Why Republicans Matter

Given the current enivronment, I thought that this letter from Leader Boehner might be interesting to some of our readers. There are still those ready to fight the "Good Fight." Despite the odds, we can still win. Whether in local races. the CD7 Special, or the POTUS race, we can recommit to GOP principles and win. (I know this letter was written to support Congressman Burton, but the principles Leader Boehner lays out are transferable ... and action-oriented Republicans can take back our party!)

An Open Letter By Republican Leader John Boehner

This summer I had the chance to hit the road, traveling from state to state in support of fellow Republicans and friends like Dan Burton. While in Indianapolis we had a good conversation about the four things Republicans need to do to earn back the majority in Congress.

Note that I said “earn” back the majority. Dan has been a key ally in this effort and for good reason: he’s committed to our core principles of freedom and security. A proud veteran of the United States Army and Army Reserves, he knows the importance of a robust national defense – and how important defeating al Qaeda is to our safety and security. And he’s avid about fiscal discipline and making the tax cuts permanent.

The first step in earning back the majority is recommitting to those principles embodied by Dan Burton. This year I can say we’ve done just that. We’ve beaten back attempts to choke off funding for our troops. We exposed plans to keep billions of dollars in spending off the books in secret slush funds. And at every opportunity we’ve offered common sense alternatives like new health care options for small businesses, a plan to balance the budget without raising taxes, and our anti-crime agenda.

Second, we need to embark on a nationwide effort to develop new Republican solutions, rooted in our principles, to the problems facing Americans. The best ideas come from the experiences of everyday Americans. We need to identify and develop these solutions, and craft a strategy for acting on them.

Third, we need to keep holding the Democrats accountable. We’ve forced Democrats to take a lot of tough votes – for them. We voted to expand and improve American missile defense systems; keep decisions about school curricula on the local level; and protect John Does who report suspicious activity at airports. We’ll need to take these victories and hold Democrats to account on the campaign trail.

Finally, we need to show we can change the tone in politics. There’s a healthy appetite for change around the country, and the bitter divisiveness in Washington is one of the causes. We can’t – we won’t – just talk about what we’re against. All of us need to tell our friends, neighbors, and other voters what it is Republicans stand for."

Ultimately, we’re for reform.

We have a long way to go. But if successful we can accomplish a lot, and can deliver a government that is limited, accountable, and responsive to the needs of the American people.

We’re for freedom and security, whether it is in healthcare, retirement, education, or energy policy. We’re for growing the economy, lowering taxes, and a ensuring a smaller, more accountable government.

Sometimes, we just have to "Ranger Up" and fight. Now is that time.

H/T to Whitaker Askew.