First written in 2009, the essence of the message below is even more poignant. In the aftermath of a Trump nomination and campaign, the five points below are critical as we attempt to repair and define our Grand Old Party.

_____________

Thomas Jefferson said, “Do you want to know who you are? Action will delineate and define you.” The Republican Party has, over the years, lost its place in the defense of Liberty; many elected Republicans do not support the most basic of all rights: property; or the smallest of all minorities: the individual. We have certainly shown through many of our elected officials that we do not believe in limited government.

I worked for GW Bush, but he has taken our party down a road that has destroyed our reputation.  Granted, he had help from many other “Republicans,”  including his father and Bob Dole. John McCain is an American hero, but a bowl of philosophical mush. He proved to the nation that we did not know what we believe.

The American people are looking for consistency; for free market conservatives that practice the ideals that made our nation the greatest economic power the world has ever known- look at the May 19, 2009 proposition votes in California. We don’t need to apologize for what we believe; for what the founders stood for- the political and economic philosophy that history has proven to be true- we need to stand on it.

Read Atlas Shrugged. Then read it again. Galt’s words from the 1957 novel ring true: “In its brilliant youth, this country showed the rest of the world what greatness was possible to Man and what happiness is possible on Earth. Then it began apologizing for its greatness and began giving away its wealth, feeling guilty for having produced more than its neighbors…”

Jefferson said, “All tyranny needs to gain a foothold is for people of good conscience to remain silent.” The foot-soldiers of the conservative movement must not remain silent as the comrades of socialism slaughter the Liberties of our fathers on the alter of the general welfare.

The GOP must:

1. Proudly state that each individual has moral sovereignty over his own life; then prove it by standing firmly for individual rights, laissez-faire capitalism and limited government.
2. Close our primaries. We cannot continue to allow those who refuse to stand on our principles choose those who are to represent our party. Only Republicans should choose Republican candidates.
3. Choose free market, laissez-fiare capitalists in the primary to represent us in the general elections, and then support them with the resources of time and money.
4. Require that once elected, our representatives stand on a simple and understandable platform-a platform of rational understanding of these principals, and forget the ones who do not.
5. Get back to the basics and stick to them. Choose the fights that are worth fighting- and that we can win; we will not win by fighting on every front, nor will we will fix our party, or the current direction of government overnight. We must be united in the primary principles of our Grand Old Party. In the words of Barry Goldwater, “Make your progress on the proven values, the Constitution, the free enterprise system, and don’t mess around with it.”

Jefferson again: “Timid men prefer the calm of despotism to the tempestuous sea of liberty.” If an elected Republican is so timid as to not stand for the basic Liberty he was elected to defend, he is not worthy. We should send them home; they are our responsibility.

Liberty is indeed a tempestuous sea. We must stand for Liberty with the same tenacity as did the founders, who mutually pledged to each other their “lives, fortunes and sacred Honor.”

“Why stand we here idle? What is it that gentlemen wish? What would they have? Is life so dear, or peace so sweet, as to be purchased at the price of chains and slavery? Forbid it, Almighty God! I know not what course others may take; but as for me, give me liberty or give me death!” -Patrick Henry

Ronald Reagan said: “I have been doing my best to try to revitalize the Republican Party groups that I’ve spoken to, on the basis that the time has come to repudiate those in our midst who would blur the Republican image by saying we should be all things to all people in order to triumph… I’ve been urging Republicans to raise a banner and put the things we stand for on that banner and don’t compromise, but don’t try to enlarge the party by being all things to everyone when you can’t keep all the promises. Put up a banner and then count on the fact that if you’ve got the proper things on that banner the people will rally round.”

Republican friends, the time is now. Raise a banner that defines us, stand on the proven values. The price of inaction is the death of our nation as we have known it- the death of the last great bastion of liberty on earth.

In a related post, please see Is the GOP Prepared To Lead?

Stated better than can I, from Yaron Brook of ARI: A Message to Republicans

wes@freesnake.cc

“I would remind you that extremism in the defense of liberty is no vice.  Let me remind you also that moderation in the pursuit of justice is no virtue.” -Barry Goldwater

See also  “GOP Has Good Cards but Keeps Losing Hands” by Thomas Sowell in Shelby Star.