Open Letter to Republican Gov. Romney, Rep. Cantor, and Gov. Bush from a Black Republican

Dear Rep. Cantor, Gov. Romney & Gov. Bush:

I am writing to you because I hope you three (and others) can help bring the GOP back to a place of reason and civility. A party of openness and inclusiveness -- a party worthy of its first Presidential nominee Abraham Lincoln's legacy.

A few weeks ago now, I attended Memorial Services for my friend Jack Kemp. I first met Jack in 1988 when I was in college and he was running for the Republican nomination. As I listened to his eldest son Jeff eulogize his dad as a man of endless "passion and ideas" it reminded me of why I became a Republican. Jack's passionate zeal for "hope, growth, opportunity, and inclusion" inspired me to follow his special brand of conservatism.

I was even more struck by the words of former Nixon Aide Chuck Colson who said, "Jack's interest in Civil Rights and the desire to make the GOP more inclusive probably cost him within his own party." Ironically, Colson seemed to be publicly apologizing for his own role in the development of the so-called Nixon Southern strategy. Time has been known to change a man's soul. Colson clearly fits that bill as someone who has made his life valuable by learning to love, give, and serve others in prison ministry.

As an African American woman who was raised in a 3 to 1 democratic county in New Jersey, my choice to become a Republican was not expected. And to be frank it has been a difficult journey on many fronts. However, as I sat quietly in the Cathedral, one phrase kept coming to mind:

"What Kind of Republican" -- What kind of Republican has a memorial service that includes the Howard University Choir (Kemp served on the Howard Board of Trustees), black grassroots activists from Housing projects, Black Enterprise Magazine Chairman Earl Graves, Ways & Means Chairman Charlie Rangel, and The Mayor of Washington D.C.?

A Kemp Republican: One who is fiscally conservative, strong on National Defense, and who believes deeply that free market principles can work best for the poor, and disenfranchised in America.

It is here that I hope your new leadership council will begin its dialogue with the American people.

The fact is that it was "ideas" that won me to the GOP -- it was passion. It was Kemp's sunny optimism, and his desire to see the GOP become a truly inclusive party. Now is not the time for the GOP to listen. Now is the time for the GOP to lead with ideas and passion.

President Obama earned my vote in November not because he was black, but because of his optimistic (almost Reaganesque) speeches, his temperance, and his inclusive campaign. Obama made me believe in politics again. Although, I do not agree with many of the President's policies, he inspired me.

In these trying times people want to be inspired. I implore the three of you to inspire people with your ideas, your passion, and your vision for America.

This is where Republicans must begin anew.

So here is my humble advice to the three of you on how the GOP can recapture the country's interest and win elections:

1. Jack Kemp's brand of truly Compassionate Conservatism must be the model of our party going forward. He never attacked his opponents personally -- he fought back with his ideas.

2. GOP leaders must start standing on timeless American principles (life, liberty, less government) and win Americans over with the rightness of those values.

3. The GOP must stop saying it is a big tent. It is not. It must start from the ground up and go into non-traditional Republican communities (i.e., the northeast, urban areas, and minority communities) and present how their ideas can solve people's most pressing problems: joblessness, hunger, education, health care, and hope for a better future. The GOP can no longer afford to write off whole sectors of Americans (i.e., blacks, etc.).

4. The party must stop recycling the same old political hacks and bring in some fresh blood, with some fresh ideas. The GOP "goon squad" (my words) who don't really want blacks or non-conservatives in the party are destroying the party. Over the past 20 years I have witnessed some of our best and brightest people of color be smeared, black balled, and the like because they dare offer a different point of view within the party (I know, it happened to me). The fact is that the party has some very talented people who are well regarded within their respective communities who could help the party build a new coalition of diverse Republicans. Encourage these people to have a voice within the GOP.

5. You three need to talk to the black media, go on black radio, and reach out with your actions. It is simply unacceptable for Republican politicians to continue to avoid or ignore black and brown communities. Leaders must find the courage to bridge this divide. The time has come to stop hiding and start reaching out.

In the final analysis, the GOP must have a place for Republicans like Colin Powell, and Olympia Snow who are less conservative -- but who believe in core Republican principles. It must have an active place for women of color, blacks, Hispanics and white conservative voters alike. That is what a truly "big tent" encompasses. That is what the GOP of the 21st Century must look like if it is to have any chance of governing again.

Sophia A. Nelson is a regular contributor to the Root.com, Huffington Post, and she is editor of Political Intersection Blog you can email her at [e-mail]

Comments

[Humanistic]

(continued)

Reps have used all kinds of dirty political tactics to defeat their rivals (even within their own party, as we recall George Bush's scathing and false attacks against McCain in the 2000 Primary campaign).

The raison d'être of the Republican Party is now, and has been for as long as I can remember (over 50 years), to keep the little guy down so the wealthy can hoard more for themselves. They consistently have opposed raising the Minimum Wage, for example, despite a rising cost of living. How despicable! They have done everything possible to bust the Unions and to reduce Labor's power to negotiate for better wages and working conditions. Let us never forget Reagan's firing of the Air Controllers, and the many other rotten things he did to wreck the Unions.

Republicans invariably oppose any reform of Health Care that doesn't continue to enrich the entrenched private interests.

Now that a handful of them own almost everything and the rest of us are struggling and losing our jobs, retirement income, and homes, the American People finally have seen the light and have had enough of their lies and false promises.

I could go on and on. I say: give it up -- join the Party of CHANGE!

[Humanistic]

(continued)

The Republicans' "preemptive war" against Iraq was partly a result of the existence of a massively funded military-industrial complex that Republicans always support. Massive arms build-up and sales to other countries, and military action without regard to consequences have been their means to "keep America strong". If that is purported to constitute "a strong defense", then I say both Kemp and the author are sadly mistaken. The Iraq War is just as bad and wrong as the Vietnam War was, and the cost has been inestimable. Imagine how all those good people and resources could have been productively used to rebuild our country to make us more competitive, productive, and less dependent on foreign resources!

The Rep Party's alignment with and massive support of the Christian Conservative movement belies it's pretense of being a "big tent" by embracing intolerance and rigid thinking on a whole host of issues. This movement uses religious zealotry and demagoguery to promote a political agenda that defines morality in their narrow, fundamentalist terms, while hiding the true motives of their Republican supporters.

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[Humanistic]

Ms. Nelson, I think you are all mixed up! The theme and tone of your article are laudable, but the premise is faulty. There is really no resemblance of today's Republican Party to the ideals and policies of Lincoln. In fact, the predominant base remains in the South, where many revile the memory of Lincoln.

Proposing to make the Republican Party more moderate is like asking a gun enthusiast to support a ban on assault weapons -- it's absurdly naive. Jack Kemp was a generous, likable man in many ways, but his views on economic policy did not serve to elevate minorities or the working poor. The leaders of the Rep Party have consistently worked to thwart or undermine programs that would allow women and minorities a chance to gain equal opportunity. They always want to cut social programs and allocate more to defense.

The economic collapse we are suffering through, has utterly discredited the Republican Party's notion of "trickle down", because this disaster was caused mainly by their policies based on an essential philosophy of: reduced taxes on corporations and the rich (and perpetuated gigantic loopholes), deregulation & free market capitalism, unfettered globalization to maximize profits at the expense of American workers and a viable industrial base, massive military expenditures, and diminished public investment in education and infrastructure that have weakened our nation in crucial areas.

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[karela]

How dumb would minorities have to be to believe that the republican party suddenly changed from the party of "the southern strategy" into a party that wants to include people of color AND TREAT THEM AS EQUALS? People could believe that republicans want their votes but they have no reason to think that the republican party respects or values them because they don't. Listen to Limbaugh on the subject of minorities and then look at the major elected republicans who have knelt down and begged his forgiveness on national radio. The republican party would be willing to use people of color, but they would not in this life time accept them as equals at the table.

[DeminJapan84]

I hope that somebody decides to listen to you Ms. Nelson. While I don't agree with the vast majority of things that Republicans stand on, I want there to continue to be a vibrant 2 party system in this country. Only by embracing people like Colin Powell and Olympia Snowe like you said can the Republicans being to become relevant again.

One thing though, the first presidential nominee of the Republican Party was not Lincoln though, it was another great American, John C. Fremont. An anti-slavery candidate who also served in the US Army and while he lost, he set the standard for Lincoln 4 years later.