An Open Letter to the Republican Party:
Some lessons, unfortunately, are learned the hard way. If the Republican Party has any hope of succeeding in 2016, then we desperately need a public image overhaul. The stereotype of a wealthy white man who is out of touch with middle-class society is outmoded and must change. Many Republicans are persons of color, young parents, college students and women.
I am in my late 30s, a mother of five who not only works full-time, but is mere semesters away from completing a doctorate. And, oh, by the way, my husband is currently overseas on his third military deployment. You might see that I have five children and judge me or otherwise make assumptions about what you think my life is like, but you have no idea. You don’t know my family’s backstory, and you certainly don’t know what I’m capable of accomplishing. I am no one’s trophy wife. I am a leader, in my own right.
The Republican Party must not only acknowledge but also welcome women into leadership. It should no longer be the exception for a woman to run for public office, and those already in office must stop making the type of off-the-cuff, asinine remarks that offend the very women they claim to support. It should go without saying that the 2016 ticket absolutely must have a woman on the team.
Your fellow Republicans also include small business owners, white- and blue-collar workers, members of the military and people earnestly seeking gainful employment. Many of us are gravely concerned about the deplorable state of our nation’s economy and the very real risks to national security that go undiscussed in mainstream media.
Republicans must also take the lead on changing the face of government. If an elected official has served more than a couple of terms, then they should consider stepping down voluntarily to pave the way for new faces with fresh ideas. Stop talking about how much things need to change while making a career out of being a politician.
This election season has been a difficult lesson for the Republican Party to endure, but it is also an opportunity to reevaluate ourselves and our strategy, going forward. And go forward, we must.
faith, sweat & tears 
This is wonderfully stated, Angela. I’m sure you realize that I am not a Republican, I tend toward the left of center. I think both parties would do well to remember that they represent a broad spectrum of people, and their candidates and their actions need to reflect that. Imagine the progress we could make in this country if we stopped alienating entire portions of the population. We may not always agree on the methods, but most of us have the same overall goals for this country.
Thanks so much for the comment, Amy. I appreciate having friends [a handful, not all of them!] who can voice their opinions with one another and still be friends when we disagree. I appreciate the dialogue. These are the same issues that we face in higher ed and in the church: how can we say that “we” are meeting the needs of the many when those who represent “us” are such cookie cutters of the few?