Part Three - Now What?

 (Note: Part One and Part Two are already published on this blog) 

Now we have looked at ways to slow down the Democrats in Washington by sharing our ideas, views, and providing input in a neutral way on the issues.  We have also looked at ways we can challenge the Democrat machine.  Now, we will look at education.  

It may surprise you to find out that a lot of people know little to nothing about the Republican Party.  For example, I was listening to one Republican telling a story about a discussion where he found highly educated men thought Abraham Lincoln was a Democrat.  He was shocked since all the men he was talking to were educated, politically involved, and overall intelligent people.  Not surprisingly, the men were astounded to learn that Lincoln was a Republican.  Stories like this are repeated over and over and it becomes shocking how little the public knows about the Republican Party.  

So, what does the public know about the party?  Well, here's a few things we have been told, heard, or seen promoted about the party: 

1.   Republicans are against women's rights
2.   Republicans are against labor and labor unions
3.   Republicans want to remove healthcare benefits from people
4.   Republicans only want tax breaks for the rich
5.   Republicans do not support African-American initiatives 
6.   Republicans are a bunch of old white, racist men

Should I go on?  I can, but I think you get the idea.  What a lot of people know about the party comes from...to be honest here...the lies of the Democrat Party, mainstream media, and many in the education system.  Want to know the truth regarding the above list?  Here it is:

1. Republicans have promoted women's rights since the right to vote, the right to advance in college and obtain law degrees, the right to own businesses and property, the right to run for office, and in fact more Republican women are running for office today more than ever in history. 
2. Republicans are found in labor unions, and labor groups across the country.  Republicans promote jobs such as the pipeline which was recently signed away by President Joe Biden (A Democrat in case you're confused here). 
3. Republicans want healthcare to benefit all, to be affordable, and to provide free choice in the market for your physician and the decisions you and your physician make.  
4. Tax breaks have been seen, especially in recent administrations, to have positive outcomes for poor, middle class, and upper-class Americans.  It's not about giving special tax breaks to the rich, it's about cutting taxes everywhere and using what tax dollars are needed in a responsible way. 
5. The NAACP was founded by Republican women, Republicans pushed for the right of African-Americans to vote, Republicans pushed for equality, and when that equality was challenged by Democrats as was the case in Little Rock, a Republican President sent the United States Marshalls and the Army to ensure desegregation happened whether Democrats wanted it or not.  Today more African-American businesses are supported by Republican initiatives than ever before and it's growing. 
6. You need to visit a Republican meeting.  You will see young women, young men, African-American men and women, Hispanic men and women, and in fact, you'll see people from all walks of life.  These Republican men and women represent today and will continue to represent the wave of Republicans to come tomorrow.  

Now, it's all well and good for us to share the lies and then clarify the truth in an article meant for Republicans, but how do you go beyond that?  It is really simple.  Here's a formula to use:

Fund Education + Present Education = Educated Public

You can do this on your own, or with the support of your local committee or party.  You need to have a Public Relations campaign in your area.  It does not have to be big, but it will take a little money.  How much you will spend will vary.  You will need to have your facts lined up from either the party platform, history, or some other source.  There are hundreds of sources out there with Republican information.  The Texarkana GOP (Texarkanagop.blogspot.com) has some information at the bottom of the main page.  Take that information, with the funding needed, and find an avenue to present it locally.  

Here are a few avenues for presenting your education - Facebook advertising, banners at sports event stadiums, advertising in yearbooks, advertising in-game brochures for local high school or college teams, advertising signs for yards, host special events such as "Meet the candidate" and provide brochures on the party.  Advertising or promoting can be simple.  A banner for example may say something like this:

Miller County Republican Committee

More women elected to office in your county than ever before!

Texarkana-millercountygop.com 

Get on the Public Relationsions committee, talk about ideas, take the one above and take it apart and develop your own.  Make it short, make it long.  Give the information to force the people to ask, "Wait, Democrats told me Republicans are against women...why are Republicans electing women to office?" and other questions.   Once people start asking questions, they will question what they have been told, what they have learned, and what they believe.  At that point, they will seek the truth and you need to provide that truth about the party. 

Education is the final key to working through the next few years in the "Now What?" aspect of our current political climate.  As a party, on the national level, we've been knocked down...but we have been down before and guess what?  We have always gotten back up....So, as the saying goes in a fight, "Get up because I ain't heard no bell yet and it ain't over."