Earlier Monday, Illinois Review shared former Congressman Joe Walsh's ideas of what the struggling Illinois Republican Party should do in the days ahead. Illinois Review reader Randy Rossi responded as follows:
Dear Sirs,
I would like to respond to the opinion piece I saw from Joe Walsh in a copy of your publication regarding how the GOP should change to avoid another massive loss in Illinois:
Sorry, the facts say that Joe has it totally wrong. Had Republicans in Illinois done a good job of explaining how Trump’s actions have dramatically improved the lives of all Americans with hard data, Republicans would have done much better, even in Illinois!
Why would Republicans and all Americans not be thrilled with the following under President Trump?
- We now have the lowest unemployment in America in 49 years!
- We now have the lowest Black unemployment in recorded US history
- We now have the lowest Hispanic unemployment in recorded US history
- The average American will see a $2,000 tax cut per year thanks to the GOP tax cut (No, that’s not a crumb, Nancy Pelosi!)
- Millions of American got bonuses from their companies thanks to the GOP tax cut (no a $1,000 bonus is not a crumb Nancy!)
- Americans have gotten the highest wage increases under President Trump since 2007.
- The GDP under Trump has increased more under 2 years of President Trump than it did in 8 years under Democrat Obama.
- America is finally holding our NATO allies accountable for the fact that 87% of them have broken their promise of 2% GDP spending on defense while America covers their butts with US tax dollars
- America is finally holding China accountable for stealing $500 billion a year in US commercial and national defense technology while it has stolen millions of US manufacturing jobs through its stealing and cheating.
- Hard data says that because of the violence and chaos of the “caravan” at our border, more Americans now support Trump’s goal of protecting our borders from illegal immigrants. Even Mexico now agrees.
- Under Trump we have seen the biggest increase in national defense spending since Ronald Reagan as China, Russia, and Iran get more dangerous.
If Republicans did a good job of explaining the benefits of the traditional GOP values that President Trump and the GOP have finally put back in place, it would increase support for the GOP, not decrease it. Don’t the people in Illinois want more jobs, less taxes, bigger pay checks, and more national security? If the answer is yes, shouldn’t Republicans in Illinois “trumpet” this success?
Presented properly, these Trump actions should dramatically increase support with Blacks and Hispanics because they will see those benefits. That would hurt Democrats and help the GOP. Sadly, the GOP; especially in Illinois has done an incredibly bad job of sharing this good news with them because they don’t want to show support for President Trump’s success which is exactly what Joe is recommending.
By the way, Joe’s wife lost. I am assuming she followed his advice. The GOP in Illinois needs to “trumpet” the success we are now seeing as a result of the GOP values of less taxes, protecting our nation and sovereignty, and promoting a “pro-business”, “pro-jobs” government not the “government plantation” of the DNC which gives away “free bread and circuses” for votes. Ask the Republic of Rome how “free bread and circuses” worked out.
Bottom line, as usual the GOP (especially in Illinois) has done a lousy job of marketing its strengths and benefits to the average voter while aggressively attacking the DNC’s obvious weaknesses and the damage they have done to America.
Randy Rossi
Grayslake, IL
