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Dear GOP Elites
Myron Lizer, American “First Citizen”, Navajo Nation Vice President, and Elite Everyday Person
Yesterday I noticed the old tried and true, ‘silent majority’ theme emerged again. This dates back to Nixon, perhaps earlier. I know it is extremely popular, especially since all GOP candidates are often behind or within striking distance at this stage of the campaign in almost every election cycle. But I would like to make a suggestion — a modest proposal — that we drop the silent majority moniker. I think it time to adopt a new theme that focuses on the new elite who run the GOP.
Watching the GOP Convention it occurred to me that this is a convention of a different elite, a new elite, a convention of the elite everyday people, … the common man. There are no purpled hair speakers tatted to look like snakes. There are no trans-trans, straight people who switched from one gender to another and back again. People are not shouting about the lack of soy lattes. There are no people present or linked in who cannot recite the pledge of allegiance in full and ‘under God’ or sing the national anthem without a raised fist. No, the GOP Convention is chocked full of real people, the people who matter. Heck, even the GOP politicians who speak have real, compelling stories, “from cotton to Congress in one lifetime.”
These elites are not named McCain, Romney, or Bush. Those were set aside in 2016, and they resent it. The GOP in the mini-revolution of ‘16 went home, home to its origins. The elite everyday people are now its core. They fix plumbing, drive vehicles, built a restaurant business, own a chain of gas stations, or work part-time in an office. They work at ordinary jobs, live ordinary lives, and are generally pleasant almost all the time – downright helpful whenever someone is in need. They do their work, don’t complain, find pleasure in a few associates, avoid the whiners, often go to church, and show up every day at work ready to go. At night they don’t ‘chill’ with an IPA locally brewed. Instead, they unwind with a TV, perhaps the internet, a video game, or maybe a book. They want to get the children’s school work done, get them in bed, decompress, sleep, and be ready for tomorrow. Being ready for tomorrow, … the future … really matters to them.
These elites still gather round a kitchen table to eat meals, talk, pray before they eat, pay bills (praying while doing that too), layout poster board for school projects, cut fabric to sew a dress, and review homework (praying again).
They believe in diversity – but at the granular level where all men are created equal, have an equal voice, have lives that equally matter, and don’t judge people on the number of college degrees or intellectual sounding stuff they say. Intelligence is important to them, so long as it true to itself and well disciplined. Elite everyday people respect smarts, but they respect doing more. They know intelligence is God-given and nurtured at home and sometimes at school. But their schools often do a lousy job driving home math, reading and writing and science — they know this is important for their children and they worry. They cannot understand why this is so.
They want their children to go to college to learn something useful – and not sustainable gender relativism or social justice literature. They want it so much, they will pay for it. Again, they don’t whine or complain. They don’t begrudge those who buy entrance to college for their children. Let them do it. That is just not who the elite everyday people are. It is not in their DNA to dwell on things that might have been or could have been, … or even should have been. Grievance is a luxury good for the rich or entitled. Elite everyday people are neither.
These elite everyday people want good healthcare, like the kind they get through work. Free stuff would be nice, but these elites know nothing is free, or if it is, it is not worth much. Social security might help, but savings in a home and perhaps in an account is important too. Its hard. They might need help a few times in their lives, but they don’t like it, and won’t accept it for long. They feel compelled to pay it back or pay it forward. Another DNA thing. They don’t like to show weakness.
Elite everyday people love their families, their friends, most of their neighbors, their community, and… their state and they very much love their country. But even they reserve judgement on a few fellow citizens. Nevertheless, they will help all in real need (elite everyday people like those on Powerline led the charge to New Orleans after Katrina).
They want to help overseas as well and will still send their children to protect and defend freedom. But they make no apologies to the American national security community establishment: the Iran Deal was bad long before a planeload of cash flew, Syria is no place to fight for freedom, and the hope that China will change is long past its sell-by-date. Getting foreign policy decisions wrong and killing their children cannot go on forever. They don’t care who you, the FBI or CIA want to see as President…, and they recoil when you favor one side. Oh, and Russian collusion you say? Yes, why is it the current President put the toughest sanctions on Russia when the last one was lifting them? Elite everyday people are for helping people and helping the world, but don’t coddle dictators, murderers, and those who spit in their faces. Fair enough?
This is the GOP we see today – a GOP gone mad with elite everyday people now given a voice and a say. It is not populism, because much of what they say and want are not easy, free, or an entitlement. The funny thing is, these elite everyday people were empowered by a rich real estate salesman and TV personality, one with a big ego and lots of Queens braggadocio — at times so truthful and honest he is New-York-taxi-cab-driver obnoxious, but in a good way. He made this possible. President Lincoln would not understand at first, and then he would. This is the world ‘of’, ‘for’ and ‘by’ the people. The GOP is now all of those. The GOP is now home where it belongs.
And this is what made Nancy Pelosi brand Republicans ‘enemies of the state’, the far reaching state, the do-as-I-say-not-as-I-do-state, the state that some believe can give all and take all, … the deep state that can even try to overturn an election. Her state.
I am a convert. I believe in the elite everyday people. I am pledging to earn a place as a member in their elite everyday ranks. I hope to earn their trust, their confidence, and their loyalty. Herschel Walker, Abby Johnson, Maine lobsterman Jason Joyce, Navajo Nation Vice President Myron Lizer, Mary Ann Mendoza, Nicholas Sandmann, Kim Klacik, Andrew Pollack, whose daughter was killed in the Stoneman Douglas High School shooting, Tanya Weinreis, North America’s Building Trades Unions, Mark and Patricia McCloskey, Nikki Haley, Tim Scott, Steve Scalise, Daniel Cameron, and most of all, Maximo Alvarez, you have my solemn oath I will remain true to all of you.
There! I already feel better having said it!
Published in General
Beautiful. Brilliant. Love it. :-)
Just a great post, James, I think you said it very eloquently for all of us.
Thank you!
But this is not as beautiful as those elite everyday people who we see at the GOP convention. What I noted is this. In comparison to DNC, these speakers were believable because you could tell their stories are not tailored narratives of their ‘struggles.’ They are tales of what is possible. The GOP speakers are almost incredulous it happened to them. Alvarez said he could give up all he has and it would not be worth 1% of what he enjoys living in America as an American citizen, freedom.
They could have ended the convention right there. Not HOPE, Not CHANGE. Not HATE. Just let me be me, and I will fill in the rest.
Again, thank you. There is nothing quite as elite as the common man – which is what the Declaration and Constitution seem to be saying.
Last night showed Americans and what Americans are all about. Love of country….whether Native Americans, I like First Citizens, the hosts, immigrants, all races, or native born, they were every day people like me. They all were people I would want living next door and across the street from me. The Navajo are as critical to who we are as are those newly sworn in last night. The redeemed criminal, the lobsterman, immigrants realizing their dreams, families with kids needing “the right to try.” I was fixated from start to finish, afraid to leave for even a snack for fear of missing something. I have found new heroes and promising politicians, like the KY AG I hadn’t heard of but who was positive and optimistic.
Oh, another thing, different point….does anyone see the Republicans returning to doing conventions the old way? Trump has made a major transformation of the process. I could watch these theater productions for hours. The Dems thought they had one-upped Trump by putting roadblocks out there to prevent a real convention for Trump while having their own convention. What they did was give Trump an opportunity to do something innovative, something Trump is good at, and he monopolized. Team Trump is killing it and hoisting Dems on their own petard.
Interesting point – Trump and his team are the masters of video media – TV delivering a clear message, at its best.
One thing that may make this Convention format look even better is in comparison to what we are fed on TV everyday, the truth once it breaks through, really, really, really shines. Herschel Walker’s opening lines grabbed me with its clarity and fidelity – and they had me from then on.
I not only like my locally brewed IPA (and sour, and wit) I brew my own too. Otherwise, perfect commentary.
I missed the beginning because of karate. Will go back and watch it.
The ‘state’ that cannot endure and retain the name our founders gave it.
Thank you for this outstanding article.
These are the people that I call “normal”. Are there enough of them?
Well, you pass the test. You often brew your own, Prohibition Style! Which probably qualifies us all as ‘enemies of the state’ since we pay no tax on what we brew.*.
* This will change when Chief Justice Sotomayor’s court rules in favor of taxing home brew under the precedent of Filburn v. US, 1942.
Excellent OP, James. Thank you so much. We heard so much ridicule of Hollywood and the old guard, but forgot to state our appreciation of the opposite folks, who were presented. It’s been a great production.
High praise coming from you. Hat tip!
Amen.
Outstanding. Thank you.
Peter Drucker, the social analyst and seminal writer on management, wrote that before WWI, socialism was about Hope…after that war, socialist was about Resentment.
I believe he was talking mainly about socialism in a European context. In the US, there is a huge contrast between the ‘progressivism’ of FDR and JFK…which, whatever its conceptual flaws, did point toward a positive future…and that ‘progressivism’ on display in today’s Dem party and its affiliates, which is indeed mainly about resentment.
That’s a very interesting observation. I hadn’t heard that from what I’d read of Drucker before. Makes a lot of sense, like much of what he put out.
IIRC, that was in his first book The End of Economic Man, which isn’t read nearly as much as his later work.
Tyrants using whatever works at the time to gain power.
One of Trump’s great strengths is he understands how to turn a negative into a positive. The democrats have (can)not figured this out, so he successfully uses their continuous road blocks to his benefit.
Many of these new Republican stars started out as ordinary people, yet rose to stardom on their abilities. Tim Scott said it best when he talked about his grandfather:
“From cotton to Congress in one lifetime.”
JamesM,
I couldn’t agree with you more. These people were upbeat calm and capable. Each one related something truly personal about their view of President Trump. No repetition of phrasing except for “Gd Bless the United States of America”. I enjoyed all of the speeches, not just the stars. Even the Trump children were a surprise. They performed beautifully, each one with their own personal take. I don’t think I had ever heard or even seen Tiffany on stage. Her voice was a little softer than the others but I was surprised how intelligent she was.
Nope. No weak sisters and no stumblebums, strong and good across the board.
Join the team. The best is yet to come.
Regards,
Jim
I like what you say, but I think the word you are working yourself back to is “Citizen”.
Great post! I have noticed lots of praise for the convention this week.