Letter: Why return to the Republican Party?

A week ago, I emailed a Republican friend of mine. I listed all the luminaries who had left the party in the last administration and related stories about two individuals who I personally knew who had been staunch, moderate Republicans who had since become independents or Democrats.

I pleaded with him to provide suggestions on what Republicans could do to have these individuals return to the party. His response to me was “I don’t care who changed parties for whatever reasons.” He then stated that their decisions were immaterial to him.

I then asked him to provide me with Republican policy initiatives, especially considering that the Republicans had not provided a platform for their national convention, only what the former president wanted. He was not willing to provide me with specific policy initiatives.

Max Boot, a writer who once worked for the Christian Science Monitor and the Wall Street Journal, wrote: “The GOP can’t be saved. The center right voters need to become Biden Republicans.”

So, all you Sauk Valley Republicans, what would you do to encourage people like George Will, Joe Scarborough and Max Boot and my two once moderate Republicans to return to the Republican Party? What policy initiatives would you propose to deal with health care, infrastructure (I’m glad I don’t have to wait for Infrastructure Week after 4 long years) and income inequality?

I would really like to know.

Antoinette Vella

Dixon