Republicans’ Vision Won’t Win Unless They Show Voters It Should

Editor’s note: This is the conclusion to a series of articles written by former Sen. Jim DeMint. Read the introduction here and the five articles here, here, here, here, and here.

Hundreds of policies are constantly being shuffled around tabletops in the halls of Congress — like puzzle pieces in search of the right position. All these pieces belong to one of two puzzles. The pieces of these two puzzles are continuously being put in place in small conference rooms in the Capitol, private dining areas in D.C. restaurants, and congressional offices by lobbyists, leadership staff, and a few senior congressmen and senators. Everyone else in Washington is essentially irrelevant, mostly window dressing.

The metaphorical box tops telling you what the completed puzzle picture looks like for these two puzzles represent very different visions for America. One box top has the picture of what Democrats want America to become. This picture imagines America as part of a global union where borders and national identity are part of a racist and backward past. A multi-national ruling class oversees the uniform delivery of health care, education, as well as the equitable distribution of goods, services, and wealth. The role of state and local governments is essentially eliminated.

In fairness, most Democrats don’t see this picture, only the Democrats who control the party. These invisible, behind-the-scenes leaders know the American people are not ready to accept this picture of America, so they and their allies in the Democrat aligned media have been gradually selling voters on pieces of their puzzle for several decades. Concepts such as “Medicare for All” are trial balloons to condition Americans to accept government-run health care. Open borders are preparation for a global citizenry. Accepting laws from the United Nations are grooming Americans for global governance. Get the picture?  

The box top for the Republican puzzle is much less clear — at least to the public. The official platform of the Republican Party reflects the same framework for good policies I’ve presented in this series of articles. (Find links to all of these articles above.) This is the picture of America envisioned by our founders. Unfortunately, this box top is much harder to communicate and sell. This is because Republican leaders have often compromised and helped assemble the Democrat puzzle, and because many American voters lack the critical thinking skills to connect policies (causes) with outcomes (effects).

Republican policies create the conditions for freedom, prosperity, civility, and security to thrive. The “framework for good policies” presented in this series of articles will create these conditions. But creating these conditions does not mean creating government programs. The Democrats and Democrat aligned media maintain that Republicans do not have a “plan” unless it is a government program with lots of new spending. And many voters have a hard time understanding how concepts such as free markets and the restoration of Judeo-Christian values can make their lives better. This requires connecting causes with effects. 

I have often said that Democrats are giving away free candy while the Republicans are trying to sell vegetables. Vegetables are better for you, but free candy is hard to resist. Republicans must become much better salesmen for their vision of America. But they must first become much more consistent when it comes to putting the pieces of their vision in the right puzzle.

This framework establishes the questions that every politician and voter should ask when evaluating a proposed federal policy:

• Does it create more freedom for American citizens to make their own choices? Does it foster more private-sector competition? Does it encourage the dissemination of information to enable good decisions? Does it ensure that citizens have the financial means to make good choices for essential services?
• Does it reduce dependency on the government for essential personal needs? Does it encourage work? Does it encourage personal responsibility and self-reliance? Does it create alternatives to government-controlled welfare, retirement plans, and health care?
• Is it consistent with America’s Judeo-Christian foundation? Does it support or oppose Biblical moral principles? Does it protect the freedom of Americans to practice their faith and religious beliefs in all areas of their lives?
• Does it create more centralized government control or decentralize power to the states and the people? Does it reduce the government’s control over individuals?
• Does it promote honest elections and integrity in political service? Does it increase confidence in our electoral system? Does it prioritize the interests of American citizens? Does it serve the good of all Americans or a special interest? Is it uniform and consistent for all states and citizens?

After 30 years in the House, Senate, and serving the conservative movement in Washington, it has become evident that the competition between the two competing visions for America is much more than a secular political battle. It is a spiritual battle between good and evil. Knowing the fallen nature of mankind and especially the fallacies of my Republican colleagues, I am not pronouncing the Republican Party as “good.” My point is that the competing visions for America are being driven by spiritual and intellectual forces that can be identified throughout history as either good or evil.

The canvas on which the Democrat vision for America is being painted was woven with the fabric of socialist and Marxist ideology that has resulted in unimaginable evil over multiple centuries. Catastrophic economic failures and tens of millions of deaths are well-documented, yet the pitch for this vision has proved to be an irresistible siren’s song all over the world. And because the Democrats’ socialist utopia envisions an elite ruling class, their ideas have also proved appealing to the elite in politics, global corporations, media, entertainment, academia, and even religion.      

The good are always outnumbered and often outsmarted. The pitch for the real American vision is more complicated and requires a constant “show and tell” — show the policy and tell the benefits. Republicans are sometimes good at explaining policies (the puzzle pieces) but seldom good at showing all the benefits that will result from the implementation of their policies (the puzzle box top).

Saving America will be a long and difficult battle. “We the People” of every generation must fight to keep our freedoms and renew the framework that guards the foundations for the greatest country in history.