Open Letter to the (Newly Resurrected) GOP

Newly Resurrected GOP,

In the wake of Scott Brown’s stunning win in Massachussets, I congratulate Brown’s grassroot initiative for saving you from the political wilderness for a generation and generating a bullet trains’ momentum for a center-right political resurgence.

Now, what are you going to do with that momentum?

I’m sure you’re aware of some of the factors contributing to Brown’s win. For instance, you’ve gloated crowed about noticed the widespread opposition to Democrat-proposed healthcare legislation.

But have you noticed the fact that the following issues – your signature issues – played no significant role in Sen. Brown’s win.

• Abortion
• Same-Sex Marriage (DOMA)
• Increasing Military Spending
• War on Drugs Marijuana
• War on Terror
• Immigration
• Afghanistan
• Iran
• UN
• Loving Sarah Palin

Next question: have you noticed that Sen. Brown, described by some as the “new face“of the GOP, is relatively liberal?

What I’m trying to tell you is that Brown’s win was, unsurprisingly, about the economy. Let me be clear, Brown’s win was not a referendum on your social policies. But Brown’s win does open an opportunity for you to change your social policies.

Regarding same-sex marriage, why not go way out on a Constitutional – federalist – limb and get State and Federal government entirely out of the marriage business. After all, people of every faith (and the lack thereof) formed satisfactory unions and reared children long before governments handed out licenses and tax incentives for doing so.

What you say? Too Libertarian? Even though we’re in a Libertarian moment? How about just getting rid of the Defense of Marriage Act? Doing so would give significant credence to your argument that “abortion is a states’ rights issue.” After all, you thought the Supreme Court was dead wrong to find within the “penumbras” and “emanations” of the Constitution a right to abortion. As a reminder, the Constitution doesn’t speak of federal authority to legislate on marriage either. (To be fair, some within the your ranks aren’t thrilled with the States’ rights argument, preferring instead a Lincolnian stance on abortion.)

Perhaps getting the State and Federal government out of the marriage business would be, in the short term, impractical, given the tax and legal issues such a fundamental change would spawn. And yes, Huckabee would be pissed.

But is it too much to ask that in every manner government affects citizens you sponsor State and Federal measures supporting “equal rights, equal justice and equal opportunity for all, regardless of race, creed, sex, age or disability”? Marriage included? (If that bit sounds familiar, GOP, that’s number three on your list of core values . . . from November, 2008. Yeah, I know you took it down, or at least I can’t find it online anymore, but some dude I never heard of archived it so there it is.) Take a deep breath. Utter equality is actually quite logical.

I digress. After all, it’s about the economy. Fortunately, Sen. Brown’s win indicates that a majority of Republican, Independent, and center-left Democrats consider you, GOP, the better alternative on the economy – notwithstanding the previous eight years of massive government expansion, fiscal irresponsibility, support of disastrous home-lending policies, stimulus packages, and bailouts.

I kid you not.  Yes, I know. It’s incredible that you remain a viable political alternative, especially considering numbers four and five on your 2008 “I am a republican list.” (Respectively: (4) “I BELIEVE government must practice fiscal responsibility and allow individuals to keep more of the money they earn”); (5)(“I BELIEVE the proper role of government is to provide for the people only those critical functions that cannot be performed by individuals or private organizations, and that the best government is that which governs least.”)

You’re lucky. Voters have a short memory, and they’ve apparently found this graph persuasive:

And voters sincerely desire small government.

Me? What do I desire? Nice of you to ask. I sincerely desire that you start taking a hard look at what Reason and Cato have to say, and amend your policies accordingly.

By the way, do you know Gary Johnson? Former two term governor of New Mexico?  Take a look at what he did when was Governor (in no particular order):

• He didn’t raise taxes as Governor once.
• He vetoed over 1,000 spending items.
• He cut taxes 14 times.
• In a state dominated 2 to 1 by Democrats he served two terms.
• He left New Mexico with a balanced budget.

He’s a pretty tough dude too, which resonates with the American spirit. For instance:

• He competed in the Bataan Death March, a 25 mile desert run in combat boots wearing a 35-pound backpack.
• He climbed to the top of Mount Everest, despite a broken leg.

Far more compelling, however, than Gov. Johnson’s mountaineering, low-tax, lower-spending, and balanced budget bonafides are his views on the socio-economic issues that really matter to non-evangelical Republicans.  PLEASE. Have a look at Gov. Johnson’s forum.

It appears he’s a “States’ rights” guy on abortion. And presumably every other issue not enumerated in the federal Constitution.

On civil liberty, Gov. Johnson has this to say:

“The government should not intervene in the private lives of individual citizens unnecessarily. Personal liberty and freedom from unwarranted governmental control or regulation should allow law abiding individuals to pursue their own desires as long as they are not causing harm to other people.”

In other words, Gov. Johnson generally favors punishing, where necessary, the consequences of one’s actions rather than proscribing one’s conduct.

Although Gov. Johnson, does not advocate drug use, he would end the war on drugs, especially marijuana because continuing the war on drugs is “simply a waste of money and human resources and fails to deal with the real problems of abuse.” Makes sense, no?

Go ahead, check out out Gov. Johnson’s views on national defense, terrorism, the federal reserve, health care reform, and immigration. Huckabee may not like them, but Scott Brown voters in blue, purple, and red states will like them.

Remember how Bill Clinton’s welfare reform message resonated with voters of every stripe? Many of Gov. Johnson’s messages will too.

Look, GOP, Sen. Brown’s big win in Massachusetts last night has given you a very short lifeline. Use it wisely.

One last thing. You know how in your eyes Hollywood’s smug, ignorant “elite” symbolizes the Democrat party? And you find Democrats generally repugnant for it? Well, a good portion of the people in Massachusetts who voted for Sen. Brown are emblematic of the voters you absolutely need to win a majority in Congress and elect a Republican president. And – listen – a lot of those voters (I’ll call them “Scott Brown conservatives”) consider Pat Buchannan or Mike Huckabee emblematic of the GOP.

Now, I’m a Gary Johnson conservative. But no one knows what that is, yet. So, for the purposes of this letter, consider me a Scott Brown conservative. And when people lump Huckabee, Buchannan, and me into the same category, I hate that. It’s not cool. As in “shooting guys in the dick is not cool” not cool. And that’s what it feels like, GOP. Serially.

I apologize for my long note, I lacked the time to write a shorter letter.

Gary Johnson, Socio-Political Cato, Gary Johnson, Open Letter to GOP, Rant