The GOP Needs to ditch the debt, drama, and demagoguery and return to fighting for the American Promise.
For many people around my age, the party of Trump is the only Republican Party they’ve ever known. But the GOP didn’t use to be like this; they used to be a party of principle. A party committed to fiscal responsibility, moral clarity, and individual liberty. However, under the influence of Donald Trump, the GOP has shifted away from its foundational principles to a brand of politics centered on populist division and reckless governance. If the Republican Party is to remain a viable force in American politics and its old principles not forgotten, then America needs a rejuvenated Republicanism.
The Republican Party used to be a champion of fiscal conservatism. Just 12 years ago they were “for a Balanced Budget Amendment to the Constitution, following the lead of 33 States which have put that restraint into their own constitutions”. Contrast that with the Republican Party of the first Trump presidency, which saw a 55% increase in federal spending from 2017 to 2020, and we can see just how much the Republican Party has fallen.
Donald Trump’s reckless tax cuts, unfunded pandemic stimulus measures, and unwillingness to seek meaningful entitlement reform if it doesn’t have Obama in the name. Even today, the Republican party’s attempts to cut fat in the bureaucracy have caused nothing but dysfunction, confusion, and tragedies. With Trump adding about 2 times what Biden did to the national debt, it is clear the current Republican Party has strayed from the old fiscal prudence of Coolidge, Eisenhower, and Nixon. A rejuvenated Republican Party would reject excessive government spending and reaffirm a commitment to sound policy and free markets. This doesn’t mean we need to ignore the struggle of working-class Americans, but rather crafting policies that empower the individual to create their own prosperity rather than unsustainable government intervention.
The modern Republican Party has been hijacked by a culture of grievance and anger, rather than prudence and virtue that should define a compassionate conservatism. The rhetoric of false victimhood and retribution—hallmarks of Trumpism—has led to a party that prioritizes cult-like loyalty to a man over allegiance to moral principles and ideals. This shift has eroded the GOP’s moral standing and reputation as a party of order and respect for American institutions. 12 years ago the Republican Party touted itself as “the party of the Constitution, the solemn compact which confirms our God-given individual rights and assures that all Americans stand equal before the law”. Unfortunately, the party of Trump has lost its way in this regard, with a President who shows absolutely no respect for the rule of law in this country, refers to himself as a king in tweets, and says that “he who saves his country does not violate any law”. The President of the United States sees himself as above the natural laws and the law of our land. One of the gravest threats to our American experiment is the deterioration of the Constitution and a power-hungry executive. For America to experience a rejuvenated Republicanism, the party must look at the restrictions placed on government in the name of individual liberty as a strength, not a burden.
Republicans long claimed to be the party of Christian values, yet Trump-era conservatism has often been defined by prejudice and cruelty rather than compassion and charity. True Christian conservatism is not about wielding power to punish enemies or enforce political dominance, it is about humility, service, and the belief that all people are equally worthy of love because they are made in the image of God. The Republican Party of old endeared to the idealistic Reagan idea of America: a shining city on a hill, “built on rocks stronger than oceans, wind-swept, God-blessed, and teeming with people of all kinds living in harmony and peace; a city with free ports that hummed with commerce and creativity. And if there had to be city walls, the walls had doors and the doors were open to anyone with the will and the heart to get here.” An America open to all has been integral to the American promise, a shining beacon of hope for all. This idea of taking in those less fortunate from around the world is an inherently Christian value.
In fact, the Catholic Church says, “The more prosperous nations are obliged, to the extent they are able, to welcome the foreigner in search of the security and the means of livelihood which he cannot find in his country of origin.” However, today’s Republican Party has abandoned the Christian ideal of loving your neighbor. Their sole interest is scapegoating a group of vulnerable people who came to this country in hopes of a better life for themselves and their families. Today’s Republican Party has strained so far from its Christian tradition that its immigration policy has been rebuked by the Vatican. A rejuvenated Republicanism would never allow open borders, but it would equally never stop America’s obligation to be the refuge for the world’s refuse. A revived Republican Party must take seriously the biblical command to love one’s neighbor and treat all with fairness and dignity. This does not mean abandoning the conservative values of justice and national security. Rather, it means advocating for policies that reflect justice and mercy—policies that crack down on criminal cartels and drug lords while protecting hard-working Americans who contribute to this country’s greatness even if they weren’t born here.
Rebuilding the old Republican coalition and not relying on extremism to win elections requires a deliberate return to its founding principles. This means prioritizing fiscal responsibility, moral fairness, and a compassionate approach to governance. By embracing this vision, the GOP can move past the divisiveness of the last eight years and offer a unifying vision for the country.
Our nation stands at a crossroads today, and the Republican party’s chance to lead with principle and purpose is slipping. To avoid becoming the party of authoritarianism and regain its joie de vivre, the GOP must return to its promise to the American people: championing freedom, responsibility, and dignity for all.
Photo Credit:
[Header]- Atland Publishing
[Embedded 1]- AP Photo/Charles Rex Arbogast, File
[Embedded 2]- J. David Ake J./AFP via Getty Images
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