The election is over– thank goodness. Let’s go back to normal, please. 

With that being said, Donald Trump’s Republican Party is going to look very different soon. He took control of the party and made it a gang of him and his peeps running it all. You either had to conform to him or get out. He’ll soon be gone, and although you haven’t seen it yet, he will not be the center of attention anymore. This is a good thing for Republicans. It’s a party that has lost six of the last seven popular votes in the presidential election, and now they really have a chance to look in the mirror after two of their last three presidents have only been one-term presidents. 

Knowing this, the party is in limbo. Their base is getting smaller, but there are some ways the party can stay on point with policy and grow its base in the future.

Get Trump out ASAP:

Donald Trump was toxic to the Republican Party. There is no way to explain it otherwise. His lies, contradictions, and personal issues made it impossible to defend him without looking like a blind follower. Now, the party has the potential to clean the slate. Do not let another Trump in. Kick the whole family out and start fresh. Some people might be upset, but what are his biggest supporters going to do? Vote Democrat? 

Make “The Squad” the Center of the Democrat Party

AOC, Omar, Pressley, and Talib are all unpopular outside of their districts. While young people love them, the vast majority of the voting population does not align with them. Young people will continue to push their agenda as mainstream ideals. Let it happen. Their policy would get destroyed by most non-Trump agendas. Paint the Democrats as socialists for supporting them and have moderates support you. Remember, Biden will be in his early 80’s after his first term. He’s likely a one-term president, and Democrats will be picking another candidate in four years. If an extreme progressive wins the nomination, a balanced Republican agenda will go a long way in the next election.

Push Criminal Justice and Legalizing Drugs while Supporting Police:

Trump actually did a decent job at this, but the party damaged itself by immediately decrying the riots every time the protests over the summer came up. Yes, we know rioting is wrong, but get some tact. Understand why they happened in the first place. Policing is important and often noble, but it is not always flawless. Some cops are undertrained — and some are not ethically fit for the job — and incidents like the ones over the summer showed that. The best way to solve the problem: legalize and destigmatize the main way people get caught in this mess — drugs. Most people would like to see criminal justice reform. If the far-left side of the Democrat Party continues to push anti-police rhetoric, use it against them by actually offering solutions that help both police and minority communities, not make life more difficult.

Calm Down With Anti-Immigration Rhetoric

“Thanks to each wave of new arrivals to this land of opportunity, we’re a nation forever young, forever bursting with energy and new ideas, and always on the cutting edge, always leading the world to the next frontier. This quality is vital to our future as a nation. If we ever closed the door to new Americans, our leadership in the world would soon be lost.” 

Ronald Reagan said that in his final speech in office. Instead of restricting legal, skilled workers from coming into the country and referring to those trying to cross the border as “rapists,” frame the immigration issue as one that encourages hard-working people to come into the country. Also, lighten up on asylum issues. You seem like you have no soul. Oh, almost forgot, instead of complaining that Obama built the cages, which is true, by the way– take them down. How did you not think of this? 

Go after the Latino Vote

Latinos embody what you say you embody: hard work and tight family circles, and they’re very Christian, too. Trump comparatively did very well in 2020 among this demographic. He did much better in 2020 than he did in 2016 with the group.  It is a fast-growing population in the US and would significantly help the Republican coalition.

Win The Two Georgia Runoffs

This is massive. The Senate will be controlled by the Democrats if they win both of these races. It is an outcome Republicans cannot afford. Also, this is a state they just lost, and they must win at least one of these races to keep control of at least one of the legislative houses. Put all of your resources into this race, and keep control of the Senate. 

Stop Pushing Anti-Masking in Private Businesses

If a private business tells you to wear a mask inside their facility, they are allowed to do that. That is their right. Just because you woke up in a free country, it doesn’t mean you can endlessly violate private businesses rules. Arguments can be made against mask mandates by the government, but pushing the ignorance that people can do what they want in private spaces hurts your reputation and makes you look stupid.

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For Republicans to stay afloat, it will require a complete revamping of their voter base and policy. They must tone down certain rhetoric and remake themselves as the party of Lincoln– one that encourages hard work and fairness. It is certainly possible, but getting rid of Donald Trump must happen first.