situation of our nation. The democratic process is often messy, and at times a small, very vocal, very passionate group can make a significant impact on a party’s policies. This constant flux of inconsistencies is not sustainable for a party’s future.
A recent national poll reflected trends that do not bode well for my party. In all categories — race, gender, age and even education — the Republican Party is behind. In race, only in white males, the slowest-growing demographic, does the Republican Party lead. In generations, we lead in the silent generation, those in their 70s and 80s. As the generations get younger, boomers to Gen X to millennials, the gap widens. The millennials are 27 percent more likely to vote Democratic. Even in education, the GOP has gone from a 15 percent lead in 1994 for voters with a higher education to a 15 percent deficit today. These statistics are only a snapshot in time, but, with Republican incumbents leaving in droves and midterm elections looming, something must change.
We do have a strong foundation to build upon. The Republican Party controls the government in Washington, D.C., and more than 30 governorships and can move voters before November, but we must show leadership. Leadership, not personality, is the true measure of a political party. People are drawn to it, crave it and in its absence they will cling to whoever provides that leadership.
To move the statistics I cited above, however, the Republican Party must fundamentally shift and embrace its roots. We have the ideas to capture the future, but we must change the culture of government. The Republican Party must be the party of freedom while recognizing that nothing is free. We all have the personal responsibility to carry our share of this country’s destiny. As Barbara Bush said, “Government cannot, nor should not, solve all of our problems. At some point, we have to take responsibility for ourselves, for our neighbors and for our communities.”
To broaden the appeal of the party, we must become compassionate conservatives — not by giving away the farm but by investing in the future and showing Americans the opportunities that await if they commit to the American Dream.
We cannot be the No-No Party rejecting technology and science. Embracing the future would bring millions of youthful voters who recognize that shifting from a carbon-based to a climate-resilient economy would provide enormous job growth and create a new generation of billionaires.
In my political career, I have always been guided by the three E’s: education, economy and the environment. Education guarantees upward mobility and rises all tides. A robust economy provides opportunity and a safety net for all. The environment is a catch-all for a more peaceful, less stressful lifestyle that provides the necessities of life. As Ronald Reagan emphasized, to be a conservative you must be a conservationist. These principles have been the past and should be the future of the Republican Party.
All parties have gone through fundamental changes as they evolved. The Republican Party’s predecessor, the Whig Party, was in turmoil when we rose from its ashes and nominated Abraham Lincoln, our country’s greatest president. More than 100 years ago, the people of America were in turmoil. Our country was changing from a rural economy to an exploding industrial revolution. With enormous energy, President Teddy Roosevelt improved our education system, broke up the monopolies, put our economy on a solid ground and gave us our national parks. Embracing what made us great in the past will secure the Republican Party’s future.
Let three E’s guide us: education, economy and the environment.