In Lincoln’s second message to Congress in 1862 he observed that “the dogmas of the quiet past are inadequate to the stormy present. The occasion is piled high with difficulty, and we must rise with the occasion. As our case is new, so we must think anew, and act anew. We must disenthrall ourselves, and then we shall save our country.”
In thinking anew, we must begin thinking about the word “Republican” less as a noun and more about what verbs and adjectives we want most associated with the Republican Party; what it is we actually want to accomplish as a Party; and just as importantly, how we want voters to view us.
Yes, we lost the White House and have found ourselves further in the minority in Congress. But prior to losing the presidency, the Republican brand has been rejected in Governor’s races for the last four years, not just along the coasts, but through contiguous states from Montana to Arizona to North Carolina. In the 15 states of Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Missouri, Montana, New Mexico, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Virginia, West Virginia, and Wyoming, where George W. Bush won 139 of his 286 electoral votes, Republican gubernatorial candidates lost elections in 2005 through 2008 – by an average of 24%! We didn’t just lose these races…we were flat uncompetitive.
Now is the time to re-energize our party by looking to our state capitals for the next wave of reformers and leaders. The Reagan Revolution was precipitated by the California tax revolt of the 1970’s and Prop 13 that prompted similar initiatives throughout the country. And it was only after we won a majority of Governorships did we seize the majority in Congress in 1994. So, as we plan our return from the political wilderness, it will be critical that every time the Republicans in Washington say “no” to Obama, Reid and Pelosi; Republican leaders in our State Capitals need to be finding ways to get to “yes” with bold ideas and reforms on issues that matter most. When we disagree, our opposition must be principle based and just as importantly so must our solutions. When we do say “no” we also need to be prepared to say: “not that, but this.”
It is often stated that our state governments are the laboratories of our nation’s democracy so it is our Republican Governors and Legislators that once again must lead the way in redefining what the Republican Party stands for. We will need to do this the old fashioned way – from the ground up, and the good news is that we have no shortage of talent or opportunities.
If there is a simple lesson to be learned from the recent debates in Washington, it is that “No” is not a winning platform for our party’s future. While Congressional Republicans were right to stand on principle and reject the stimulus bill for what it was (or wasn’t), we were equally unable to clearly articulate what our plan was for creating jobs and getting our economy going again. That is not to suggest that we should be advocating for the type of “bi-partisanship” that means abandoning our convictions and principles for the sake of “teamwork.” Ideology matters, but we must be firmly committed to offering real solutions to the challenges we face and dedicating our resources to having a cohesive message that resonates with voters.
At the state level, our priorities for the future must include building an agenda based on bold reforms that challenge the status quo of how government operates by making it more transparent and effective for those it serves. We must be faithful to our claims of being a party of fiscal responsibility and focus on eliminating wasteful government spending at all levels. We must redefine conservatism in the 21st Century, not by abandoning our deeply held core beliefs and values, but by embracing personal responsibility and articulating our views in a way that connects with and is relevant to voters. We must reach out to non-traditional constituencies and younger voters and improve our dialogue or we run the risk of losing an entire generation of voters. And we must effectively utilize current technologies and communications tools to deliver our message unfiltered by the media.
Let me be clear. Some believe that if Republicans just started text messaging and twittering we will win elections again. That is not how it works. Technology is simply a vehicle for us to communicate our message, but if we don’t have anything relevant to say or are saying things that don’t connect with voters then it is simply a waste of time and resources. Finally, our success will ultimately depend on the vibrant and supercharged efforts of the grassroots leaders and activists of our Party. We have to lead, but the millions of Republicans working hard each day to earn a living and move this nation forward are the bedrock of our cause.
In this battle for the future direction of our Republican Party, we must flatly reject the idea that acting more like Democrats will be our key to success. But in order to do that, we must be resolved to being a party firmly based on ideas and innovation. The road back will be long and hard, and it must begin with Republican leaders in our state capitals committed to advancing an agenda based on meaningful reforms for education, healthcare, energy and job creation that truly make a difference in the lives of hardworking Americans.
And with redistricting set to take place in a few years, our future success on the national stage will depend on our success in the states in 2010. Regardless of who controls the census, we control our destiny. To prevent a redistricting disaster, Republicans must, among other things, win key Gubernatorial elections starting in the states that are our base for presidential electoral success, and create veto sustainable majorities in at least one legislative chamber.
This can only be accomplished when voters believe in the message we offer and we back it up with action and results. Americans believe government is broken and it doesn’t work for them anymore. For the Republican Party to succeed, the word Republican must become an action verb and an adjective synonymous with reform. The time to get to work is now.
Adam Hasner is the Majority Leader of the Florida House of Representatives.
