WASHINGTON, DC – Shortly after he was elected Republican Leader of the U.S. House of Representatives, then-Congressman Gerald Ford was asked a simple but straightforward question:
“What is the mission of the minority?”
Ford’s response was equally straightforward:
“The mission of the minority,” he declared, “is to become the majority.”
In its latest edition, THE RIPON FORUM focuses on how today’s group of House Republicans, who were swept out of power last fall, can put their newfound status as the minority party to use in a way that not only helps them win back their majority, but serves the interests of the American people, as well. Featured essays include:
“Making the Minority Matter: Advice for the House GOP” – by veteran House Leadership aide Michael Johnson, who, among other things, writes: “Pursuing a positive agenda does not mean capitulation; far from it. Opposition is as much a part of governing as is compromise.”
“Winning Back The Suburbs” – by Sarah Chamberlain Resnick, the President of the Republican Main Street Partnership, who writes: “The ongoing ‘war’ between the White House and the media has created an increasingly toxic political environment that has turned off many suburban and moderate voters … It would probably benefit Republicans greatly to take a page from President Ronald Reagan’s playbook. He was relentlessly optimistic. His approach was always simple, clear, and caring.”
“Building a More Diverse GOP” – by GOP strategist Cam Savage, who writes : “Republican women make up just 6% of the House GOP Conference and are just 12% of the total number of women in the House … This is an abysmally small percentage of representation for a party claiming to be – striving to be – a national party.”
“A Final Post-Mortem on the 2018 Mid-Terms …and a preview of the challenges facing Republicans ahead” – by former NRCC Chairman Tom Davis, who writes: “Anger at the out party and a desire for change drove [Trump’s] 2016 upset victory. But instead of consolidating and expanding his base, as a minority President, he doubled down. This had the effect of throwing gasoline on the fire for his opponents, who were still smoldering from his 2016 victory.”
Other essays and op-eds in this latest edition of THE RIPON FORUM include:
“Straight Talk from El Paso on Border Security & Immigration Reform” – by Dee Margo, the Mayor of El Paso;
“The Rise of Free Lunch Economics & the Growth of Our National Debt” – by Maya MacGuineas, the President of the Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget;
“Ballot Harvesting: Mend It, Don’t End It” – by David Wolfe, a California-based political consultant; and,
“State of the Electorate 2019” – by Ed Goeas & Brian Nienaber, the President and Vice President of the Tarrance Group.
The latest edition of the FORUM also features a profile of U.S. Rep. Carol Miller (WV-3), who is the only new Republican woman elected to the House of Representatives last year.
THE RIPON FORUM is published six times a year by The Ripon Society, a public policy organization that was founded in 1962 and takes its name from the town where the Republican Party was born in 1854 – Ripon, Wisconsin. One of the main goals of The Ripon Society is to promote the ideas and principles that have made America great and contributed to the GOP’s success. These ideas include keeping our nation secure, keeping taxes low and having a federal government that is smaller, smarter and more accountable to the people.