a Prescription for the Future

Have you ever been frustrated when you could not do anything in the face of irrational behavior? If you are action-biased like me, you might be tempted to do something that you would later regret. This is my attempt to vent my disappointment and anger at the state of our democracy and specifically the politics around it. I reference the Republican Party in this paper largely because I felt that they reflected more of my values, but these thoughts can and should cross the aisle. I am what you might have called in another era a “compassionate conservative”. Fiscally conservative yet socially liberal. Someone that believes in a fair day’s wage for a fair day’s work, the Golden Rule, rewarding good work and offering a “hand up” where I can.

Aesop’s Fable

I have an old friend that likes to share Aesop’s Fable of the “Goose that Laid the Golden Eggs”. He does so in the context of a family business, imploring that their decisions as a family should not “kill the golden goose” — along with their livelihood and family legacy. Our political class would be well to heed the moral of Aesop’s story as well.

Shades of Grey

We don’t live in a black and white world but why do politicians think that it must be? Maybe my over-simplified brain is missing something here but most of us live in a technicolor world where we have to use common sense, collaboration and compromise to live a happy life and we are much better for it. Why can’t our elected representatives actually represent us? And what ever happened to the “silent majority” and why is it still so silent?

As a “moderate” I am sick and tired of getting taken for granted, but what can we do? For one thing, we can speak up when we witness wrongs. If we don’t, we risk inadvertently endorsing that behavior. We can still love and respect people who do not share our political views. Isn’t that what a civil society is all about?

Today’s Reality

In today’s highly polarized political climate, we tend to view politicians with skepticism and mistrust. Various polls have shown that government and politicians, in general, are held in low esteem by many Americans. This lack of trust is largely due to widespread perceptions of corruption, dishonesty, and self-interest among elected officials. However, this situation also presents an opportunity to take steps towards restoring civility and rebuilding trust in government and politics.

An 8-Step Program

Let’s break this down into a few ways the Republican Party can become more representative, effective, and trusted in today’s world. I suggest that the Party should consider:

1. Embrace a big-tent approach: Adopt a more inclusive strategy that recognizes the diversity of views among its members and the country. This could involve making space for more moderate voices within the party and avoiding the perception that there is only one “correct” way to be a Republican.
2. Focus on policy rather than ideology: Shift their emphasis away from ideology and toward practical policy solutions. This could involve engaging in more constructive dialogue with Democrats and other stakeholders to find common ground on issues such as healthcare, climate change, and immigration.
3. Address key issues: Emphasize their commitment to finding practical solutions to the issues facing the country, rather than focusing on ideology or partisan politics. They should be more welcoming of new ideas. They should be willing to consider new ways of solving problems and to embrace new technologies. This could help build support among voters who are more concerned with results than with political dogma.
4. Appeal to a vision of shared values: Emphasize their commitment to values that are shared by a wide range of Americans, such as freedom, opportunity, environmental stewardship, personal and fiscal responsibility that resonates with voters. The Republican Party has traditionally emphasized social and cultural conservatism, it may benefit from finding ways to do so in a way that is more inclusive and welcoming to all Americans. While we do not necessarily agree on all of these principles, emphasizing the values that we do have in common could help build support among voters who may not identify as conservative but who share these values.
5. Promote stability and unity: Embracing a more moderate and inclusive approach, the Republican Party could potentially promote greater stability and unity within the country. This could help reduce political polarization and foster greater trust and cooperation across party lines.
6. Appeal to younger and more diverse voters: Work to broaden their appeal beyond its traditional base of older white voters. This could involve taking positions on issues that are important to younger and more diverse voters, such as criminal justice reform and immigration.
7. Distance itself from extreme voices: Take steps to distance itself from extreme voices within the party that may be turning off moderate voters. This could involve calling out conspiracy theories and disinformation and making it clear that those views do not represent the party as a whole.
8. Strengthen democracy: By promoting a more moderate and inclusive approach, the Republican Party could potentially help strengthen American democracy by promoting greater political participation and engagement among all Americans, regardless of their political beliefs or backgrounds.

Future State — The Party of Opportunity

It is worth noting that becoming more effective will require a significant shift in the Republican Party’s current strategy. Its messaging needs to emphasize unity, practical solutions, shared values, inclusivity, and the successes of moderate Republicans. Messaging that is positive and optimistic, how it can make America a better place, avoiding negative messaging that attacks its opponents or that is divisive. Become the Party of Opportunity, focusing on policies that help everyone, not just the wealthy.

I believe that this all may be necessary if the Party hopes to be relevant in an increasingly diverse yet politically divisive country. By doing so, the Republican Party could become a more effective and constructive force in American life, and in doing so, help the Party better serve the interests of all Americans and indeed our Democracy. It seems that it takes courage to put country first — success is not a zero-sum game, and that helping others succeed can also help you succeed in the long run.

For… if you don’t like change, you will dislike irrelevance even more.

Craig T Hall

These are solely my own opinions, and no animals were harmed in the drafting of this white paper.