The Republican Party has voted for a change in its House
leadership, with Ohio Rep. John Boehner emerging as Majority
Leader. The move signifies at least a desire to change public
perception about the GOP, but here’s what the party should do to
prove its intentions are sincere:
1. During the next recess, congressmen should go home and tell
their state party leaders to call emergency meetings of all their
district and county chairman. The first thing they need to tell any
elected Republican is if you deliver any favors or projects in
exchange for contributions, gifts, etc., then you are permanently
purged from the party. Design a judicial council of party officials
to mete out the justice, and tolerate no shenanigans.
2. Remind party members that they stand for limited
government. That means they are conservative. They
are supposed to be different from Democrats. Therefore
they should not support stupid city government boondoggles like
rail transit, convention centers, and stadiums. They believe in the
free market, remember?
3. Because you believe in freedom, remind Republican lawmakers
that “economic development” is not their responsibility. A fair tax
code does not include favoritism
towards certain companies through corporate welfare. Businesses
should either succeed or fail on their own merits, without
artificial government support or withholding thereof. Democrats
espouse wealth redistribution; you don’t.
4. Re-establish your constitutional credentials by conducting a
high-profile campaign that shows your belief in private property
rights. The Supreme Court’s decision in Kelo v. New London,
Conn. last year instilled in Americans a greater fear of
government. The ruling proved that abuse of power exists in the
judicial branch also. Congressional and state actions that
strengthen private property rights could reduce cynicism among
voters.
5. Emphasize that you are the party of open, transparent
government and that you have nothing to hide — aside from highly
sensitive information related to national security. Commit, from
the lowest levels of government to the highest, to changing laws
and policies that make records retrieval easy and speedy. Put as
much information on the Internet as possible. Hire helpful and
responsive — not arrogant and obstructive — public information
officials. It will go a long way towards changing your image.
6. Prove you are the stronger party on national security by
committing undeniably significant resources to the borders and
ports of entry. Americans are disgusted with both parties on
illegal immigration. Despite the lack of terror attacks here, they
know that won’t last forever. And remind employers that there is a
cost to doing business in a free, yet secure, land. Part of that
cost is making sure your employees are here legally, and that they
are paid what a legitimate free American market will bear.
Oh, and while employers are required to verify legal presence in
the U.S., so also should local law enforcement do the same
thing.
7. Leave issues that are of true local interest to the taxing,
and decision-making, authority of the states and municipalities.
That includes education, transportation, “economic development,”
law enforcement, and a whole lot more. Restore for taxpayers the
knowledge of what their government services and projects
really cost, by pushing those responsibilities (and
associated fees) down to the local level. Local officials know what
their constituents want and need, and make better decisions because
of it, while remaining directly accountable for what they do. And
while you’re shedding those responsibilities and spending, think
about the billions you’ll save while contemplating a new, larger
round of federal tax cuts.
As Robert Novak reported this week, John Boehner was
elected Majority Leader because House members believed a dramatic
change was needed. A dozen years ago Republicans won majority
status because they promised an overhaul of the way business was
conducted in the House. Now some are engaged in the same kind of
activity that they used to hammer Dan Rostenkowski and Jim Wright
about, and they are nervous.
The GOP has a short time to show they have changed. The above
measures will demonstrate their repentance, purify the party, and
illustrate their return to conservative values. Extending their
ideas and values to the local levels will strengthen party
discipline, build consistency, and restore ethics. But the change
must be shown in actions, not just by words and figureheads.
Republicans are suffering from voter mistrust, and while
ideological purity may not be in order, ethical correction and
transparency is. A return to conservative principles would help
too.
