Republicans and conservatives need to stop gloating about the race and gender of some of the new Republicans entering Congress after the midterm elections.
Why? Well, first off, it only invites criticism rather than praise from Democrats. Every triumphant claim of “first Republican [insert superficial characteristic]” is met with a Democratic reply of “We did that x many years ago.”
But, more importantly, the week-long ostentatious efforts to amplify the race, ethnicity, and gender of victorious GOP candidates is an inexcusable affront to the the hallmark of conservatism and libertarianism: the primacy of the individual. Contrary to contemporary liberalism and progressivism, the political philosophies of modern conservatism and libertarianism hold that the individual—and his or her character, achievements, and potential—reign supreme over the collective, and genetically pre-determined attributes like race, gender, sexuality, etc. This is not to say these uncontrollable traits aren’t important (they obviously are), but rather to say that they should not form the underlying basis by which to judge, condemn, or praise people.
Conservatives and libertarians who helped vote in the new Republican majority in the Senate and deepen the GOP’s control of the House, therefore, should not dwell on the superficial aspects of many of the new Republican office-holders. It runs contrary to the notion of individualism, by amplifying race, ethnicity, and gender over the (ostensibly) real reasons why such candidates won their elections. It is certainly a good sign the conservative credo is reaching those who traditionally reject it, but the GOP is succumbing to the Democrats’ game of identity politics.
No doubt, it’s meritorious that newly elected House Rep. Mia Love is the first black woman Republican (she’s also a Mormon), and that Tim Scott is the first black senator elected in the South since Reconstruction. Newly elected Senator Joni Ernst is the first woman to represent Iowa in Congress. The GOP also experienced a net gain of two Hispanic seats in the House from Alex Mooney’s victory in West Virginia and Carlos Curbelo’s in Florida.
But just take a look at my previous sentence. “Net gain” is no way to speak of people, politicians, and race, ethnicity, gender, etc. This type of language is growing increasingly ubiquitous in political circles and in the media. It’s language that puts the spotlight on the superficial, as opposed to the essentials—policy stances, character, experience, and potential.
If it wishes to capture the title of “Party of Ideas,” the GOP must place emphasis on—you guessed it—ideas. When instead you focus more on people’s superficial characteristics rather than their ideas and achievements, you end up being the Democrat Party.
In fact, in the GOP the only rejection of identity politics is coming from the very interviews Love, Scott, and Ernst give to both gloating right-wing media and skeptical left-wing media. On CNN, Love remarked, “I wasn’t elected because of the color of my skin; I wasn’t elected because of my gender. I was elected because of the solutions I put at the table.”
This is exemplary, and this is why Love won her election. Now, if only the rest of the GOP would similarly reject identity politics.
Identity politics and fear politics sometimes wins elections. Sad, but true.But I disagree that the GOP is not a party of ideas. They have been quite clear, I think.
They want to repeal the ACA. They want to increase tax breaks for corporations (McConnell’s first speech after being elected). They deny the scientific reality of climate change (even though the Pentagon has requested money to prepare for climate change). They seek to eliminate or severely downgrade food stamps and unemployment compensation. They want to replace Social Security with a voucher program for younger citizens. They want an increased military presence in the Middle East. They support new “free trade” agreements which allow foreign nations to supersede US law (McConnell again). They want to severely restrict access to abortion and birth control. I think the GOP has been very clear and open about what they want to do. Now, we will see them in action.
Perhaps we should take to heart the words of a wise politician who once said: “There is not a liberal America and a conservative America, there is a United States of America. There is not a black America and a white America and a Latino America and an Asian America– there’s a United States of America.”