While public attention has mostly been on extremism within the Republican Party over the past four years, there have also been some hopeful indicators for where the party may be heading in the future.
I try to support leaders across the political spectrum who seem to be independent thinkers who will put people and country above their own personal interests — Democrats, Republicans, Libertarians, Independents, and Green Party leaders.
Five years ago, I selected a list of Republican leaders who I thought would be good for their party and the country. I tried to be supportive of these Republicans through social media and small financial donations. Five years later, these leaders coincidentally are the only ones speaking out against the destructive chaos that almost destroyed their party and our country. They’ve been branded traitors by the fringe radical extremist militant insurrectionists who have tried to take over the Republican Party. Yet, they continue in their fight to carry the party through to a brighter day.
These Republicans have shown the courage to speak out independently even when it results in the wrath (and sometimes death threats) from others in their party. This page offers some examples.
Congratulating Biden on 7 Nov 2020
There’s a long list of Republicans who immediately acknowledged Biden’s election win and on November 7 after it was officially called, and congratulated him. Familiarize yourself with this list, “Unifying Positive Responses from Republicans to Biden Presidential Election Win.” [View]
17 House GOP Freshmen Write To Biden About Working Together (20 Jan 2021 at 10:09 AM CT)
The following is an excerpt from an NPR article about 17 House Republican freshman wanting to congratulate Biden and express a desire to work together.
Hours before President-elect Biden will take the oath of office, 17 House Republican freshmen sent a letter congratulating him and saying they are hopeful they can work across the aisle. … The letter cites some areas where they believe there could be some common ground. It states: “We hope to work with you to extend targeted, meaningful coronavirus relief for families and businesses, protect Americans with pre-existing conditions, strengthen and modernize our infrastructure, enforce our anti-trust laws against emboldened technology monopolies, and restore our economy struggling in the aftermath of the coronavirus pandemic.”
Source: NPR, 20 Jan 2021 at 10:09 AM CT [View]
“How to heal America’s partisan divide” (10 Jan 2021)
Jesse Hyde assembled fourteen writings from various authors for a special issue of Deseret Magazine. Some of the contributors are Republicans. Here’s an excerpt from the introductory article.
For the inaugural issue of Deseret Magazine, we convened some of the nation’s leading writers, politicians, religious leaders and thinkers to find specific pathways to common ground. They come from across the country, all over the idealogical spectrum. Some have experienced political violence; others have lived with the impacts of bigotry and racism. Each brings unique insight on the healing we so desperately need.
Source: Jesse Hyde, Deseret News, 10 Jan 2021 [View]
Cindy McCain (10 Jan 2021)
This is an excerpt from an article by Cindy McCain.
In Arizona, we start teaching kids the word “respect” in grade school.
Source: Cindy McCain, Deseret News, 10 Jan 2021 at 11:00 PM CT [View]
If children can learn what it means to respect each other at the age of 6, elected officials can too, and it’s about time they remembered the meaning of the word.
We, as Americans, should expect more from our leaders.
My husband used to say the most noble thing you can do is serve a cause greater than your own self-interest. Those are the words we both lived by, the words we taught our children and the words I continue to try and live up to.
John, an icon of decency in politics, believed in working with others, respecting those with different viewpoints and focusing on doing what was best for the country.
Remembering John’s words and his actions while he served in the Senate made it hard to watch the events that unfolded over the last four years. I couldn’t understand how we got into this situation.
I told other women, we may not agree with Biden on every issue, but we have to step across the aisle and get the country back to a place where decency, honor and respect are core tenets to live and govern by.
Mitt Romney (6 Jan 2021 at 11:34 PM CT)
This is an excerpt from an article by Mitt Romney.
I didn’t think it would happen here. The divisiveness, the resentment, the suspicion, the anger that pervades so many countries seemed foreign to the people I had met during my campaigns only a decade or so ago. What impressed me most about my fellow Americans was the optimism, the sense of purpose and the willingness to help one another. The Great Recession had not made us bitter; it seemed to have made us more determined to pull together and cheer each other on….
Source: Deseret News, 6 Jan 2021 at 11:34 PM CT [View]
Institutions that enhance mutual understanding are declining. Americans are less likely to go to church where they interact with people from different races and backgrounds. Social endeavors like the Boy and Girl Scouts are waning. Even face-to-face interaction has become less frequent as we and our children disappear into our cellphones — a trend felt even more acutely because of the ongoing pandemic….
But presidents and politicians are not the only leaders who influence society. Leaders of churches, congregations, classrooms, businesses, charities and homes can influence the character of the nation. When each of us encourages comity, understanding and grace, we heal. When we disparage, bully or treat others with contempt, we deepen the rift that divides us….
I believe that we should watch and read, not just sources we tend to agree with but also sources we disagree with. If Fox is your regular diet, watch NBC, CNN or ABC now and then. Conversely, if MSNBC is your regular, don’t make it exclusive. We need to broaden our reading as well. I note that news organizations like The Wall Street Journal and The New York Times make an effort to get the facts and when they make a mistake, they acknowledge it. Social media has no fact-checkers, no editors and often doesn’t even disclose who actually wrote a post.
Spencer Cox (20 Oct 2020)
During the 2018 election, Spencer Cox was running for Governor of Utah. In the final stretch of the election, he ran a video with his Democratic opponent. Take a look at the video below. This is another example of leading by example. Jeff Cox is now the Governor of Utah.
Bill Lee (29 Oct 2018)
Just days before the 2018 election, Tennessee candidate for Governor, Bill Lee, posted a campaign ad that was very unusual to see during a contentious campaign season. “My opponent is a good man. A public servant,” he stated in the video. No mud slinging. Just a respectful and gracious message. Take a look at the video below. This is one way Republicans are working to tone down divisive talk. Bill Lee is now the Governor of Tennessee.