HAGERTY: Make Republicans great again

On April 7, George W. Bush penned an op-ed on The Washington Post, urging the president to preserve a foreign aid program. On April 6, The Hill reported that Donald Trump Jr. is considering running for governor of New York. This juxtaposition struck me. These two news stories epitomize the two main dueling factions in the Republican Party. On one hand, we have “the establishment” with figures like the Presidents Bush, Senators John McCain, Lindsey Graham and Susan Collins. On the other hand, we have “the obstructionists” like President Donald Trump, Senators Mitch McConnell, Ted Cruz and the House’s Freedom Caucus. Right now, the obstructionists are winning, which is quite a shame because the pragmatic establishment figures are being discredited and boxed out.

It’s almost comical, but recently a lot of people have expressed nostalgia for the Bush presidency. After reading Bush’s op-ed, I see why. In his piece “PEPFAR saves millions of lives in Africa. Keep it fully funded.” he makes the case to preserve the President’s Emergency Plan For AIDS Relief, which provides HIV testing and counseling in Africa. If we’re judging him against contemporary republicans, Bush sounded a lot like a member of the Trump resistance movement.

Trump’s budget has proposed enormous cuts to the State Department, especially its soft power initiatives like foreign aid. Bush’s op-ed contains some choice passages that would be considered far left for many members of today’s Republican Party: “As the executive and legislative branches review the federal budget, they will have vigorous debates about how best to spend taxpayers’ money — and they should,” Bush wrote. “I argue that we shouldn’t spend money on programs that don’t work, whether at home or abroad. But they should fully fund programs that have proven to be efficient, effective and results-oriented. Saving nearly 12 million lives is proof that PEPFAR works, and I urge our government to fully fund it.” In 2016, PEPFAR requested $1.1 billion. If this so-called patriotic White House plans to cut a domestic aide program such as Community Block Grant, which funds Meals on Wheels, it is unlikely that they will keep PEPFAR. America first, right?

The members of the republican establishment are pragmatists who want to keep what works and eliminate waste. The obstructionists are ideologues who seem hell-bent on throwing the baby out with the bathwater, just so they can send a message. Even though the obstructionists are the ruling faction, they face a serious problem — they are not unified in their message. They claim to be unified in their commitment to put “America First.” But honestly, what does that even mean? I feel like that phrase is vague enough that anyone can ascribe their own meaning reflective of their personal ideology and views of patriotism. This renders the slogan virtually meaningless. Trump’s cuts are more symbolic than anything else. They are a nod to the aggressive emphasis on an increasingly rigid and narrow definition of nationalism that only a small percentage of Americans actually subscribe to. It is incredibly shortsighted to rely on ideology over facts, data and proven evidence. It’s alienating a lot of voters. If history tells us anything, the obstructionists will end up shooting themselves in the foot, but unfortunately this will be at the cost of the American people.

This obstructionist movement in the Republican Party has catapulted “anti-establishment” political newcomers and outrageous right-wing media figures into the mainstream. As I mentioned before, Donald Trump Jr. is considering a run for governor of New York. Owning a gun, inheriting a real estate company and showing a disdain for political correctness are his only qualifications. In this political climate, those qualities might serve him well among white rural voters, but I don’t think it’s sustainable, let alone logical, to continuously run populist “anti-establishment” candidates because they are rarely up to snuff when they actually have to govern. The Republican Party seriously needs to ask itself if the ends justify the means. With a historical unpopular president, the loss of the popular vote and a failed attempt to “repeal and replace” Obamacare, I think the republicans need to undergo a renaissance. This means returning to the best elements of the Bush and Ronald Reagan eras.

In order to be a viable governing party, in order to win over millennials and independents, the Republicans would be incredibly foolish to prop up the Trumps as the next political dynasty. A reliance on obstruction, talking points and empty slogans can only get you into office, it can’t help you govern. Hopefully some up-and-coming Republican can rise to the occasion and offer a much needed dose of pragmatism. But I’m pessimistic.