If we’re gonna win, it’s no more Mr. Nice Guy.
The Republican Party got spanked this week, just as they did in November of 2018, 2020 and 2022.
So what happened and how can we fix it?
Newsmax host Carl Higbee concluded on the Wednesday edition of "Frontline" that the Republican Party’s support for life was to blame.
"I realize it’s well-intentioned to protect the life of the unborn — I get it, that’s how I personally feel," he said.
"But if we make this the basis of out legislative platform, Republicans will lose en masse nxt year."
But Mercedes Schlapp, American Conservative Union senior fellow and former White House senior advisor, "Schlapped" that notion down.
"I absolutely disagree with you, Carl. I think that we’re seeing more and more young people that actually are becoming pro-life," she said.
"Republicans do need to message this in a much better way."
She explained that the GOP needs to hold a mirror up to Democrats on the issue to show who they really are.
"They need to talk about how extreme the Democrats are on the issue of abortion — how they support late-term abortion, how their policy, when it comes to abortion, is more in line with North Korea and China than it is with a European country.
"So don’t run away from the issue of abortion."
As an example, Schlapp observed that "what used to be a swing state of Florida" has since approved a six-week abortion ban and became deep red in the process.
Higbee agreed that "at messaging, we’re just God-awful at times."
Newsmax host Jenn Pellegrino believed the GOP had to find some middle ground on the issue, and suggested 15 weeks as a limit for abortion.
She agreed that Democrats are "good with their messaging, and they’re good with fear-mongering, and that drives out the votes."
The Democrats "have outspent us," Schlapp said, adding that "I saw more Democrat ads in Virginia than I saw Republican ads," and the messaging came down to: '"a complete ban on abortions,' which is a complete lie, and 'MAGA extremists.'
"That’s how they’re pushing this message. They think it’s gonna keep working."
Schlapp concluded that Republicans "have to stand strong and say, 'Listen, we can be pro-life and we can come to that common ground where we believe the majority of Americans are."
On the morning of Tuesday’s election the Democratic Party defined their stance on abortion as "reproductive freedom." Who can be against freedom, right?
One huge loss for Republicans Tuesday was Ohio’s Issue 1, a state constitutional amendment "The Right to Reproductive Freedom with Protections for Health and Safety."
Who can be against "freedom" or "health and safety"?
However, Issue 1 approves abortion for any reason and at any point in the pregnancy up until the moment of birth.
And the Republican legislature and Republican governor can’t do a thing to change it because it’s enshrined in the state constitution.
Tuesday morning Democrats listed six things they claim to stand for. They are:
- Reproductive freedom
- Climate action
- Gun safety reform
- Affordable health care
- LGBTQ+ rights
- Social Security and Medicare
With one or two exceptions they all sound fairly reasonable. But if we hold a mirror up to Democrats, those beliefs, more accurately stated, would say:
- Abortion for any reason, up to and beyond birth, and the state should pay for it
- Give us lots more money and we’ll pretend to change the Earth’s temperature
- We want to take away your guns and repeal your Second Amendment rights
- Give us lots more money and we’ll fix Obamacare (which we said before was perfect)
- The rights of a tiny minority of the population supersede your rights because they’re special people and you’re not
- Give us lots more money and we’ll try to replace the funds we stole from Social Security and Medicare (unless we need it to give Social Security and Medicare to illegal immigrants)
As Higbee, Schlapp, and Pellegrino agreed, it’s all in the messaging.
Historically, Republicans are too nice. They tend to live and practice the American traditions of fair play, and of being good losers and gracious winners.
But as Jim McLaughlin told Newsmax, the GOP has to stop playing defense and instead play to win.
No more Mr. Nice Guy.
The gloves have to come off or the country will be in the same sewer as Canada and Europe.
Michael Dorstewitz is a retired lawyer and has been a frequent contributor to Newsmax. He is also a former U.S. Merchant Marine officer and an enthusiastic Second Amendment supporter. Read Michael Dorstewitz's Reports — More Here.
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