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GP The Republican Party has traditionally been the party of revolutionary ideas and using the government to maximizing individual freedom. Think Lincoln and TR.
GP Lincoln and Republicans used government power (and a whole lot of off the boat conscripted Irishmen and some freemen) freed the slaves.
GP Teddy Roosevelt used government power to bust trusts and go after the robber barons of his day.
GP Congressional Republicans (with a hat tip to Truman who integrated the military) dragged Democrats and LBJ kicking and screaming to Civil Rights.
GP Each of these times Republicans used government power to free individuals from tyrannies: slave owners, corporations, and government, respectively.
GP Trump is kinda-sorta doing this. I don’t think this is conscious on his part. I think Trump goes with his gut and this is what his gut is telling him. This is a good way to lean.
GP Republicans need to get back to insisting on a nimble government powerful enough to step in when necessary to maximize freedoms for individuals.
GP I have little hope our current crop of leaders have the guts to do it. Trump does but someone needs to help him present it. Perhaps a job for Cocaïne Mitch?
GP A few suggestions: streamline the NLRA to protect workers *and* corporations; open antitrust investigations into large tech companies, the modern robber barons; deregulate investment banking but insist retail banking be completely separate therefrom.
GP Use federal supremacy to get rid of or streamline significantly state review of interstate energy projects (pipelines, transmission lines, internet); make data transmission networks a public utility and regulate the shit out of it (data is separate and unregulated);
GP Federally charter private K-12 for profit schools and permit them to operate in any state subject only to federal rules. Ban public sector unions but review and beef up civil service protections.
GP I’ve got a million ideas and I haven’t even hit healthcare and insurance yet. I’ll bet you do, too.
GorT to GP: "make data transmission networks a public utility and regulate the shit out of it” - I’m not sure I but into that. Part of me can see the argument for it, but I would worry that it would stagnate the innovation taking place there.
GP But until Republicans get back to their core value, putting individual freedoms first, my ideas and your ideas will remain nothing more than shouts into the void.
GP Let’s get started.
