Republicans need to unify on the message of liberty

During the last Michigan republican state convention delegates squandered a golden opportunity to demonstrate a change in their collective thinking by not electing a very qualified candidate to lead the state party. Gina Barr has been one of the most dedicated activists and leaders in the party, who just happened to be a female of color.

But rather than demonstrating vision, the slim majority of about 150 votes gave the leadership role to someone who sought little more than a participation trophy led by the usual political consultant class who sought profit and demonstrated little regard for principle.

The chatter on the convention floor that day also demonstrated the ugliness and pettiness in some people I thought I knew better. The convention served as a harsh reminder that some of the criticisms of our party are quite true.

Gina’s candidacy struck a certain level of fear into the leadership of Michigan democrats which is going through its own set of problems. We hear from democrat supporters whom are tired of feeling their votes are not earned, nor rewarded. These voters are quietly are looking for answers elsewhere but do not trust republicans— and they have good reason not to.

Republicans (with few exceptions) have treated “urban demographics” , minority votes, and the youth as nothing more than a talking point a few months out of an election—all of this has got to stop if an ever aging party of “old white folks” want to see their party survive the next 5-10 years.

Since becoming a political and legislative activist more than 10 years ago, one of the major foundational problems I see is that neither party really believes in liberty. Democrats are generally better on civil liberties issues (unless they disagree with you), while republicans are generally better with economic liberty (unless you try to rein in corporate cronyism).

Both parties are notorious for pandering, abusing fear based emotion to gin up their respective bases, they both speak to issues they indirectly created, but never actually intend to fix, and both parties have contributed to the deepening divisions in our country.

Black vs White, rich vs. poor, young vs. old, gay vs. straight, producers vs. laborers, or any other oppositions they can create serve as fertile ground for the political class to enrich themselves—we are just pawns in their game.

Each election we are faced with “the most important election of our lifetime” while each party paints a dire picture should you vote for the other side. Some folks seek refuge in 3rd parties, but the game is rigged to benefit the two major parties.

I have always been told that politics is ugly, full of liars seeking power and personal enrichment and that it is a “full contact sport”—sad, because I never view peoples’ lives as a game to play with.

So it is currently 2019, we are trillions in debt, the banksters rule the roost with their phony money, which buys off the corruptible and funds the endless wars. We are still fighting over Israel and Palestine. Health care and education have still not been solved, we are still arguing over guns and abortion, and the government is still involved in our personal lives—issuing paid permission slips for that which our Constitution spells out a natural right to do, and our individual liberties continue to be eroded in the name of national security and social justice—the enemy is definitely within our gate.

In many ways government has become an industry, much like the music and sports industries, and it has grown into a beast which self-feeds on the people it was intended to serve. Government was only meant to serve as referee making sure everyone follows the rules we agreed on, not to pick and chose winners and losers which further divides us, leading to animus, hatred and violence.

One of the greatest crimes against the people by its government has the been the ability to print money out of nothing, artificially inject it into the marketplace and with it, the ability to expropriate anything we produce. This has to be one of the worst examples tyranny and sources of inequality. Fractional reserve banking, legal tender laws which force us to use it, and an I.R.S. to siphon the excess are all part of the grand design to control the population—and both party’s stood by to let it happen and have enabled it to continue.

The foundation of any country’s economy is its monetary system and ours has been corrupted, so any proposed solutions to our problems devoid of a discussion of fixing our system of money will be in vain. Incomplete proposals and ideas are tantamount to building a home of the finest materials onto a foundation of quicksand—the end result should be obvious.

Today, we are faced with an even greater threat, the idea that our republican form of governance is inadequate, giving a repeated rise in alternative systems such as socialism, a gateway drug to communism. These ideas stand in opposition to individual liberty, and are incompatible in a free society.

People whom are genuinely concerned about social inequality, the environment, and justice, particularly the young, are having their fears used against them in order to be convinced into the false idea that somehow liberty and the free markets controlled by we the people are to blame. The hard truth is that we do not have true liberty, nor do we operate under a free market. Additionally, some of the ideas which socialists promote have already been implemented and stand as part of the reason our country suffers today—so increasing their influence will only serve to weaken our country further.

The socialists are on the same ugly political spectrum as the fascists they criticize, both seek advantage through control, coercion and artificial manipulation of markets and people. The only difference between the two is in how the wealth is distributed.

The truth is that there is no greater pathway to peace and prosperity than through the unifying message of individual liberty, a respect for the rule of law and a strict adherence to our Constitution.

Since I am in a leadership role in one of the two political parties, republicans would do well to heed the warning given to them. Restructure our party to be inclusive so that every member has an equal voice and vote in all matters of the party. Craft policy ideas around the principle of liberty, then promote public servants whom will commit to the defense of it. We must be willing to call out those who borrow our banner to get elected and then betray us, and we must work to replace them. We need to reach out in an honest way to people of all backgrounds, and be sincerely rooted in principle while repudiating corruption, cronyism, corporatism or any other form of artificial control over people.

Walk the neighborhoods of people you want to reach, and listen to their concerns. Be warm and inviting. Let us not contribute to scaring them into socialism, but rather lead them to liberty.

2020 will be another election year if your only concern is rooted in partisanship or preserving “democracy”, however the stakes are high if you’re concerned about preserving a constitutional representative republic, the defense of natural law and individual liberty.

-Chairman Dude