The Ripon Forum
Volume 53, No. 1
February 2019
In this edition
by LOU ZICKAR
Shortly after he was elected House GOP Leader, then-Congressman Gerald Ford was asked a simple but straightforward question: “What is the mission of the minority?”
Straight Talk from El Paso on Border Security & Immigration Reform
by DEE MARGO
Mexico is Texas’ largest trading partner, and instituting policy that will detrimentally affect that trade is unacceptable.
The Rise of Free Lunch Economics & the Growth of Our National Debt
by MAYA MACGUINEAS
Even if we are successful in implementing a comprehensive plan to grow the economy, it is not going to be enough to grow our way out of our debt problems.
Ballot Harvesting: Mend It, Don’t End It
by DAVID WOLFE
The 64% registered voter turnout was the highest in a mid-term election in the state since 1982. This should be celebrated — as long as it is accomplished legitimately.
Making the Minority Matter: Advice for the House GOP
by MICHAEL JOHNSON
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 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.
Building a More Diverse GOP
by CAM SAVAGE
There is a crisis in Washington among Republicans that has been ignored over the last few election cycles. Republican women make up just 6% of the House GOP Conference and are just 12% of the total number of women in the House.
A Final Post-Mortem on the 2018 Mid-Terms
by TOM DAVIS
Perhaps the least discussed, but probably the most important change, in the 2018 election dynamics was the huge Democratic spending advantage in Congressional races.
State of the Electorate 2019
by ED GOEAS & BRIAN NIENABER
Despite the challenges of the current political environment, most voters continue to agree with the premise for conservative governance.
Ripon Profile of Carol Miller
The freshman Congresswoman from West Virginia discusses why she ran for Congress and how the political service of her father shaped her political career.
