Sean Hannity was on the right track when he outlined ten basic items that Republicans should focus on should they want to win the 2008 elections (or at least minimize their otherwise staggering losses). The Republican Party has lost their way and abandoned conservatism as we have known it in favor of corrupt, big-spending, government-expanding, go-along-get-along liberalism. Hannity’s list was a good start, but it was too negative in attacking the Democratic Party, and barely adequate in addressing the real problems with the country and the party. Much of the proposals in this list come from Newt Gingrich’s Real Change and Dick Morris’ Outrage, because they know more about this stuff than I do.
1. The Republican Party invested too heavily in a failing strategy to combat international terrorism. We will remain the party of national security.
A. Stand by winning strategies and change failed ones in order to ensure absolute victory in the war on terror, including
B. Remain on offense against terrorism by supporting and upholding the laws and procedures that are keeping Americans safe from terrorism at home and abroad.
C. Support our men and women in uniform while on the field of battle in words and deeds, and do not lose sight of them when they return home.
2. The Republican Party placed personal pride above legitimate discussion. We will never negotiate out of fear, but never fear to negotiate.
A. Differentiate between adversaries and enemies on the world stage. Do not negotiate for negotiation’s sake, but do so to serve and advance
3. The Republican Party expanded government and increased spending while ballooning the federal deficit. We will once again become the party of fiscal discipline.
A. Develop and implement a clear and concrete plan to balance the federal budget.
B. Reform or eliminate earmarks and cut wasteful spending and bureaucracy.
C. Account for every dollar spent by the federal government and balance spending increases or tax cuts against money the federal government actually has.
4. The Republican Party valued oil profits above environmental stewardship and the national interest. We will become the party of independent and sustainable energy.
A. Create a public-private partnership to research and develop environmentally and economically sound alternatives to current energy sources.
B. Through the free market, businesses, tax incentives, and consumer choices, gradually wean away from oil, coal, and other fossil fuels and inefficient products.
C. Leave oil in ANWR and the Strategic Petroleum Reserves off-limits and accessible only in cases of national emergency, not convenience.
D. Pursue complete energy independence for
5. The Republican Party resorted to squabbling and infighting and failed to adopt necessary reforms to immigration. We will become the party of common sense immigration reform.
A. Reform
B. Go after crooks and not cooks. Stress a zero-tolerance policy for illegal immigrants who break American laws, punishable by immediate deportation upon conviction.
C. America is a nation of (legal) immigrants. Create incentives for those who wish to immigrate legally and embrace new American citizens with open arms. Create disincentives to arrive illegally by prosecuting businesses who hire illegal immigrants, denying government and other services to illegal immigrants, and stripping sanctuary cities of federal funding.
6. The Republican Party lost the debate of ideas on health care reform. We will become the party that sustains and transforms health care in
A. Create health savings accounts which will allow individual citizens to control their own insurance.
B. Work with insurance companies, doctors, and other health care professionals- and not against them- to ensure available, affordable, transparent, accurate, and efficient health care for
C. Adopt tort reform to prevent against superfluous lawsuits which drive up health care costs. Implement “loser pays” systems in place in most other modern democracies as a barrier for entry to the lawsuit lottery.
7. The Republican Party squandered its chance to reform education. We must champion real education reform in
A. As education is primarily the responsibility of state governments, the federal government’s role should be a supervisory one. Insist upon minimum standards that children must meet at graduated stages in their educational development.
B. Mend it but don’t end it. No Child Left Behind was a well-intentioned failure. It must be reformed to meet the challenges of state-by-state education.
C. Emphasize choice and greater personal involvement for parents whenever possible through vouchers and other options.
8. The Republican Party missed its chance to reform run-down entitlement programs. We will save Social Security and Medicare from their own shortcomings.
A. Medicare- and especially Social Security- as they stand today are fiscally insolvent and headed for bankruptcy. Change the situation by working within and without the party to find real solutions and take no options off the table.
B. Ensure that surpluses for Social Security are actually used on Social Security and not raided to pay for pet projects.
9. The Republican Party did not lead by example in regard to judges prior to 2000. We will remain committed to appointing and approving strict constructionist judges who interpret the Constitution as read.
A. Support and approve judges who read and interpret the Constitution and uphold constitutional precedent while placing their own political views and agenda (whether liberal or conservative) on the sidelines.
B. To the victor go the spoils. In a Democratic administration, insist upon up or down votes for all judicial candidates. Oppose far-left, activist judges by voting “No,” instead of using unconstitutional judicial filibusters which waste the Senate’s time.
10. The Republican Party, if elected, will implement the above proposals as a means for all Americans to reach and live out the American Dream and never lose sight of the people who put us there.
A. Government can solve or alleviate certain problems as easily as they can create and aggravate problems. We believe, however, that the American people are best at solving their own problems.
B. If entrusted with the duty and responsibility of government, the Republican Party and its elected members will never again use power for personal enrichment, and will punish swiftly and severely anyone who does. We will not use the conservative agenda as an excuse to intrude unnecessarily in to the lives of law-abiding citizens.
C. Our party remains committed to a bright future for Americans in the 21st century. Our beloved icons are not coming back, and our party cannot afford to be caught up in nostalgia and reminiscences of the past. Republicanism and conservatism must remain dynamic in order to suit
This we believe, this we will strive for, and this we will achieve if entrusted with the reigns of the US House of Representatives, US Senate, and United States Presidency.
