Six ways to rebuild the GOP after Trump
To quote our nation’s 38th president, “our long national nightmare is over.”
Never before have we witnessed the events that arose since Election Day 2020. Now is the time for the Republican Party to move forward to rebuild a rattled but not broken Grand Old Party and engage in policy discussions that will draw new voters to the party, now and in the future. The party doesn’t need to engage in this fratricide we are currently seeing, but instead recommit itself to the conservative principles that distinguishes it from the Democrats, principles that led the party to unprecedented leadership in the 1980s, which is when I came of age politically.
I voted in my first presidential race in 1980, and I have voted for every Republican presidential candidate until this past election. But, I do not recognize the GOP today. I am reminded of Ronald Reagan’s words about leaving the Democratic Party: “My party left me,” he said.
I do not want to leave the GOP, but it must reset its principles and priorities and adhere to conservative values. We cannot sustain the GOP as a regional or minority party. We cannot put people over party, and we cannot allow others to hijack the party. There are more issues that unite the GOP than divide the party.
One would hardly recognize that sentiment today as the party assembles in a circular firing squad. In Arizona, the state party censured the sitting governor and two other high-level Republicans. A Republican congressman from Florida attacked the Republican congresswoman from Wyoming. It should be noted that Rep. Liz Cheney has built a reputation as a principled conservative, which has placed her in a leadership position within the Republican House caucus. The Republican Senate leader, Mitch McConnell, felt compelled to denounce newly elected Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene calling the far-right Georgia Republican’s
embrace of conspiracy theories and “loony lies” a “cancer for the Republican Party.” These exchanges highlight the challenge of enlarging a political party. But it should espouse a fact and realitybased assessment on bringing new voters into the party. The GOP lost the House, Senate and the White House in one fouryear term.
Once the impeachment trial ends, Republicans will have more breathing room to rebuild the party. I have outlined six policy areas where the GOP can take principled positions and present a consistent conservative message that will resonant with like-minded voters:
Coalesce around conservative progrowth economic principles and adhere to it at all times, excluding extreme dire economic circumstances. This will mean addressing the national debt and deficit spending. It will also mean keeping taxes and federal regulations low. Smarter spending doesn’t mean we cannot invest
in people and infrastructure.
Focus on a strong, sound foreign policy by establishing and reinforcing resilient alliances with nations around the world that are bolstered by support for free and fair trade. The concept of managed trade does not create level playing fields or enable a clear predictable trading system. Free and fair trade should expand economic opportunity to all sectors of the U.S. economy, including manufacturing, services and the agricultural sectors.
Develop a coherent domestic policy that will help grow the party. We need to shore up social programs to help the disadvantaged, create programs that provide a hand up not a handout and develop education and training programs to ensure that we have a workforce that can compete in the global market. Further, we need to craft these policies so that they highlight conservative principles.
Create a coherent and sound national security framework that includes solutions that will enable serious development of and conservative concepts for immigration reform, worksite enforcement and real border security efforts.
Develop a consensus on crosscutting issues that affect all citizens. This includes the environment, which means that we can no longer ignore climate change or ignore racial and gender equality. We risk alienating younger voters. All of these issues have conservative perspectives that truly will enable the GOP to attract new voters.
Above all, be the party of good governance. We should ensure that the GOP has a deep bench of qualified capable leaders to staff future Republican administrations, and we should work with Democrats where practical. Compromise can be accomplished without foregoing your principles. As Reagan noted: “I’d rather get 80 percent of what I want than go over the cliff with my flag flying.”
The policy positions that the GOP develops and pursues over the next 12 to 18 months may determine whether the party can survive and present a credible challenge for leadership in 2024. We must remain civil throughout this process.
Our nation is at a crossroad. As Americans, we need a robust debate of ideas. But we also need to re-establish comity and compromise in the body politic. When a party loses power, it tends to flail about looking for a clear path to redemption. Reengaging with our conservative principles is the right path that will lead the GOP from its self-imposed exile and create a viable alternative to an increasingly progressive Democratic Party.