Before going any further, I would like to emphasize that I am not a member of either of the two major political parties in the U.S. I decide who to vote for based on their positions, not their party.
With that said, I would like to discuss some of my observations about the current political environment. One theme that has endured over at least the past several years is the competition among Republican politicians, especially during the primary phase, to appear more conservative than another.
This jockeying for position is exciting to many of the parties’ most staunch supporters; however, it is generally unappealing to the average voter. This is especially true with several key social issues.
The first one that comes to mind is same-sex marriage. I can say with extraordinary confidence that the U.S. Supreme Court will rule this summer that state level same-sex marriage bans are a violation of the Constitution's 14th Amendment. That inevitable ruling would be a perfect opportunity for GOP leaders to stop endorsing discrimination, catch up with the rest of the nation and embrace the freedom to marry.
The next issue that comes to mind is drug policy. Republicans are generally resistant to reforming the nation's drug laws, instead boasting about how they are “tough on crime." This is a flawed approach, however, and as more states reform their drug laws, the more their message comes across as out of touch.
Instead of repeating their vows to maintain the failed drug war, a young Republican running for office for the first time could endorse legislation establishing a medical marijuana program in their state under the rationale of helping veterans with PTSD. A 2008 study by the Rand Corporation estimates that up to 20 percent of service members who return from Iraq and Afghanistan suffer from PTSD.
Since Republicans are generally more supportive of military spending and intervention, and like to portray themselves as being the superior party for “supporting our troops," they could boost their credentials in that regard by pushing legislation to make medical marijuana more accessible to veterans.
Another outdated position that Republicans should reconsider is their opposition to immigration reform. This stance is demeaning to hardworking, honest people from other nations who wish to provide a better life for their family by immigrating legally to the U.S. On this issue, Republicans should take the advice of free market economists, and endorse more liberal immigration policies.
The enthusiastic support among GOP leaders for the death penalty is also out of touch. Republicans should take seriously the concerns of experts that the death penalty is cruel and unusual punishment, cannot be conducted humanely, regardless of method, doesn’t deter crime, is too costly, disproportionately affects minorities and is a drain on the time and resources of our court system.
The final issue that Republicans should reconsider is their stance on abortion. Over the past several years, Americans have witnessed a devout obsession among GOP leaders to pass legislation designed to make it more onerous and burdensome for women to obtain a legal abortion. This issue is obviously very divisive, and many Americans have sincerely held beliefs, either from religion or other sources, that abortion is morally wrong in many or all circumstances, and must be ended. However, Republicans must take into account that regardless of what legislation they pass, abortion can never truly be “ended."
Just like with drug prohibition, alcohol prohibition and gun control, restricting abortion is neither an effective nor appropriate solution. Instead, Republicans should get the government out of regulating abortion, allow women to make their own reproductive choices and focus their efforts on issues with far greater agreement, such as preventing sexual assault on college campuses.
With that critique, many may be wondering if there is anything that Republicans do well, and the answer is yes. Economic issues are an area in which Republicans have ideas that can succeed. Advocating for cuts in the corporate income, personal income, real estate, capital gains, dividend, payroll, estate, repatriation and other taxes are all changes that would make Americans better off.
Combining these tax cuts with a repeal of nonsensical business regulations and a liberalized perspective on social issues, Republicans can create an environment much more conducive to prosperity, not just for themselves, but more importantly for America as a whole.