What Republicans Must Do

by Robert J. Romano

May 11th, 2006

                As the midterm elections of 2006 creep closer, several Republicans and conservatives are becoming increasingly concerned that the majority in Congress could be in jeopardy, that the President's low poll numbers could prove devastating for those Republicans up for re-election in the Fall, that an inherent lack of leadership on the issues facing the nation right now create a tremendous vacuum in the conservative agenda, and on that last count, that a failure to embrace conservative ideals in governing has alienated the conservative base from the Republican party.  Not that conservatives are likely to start voting for Democrats, but will they vote this year? And are Republicans in Congress giving them a reason to again pull the lever and maintain the majority?  The principle of majority rule means that elections matter, and especially in the legislative branch, that who controls the majority shall control the agenda.  Democrats have been waging their campaign against Republicans since they lost the election of 2004, and in several ways, it is as if the machinery which was in place during 2004 was never disassembled.  Democrats resolved that they need not reform their ideas, but rather it appears in hindsight that they felt their approach was effective at diminishing the popularity of the President, and that they needed not an agenda, but to maintain and expand upon the offensive against the President and his party, which is in very clear disarray in the face of the onslaught.  Iraq.  Katrina.  Corruption.  "Domestic wiretapping." The Dubai-port deal.  High gas prices.  Democrats have effectively exploited these and other issues, and there is more to come as this election year unfolds.  Earlier criticisms that the President was not effectively communicating his agenda have now since been abandoned as Republicans and conservatives have now become focused on the lack of leadership in Congress to stand up for their party and their ideals on these issues.  And rightly so, as it is those in Congress which must sell the Republican message to the American people if they wish to be re-elected or even pick up some seats.

                Simple rhetoric will no longer sell to the conservative base.  This is tremendously important to touch upon: conservatives are the base of the Republican party.  They are the ones who won the elections of 2000, 2002, and 2004.  They are unlike what in contemporary parlance we call "leftists", the vocal left-wing of the Democrat party, whom never win elections.  One principle must be agreed upon at the outset, as Republicans consider their power and how much they like it: they will never win without the (growing) conservative base which has been developing for well over a generation.  To think otherwise is to ignore what culminated in the Republican takeover of Congress in 1994, and why it happened.  They must not let it slip away.  Whether conservatives will continue to support the Republican party, and the very important agenda which our nation must continue to implement, will in many ways be determined by how well Congress governs between now and election day.  It is most certainly not too late for the party to change its fortunes, and indeed as this writer hopes to relate in this piece, that there are several opportunities for the party to turn the balance back in their favor.  The creeping malaise that has Republicans running for high ground will be their undoing, as they have missed opportunity after opportunity to address the issues of the day.  It is no more simple than talk show superstar Sean Hannity has been relating to his audience in recent weeks: Republicans must demonstrate resilience, fortitude, and leadership on the issues which our nation faces.

                1)    Iran - On the greatest danger to international peace and security which America must confront in the war on terrorism, Republicans in Congress are not being clear and unequivocal in demanding that the regime in Tehran must halt its uranium enrichment, that its state sponsorship of terrorism is among the worst in the world, that the state - though not the people - should be changed to make way for a free government that does not prohibit reform candidates from running for office, does not round up and silence dissidents, and does not threaten her neighbors, destabilizing the region and endangering the prospects for any peace.  If Iran is allowed to develop and stockpile nuclear weapons, the tenuous balance of power in the Middle East will be severely upset.  Other nations in the region which we are friendly with will wisely seek to develop similar stockpiles as a means of countering the deterrent which Iran seeks.  The United States is being forced to take action one way or another to preempt the danger posed by Iran, and to ensure that Iran never has the opportunity to "wipe Israel [and other allies] off the map."  Though the President has been unequivocal in his foreign policy as it relates to state sponsors of terrorism acquiring weapons of mass destruction, this imperative has been lost on Republicans in Congress, who were rightly exerting much leadership in 2002 on this issue as it related to Iraq.  However, Iraq was and is not the only danger that we will face in this war. 

                The principles which brought about Operation Iraqi Freedom are no less applied to Iran.  A state sponsor of terrorism, such as Iran, must not be allowed to acquire nuclear weapons.  Republicans lose credibility on the security issue if they appear to rule out the use of military force when the President has not taken any options off of the table.  As it relates to this issue, the President and his administration gets a glowing review from this writer, and the efforts to diplomatically resolve this situation are admirable.  In many ways, this is an issue which transcends politics, and instead of waffling on our commitments in Iraq and elsewhere to "moderate" their stance and put distance between themselves and their President, Republicans must make clear to the American people the danger which they and the free world face from a nuclear-armed Iran.  Even if they are years away from acquiring such weapons, as recent disclosures seem intent on having us believe, America's resolve must be bolstered for what may ultimately culminate in a necessary military action.  We must be prepared for the worst as we hope for the best, and Republicans, if they are to demonstrate effective leadership on this issue, must demand a bipartisan approach from Democrats.  Instead, this critical issue to the war has been ignored, and it appears that both parties have seemingly forgotten that this is a global war on state sponsors of terrorism, and that no matter how tough the challenges we presently face, they are nothing compared to the challenges we will face if and when terrorists get their hands on such deadly weapons.  It is a chance which we must not take, and the people rely on their leadership in Congress to heed the lessons of the terrorist strikes against America and her interests over the years.  Republicans must take the hardest line possible on the threat posed by Iran, not for political advantage, but for our safety and the future stability of that region.

                2) Afghanistan and Iraq - As we look forward in the war on terror and tyranny, we must also be mindful of the progress which we have made to transform the Middle East and beyond, to help the people there to build institutions of self-government and to fight terrorism in their homelands.  Individual liberty and democracy are the most potent means of transforming states which have been consumed by Baathism, as in Iraq, and Islamism, as Afghanistan was.  It turns out that Iraq had more to do with terrorism than anyone thought, and it is clear that the means by which terrorists have been able to strike our interests has been due to the state sponsorship of terrorism.  So things go in Afghanistan and Iraq, so things shall go in the war generally.  That this is a world war must not be glossed over.  Iraq is not a diversion in the war in Afghanistan.  Quite the contrary, each are theatres in this global struggle which we are embroiled in.  As both governments are able to build up their own security forces, develop their political institutions, and foster the growth of their economies, we are able to draw down our own presence.  One of the hallmarks of ancient Roman strategy during the late Republic was not to govern the provinces directly through military force, rather, it was to leave local powers in control of their own affairs to the extent that was practicable.  Buying into the armchair criticisms that we did not have enough forces to police these nations ignores many of the lessons which we have learned during the Cold War and that have been learned since ancient times, and will not win support among the American people, who need to know how we move forward.  Republicans must educate the American people as to why we fight.  The President, who has exerted tremendous leadership on the war, cannot do this on his own.  This war effort will not be won by one man.  It shall take the collective resolve of the American people, which is fostered by concerted leadership in all branches of the government.  Congress has a role to play in fostering the will of the people to vanquish terrorism and tyranny.  It is no mistake that we fight in these countries: they were state sponsors of terrorism.  And there is no mistaking that we must stay the course: they are now our most valuable allies in the war which we wage.  While Democrats would hastily retreat from our responsibilities in Iraq, they view the war on terrorism one-dimensionally: they view this as a war simply against al Qaeda.  While al Qaeda is still a danger, especially in Iraq and Afghanistan, the terrorist threat is a global one, and by emphasizing that these are theatres and not separate conflicts all together, that the danger is not confined to al Qaeda, Republicans remind the American people that we are at war on several fronts.

                3) War on Terror and Tyranny - The latter dimension of the war we wage cannot be underestimated.  Tyrannies have fostered the conditions which make terrorism not just possible, but likely, and the tyrannies which we still face and whom are still our enemies embody the ideology which must be discredited and defeated.  Emphasizing the ideological struggle which we face also cannot be underestimated.  While the religion of Islam has been hijacked by extremists, have we done enough to educate the American people of this? Increasingly, the people have been taught the idea that this is a war against a religion, though not by our government.  The leadership which has been demonstrated on the ideological nature of this conflict has been appalling, and what one sees when one goes under the radar is that this ideological war has been hijacked as well.  While leftists have openly demonstrated sympathy for the goals of radical Islam (and Islamists have also demonstrated much sympathy for their goals as well, especially if one reads President Ahmadinejad's recent letter to our own President), on the right, though perhaps not in the mainstream, we see reputed conservatives turning their ire against the religion of Islam.  This is beyond the idea that Islam has been perverted by a vicious ideology of hate and fear, rather, the conclusion that increasingly we see being fostered in a populist manner is that this is a war against a religion. 

                Republicans must engage in this ideological war of ideas, for the front is very much domestic as it is foreign, and it is very much a matter of educating the people as to who the enemy is, and who it is not.  Ignoring growing sentiment fosters al Qaeda's goal of creating a clash of civilizations, a war we must not fight.  Instead, the goals in the ideological context must be to isolate the enemy.  Not enough is being done to promote this struggle, in which Muslims of course have a tremendous stake.  The future of their religion will in the near future be determined by which forces win the day.  We see the progress that is taking place in Iraq and Afghanistan, and we understand that we are not at war with the world of Islam, and we watch our own military fighting side-by-side with soldiers whom are Muslim against the dangers posed by radicalism.  We know the contradictions between this extremism and the practice of Islam, but the American people are not well-equipped to wage this conflict.  For Americans on the homefront, the ideological dimension of the war is perhaps the most important.  "Contradictions between Islamism and Islam", "Discrediting Radical Islam", "How Tyranny Fosters Terrorism Abroad", and "The History of the Islamist Ideology" are good topics for leaders to talk about, so that the people do not feel as if they are at war with an entire civilization which cannot possibly be won.  Instead, focusing on the tyranny which fosters the goals of the Islamists, and describing in relentless detail just who we are up against will make very clear what the goals of the enemy are, and therefore what the stakes are in this war.  This must not become a war of civilizations.  We cannot afford to lend any credence to the idea that we fight to defeat a religion.  We must instead focus on those who are teaching radical Islam, and seek out those who openly encourage violence in our midst, and also to discredit by all means necessary the ideology which we face.  The facts are on our side in this conflict, and Republicans should be taking the lead in openly denouncing the terrorist's ideology and giving hope to all Muslims that we know that this is not a conflict of their making.  Defining the limits of the war in terms of ideology makes it clear what we're up against, and why we fight, and on this we need leadership from both of the major political parties, and Republicans must challenge both their Democrat counterparts and the American people to rise to the challenge.  This can be done in the political arena, and in many ways, it is an imperative in order to prevent radical Islam from coming home to haunt us in the future.  Perhaps most importantly, this is a battle which will be won by way of education, and our educational institutions too are an excellent forum for that fight.

                4) Homeland and Border Security and Illegal Immigration - The latter two issues have been sore ones, especially for conservatives within and without the Republican party, for many years now, and has only grown in importance since the amnesty legislation in the 1980's.  The borders and other points of entry were not secured then, and today we cannot say that we can prevent illegal trespassing across our borders.  That the overwhelming majority of aliens who come across the border seek work is not the issue for these conservatives, who instead simply see a gaping hole in our security.  Republicans know what must be done not only to secure our homeland, but to bring order to the conservative base on this issue.  This is as much a priority for having a sound and orderly immigration policy as it is an imperative for the Republican majority's political survival.  Republicans can consider a temporary worker program, but to pursue one without securing the borders effectively is political suicide, as it will most assuredly alienate the base, and more importantly, it will result in the same unsound immigration policy we saw pursued in the 1980's, when the borders were not secured.  Domestic barriers may not be aesthetically pleasing, but they will keep unwanted guests out of our country.  A wall and/or fence makes reforming our immigration policies much more practical, and Republicans must not be afraid to stand up for something that their conservative base has been crying about for years.  Congress has an historic opportunity to address illegal immigration and our border woes in a practical and moral manner.  Democrats are just waiting for Republican in-fighting to spoil the prospects for meaningful immigration reform.  They will become the party of secure borders in 2008 if we fail now, and then we'll really start to see damage done for voters who care singularly about this issue.  Senator Clinton has supported a security barrier on our borders.  Let's force her, and her colleagues, to vote on it.  Increasing legal immigration and identifying illegal aliens already here - indeed, the temporary worker program - is politically impossible without securing the borders.  Republicans should be forcing their Democrat counterparts to vote on secured borders this year, not in the future! They may not get another chance at this, and the issue will be seized by their opponents if they do not act.  Border security is homeland security.

                Increasingly, domestic security has become an issue with which Americans worry about, especially with the poor response we saw from all levels of government in the wake of Hurricane Katrina.  Americans want to know that in the event of a catastrophic emergency, that the government is prepared to act rapidly to save lives.  Americans want to know that the homeland is being cared to as it relates to emergency management.  Dissolving FEMA only to create another agency with precisely the same mission is not as important as is the ability of State and local governments to act when disaster strikes.  With something of the order of an entire city being flooded, it is clear that the only effective response was a military one, as the command-and-control aspects which the military offers are what is needed when decisive action is what counts.  These sorts of mechanisms must not solely be military in nature.  Rapid response to catastrophe should be a Republican issue.  It need not mean that the Federal government carry all of the weight, but one principle we should agree upon is that State and local governments cannot fail in their responsibilities.  Federal aid should be conditioned on sound, rapid response policies, and also there must be immediate support available when a truly large catastrophe occurs of the magnitude where State and local governments would be overwhelmed.  In many ways, it is impossible to preempt these acts of nature, which is why an immediate response is something which must be made practical.  Republicans should have strategies in place to tackle these sorts of tragedies, for the American people will want to know that if, God forbid a nuclear attack ever occurred in America, we would be ready to meet the challenge.  This is one issue where fortifications will not suffice.  The ability to move quickly is in almost every way the exact opposite of fortification.

                Overall, Republicans must highlight the successes of homeland security and the challenges which we face.  Talk about the container security initiative, and simultaneously address enhancing our port security.  The Dubai port deal became a lightning rod by which attention was (mis)focused on who operates our ports, and instead, we need to educate the American people of just how our ports are secured, and what it takes to prevent dangerous materials and items from finding their way into our country.  We need to inform the people of that which is being done on a national level, and again, this is not something with which the President can do all on his own.  Politics is local, and local security issues take on a Federal dimension for voters if and when they are highlighted.  Obviously, not every State is a coastal one, and there is more to homeland security than port security.  Representatives and Senators need to look to their backyards, and ensure that evacuation strategies are up to date and reflect the geography of the area involved.  For example, in this writer's own State, the evacuation strategy in Long Island is completely inadequate if, say, a catastrophic WMD attack hit New York City (i.e. the only two ways off the island are taking bridges through New York City or taking a boat).  Finally, Republicans should be touting the terrorist surveillance program and intelligence issues, and remind the American people that the government is watching our homeland as much as the war overseas is being attended to.

                5) Energy Independence - Obviously, one of the hottest issues is the ever-rising price of gasoline and oil.  The $100 rebate offered by the GOP recently to taxpayers was a slap in the face to commuters who instead could be aided by simply repealing gasoline taxes at both the Federal and State levels.  Also, the people should be reminded that the government does not control the price of gasoline directly, and that instead domestic prohibitions on producing and processing oil, and building nuclear power plants, harms our ability to achieve energy independence.  While Democrats are touting conservation and increasing standards for new cars and trucks, Republicans should continue focusing on developing alternative energy, and also putting in place a long-term strategy for increasing America's energy production.   Something Congress could do immediately is proposing repealing domestic taxes on gasoline, and lumping it together with their long-term energy policy which enhances our domestic production, could give Democrats a tough issue to vote against.  This is an issue where Republicans know what to do, and should be acting quickly.

                6) Tax and Budget Issues and Entitlement Reform - Another issue with which conservatives have frequently and rightly expressed concern over is the rising costs of the Federal government.  Passing tax reform, and creating a flatter tax system (with lower rates) can increase taxable income and generally speaking, raise revenue for the government to spend on legitimate enterprises.  More importantly, it allows for our economy to continue to grow, and creates new opportunities to do business, which of course generates new jobs.  Republicans will win every time on the issue of taxes, but the inability of Congress to take on in a meaningful way spending issues is inexcusable.  This is an issue which the people understand, and they would like to hear what the Republicans' plans are to simplify the tax code and to cut out meaningless spending.  Why not propose a constitutional amendment to provide for a line-item veto? Sure, we have heard talk of a constitutionally-sound line-item veto being legislated, but why take the chance of another court ruling against it? It could be specifically tailored to apply solely to appropriations bills, and is probably the most effective check we could place on Congress' powers to spend.  By promoting taking power out of the hands of Congress to spend in unlimited amounts, Republicans can restore the confidence of the fiscal conservatives, who make up an important element of the base.  Again, Republicans know what needs to be done, and what they must do to regain the trust of their own base on these issues.  The Gingrich revolution was not that long ago... Finally, on entitlement reform, Republicans in Congress have betrayed the President by doing nothing, especially on Social Security reform.  There was no excuse, and Republicans must not give up on entitlement reforms which put more power in the hands of the citizenry to invest in their own futures.  Everyone knows that the system is broken, and voters are going to want to know what is going to be done about it.  Waiting for our entitlements to go bankrupt is a solution of failure.

                This list is not meant to be exhaustive, and by no means is it intended to address those local issues which very much have a tremendous impact upon elections.  Nor is it intended to be positively on the money.  Obviously, any representative would need to work on those issues which his or her constituency was concerned about.  The idea here is to identify a few issues which ought to unite the conservative base of the Republican party at a national level, and though some were discussed in more detail than others, that is not because this writer does not care about them as much, but more so because other thinkers have much more intelligent things to say about them.  Others will in all likelihood address these priorities in a more meaningful way, or to be sure, I hope so.  Implementing a national program to secure our country and keep our economy growing, and governing well between now and election day is truly important, though.  Republicans must restore their conservative ideals, and in turn, the trust of the American people that they are capable of governing from the legislative level.  Overall, in all polls which are taken, Congress is doing more poorly than the President is.  That is not to say that every incumbent is in danger of losing his or her seat, but what it does say is that the majority party has much work which must be done, and be done quickly.  Our houses must be put in order, or they will not be ours for much longer.  The congressional majority will have nobody to blame but themselves if they become the minority, and therefore, Republicans better know what must be done and do it.  The stakes could not be higher, as we proceed in the war and confront new dangers, and steady leadership will be necessary in order that our enemies are vanquished over the long-term.  Keeping the majority is tremendously crucial to those prospects, and Republicans must listen to their base on those issues with which they hold dear.