Zachary Earl Smith

As a young republican in Maine and as a member of the state committee I believe I have a unique view of our party. The Maine Republican party has become too comfortable with second place, the minority, but why not? Politics is a contact sport with those in power being under constant siege, constant scrutiny, and while everyone waits at your feet they also are waiting your fall. It is so much easier to cast stones than it is to bare them, as Monday morning quarterback you are under no pressure to succeed or fail.  Being on top is often a greater burden, and one that is often unattractive and undesired. Yet, if we are ever to be more, have more, we can not afford the luxury of hoping it will happen by its self, we must make it happen. This is why we need a real leader. True leadership doesn’t seek this because it is easy, but because it is fraught with hardship. A real leader doesn’t seek this because they desire it, but because they are called to it out of duty for a higher purpose. Such a leader inspires people to be greater then themselves. Not because of hollow promises of hope and change, but through action. Action that replaces hope with courage, and change with strength, so that together we can prevail and prosper.

A political party can not define it self with pastels, it must do so in bold colors. We can not be shades of the other party, why settle for the generic when you can have the real thing for the same price. If we are to grow we not only need new leadership, but a cleansing, a true cleansing not a purge. A clean sweep of the old prevailing attitudes replaced with new fresh blood to reinvigorate our party. A youth driven effort, people naive enough to think, ‘why can’t we be in the majority,’ and not yet convinced to be satisfied with less, yet experienced enough to not back down in the face of adversity or to those amongst us that fear change. This is where leadership comes in, to bolster our resolve and to remind us there are others out there that have our back, that we are not alone and that we can endure. Together we can be unstoppable.

We need, no; we must have leadership that can unite the disparate groups within our party under a single banner for a common cause. We as a party need to be understanding and tolerant, as yes there are differences between us but we all chose to be Republicans for a reason. Although this new unity needs to be focused on our commonality we must remember bold colors. We need leadership that will have the courage to take strong stands that clearly demonstrate the difference between us and the other party. To make it clear that there is a fundamental philosophical difference between how we approach the world, and how our competition approaches those same issues. This cannot be achieved through watering down our values in an attempt to be all things to all people, even within our own party. We must provide a clear unmistakable choice to the electorate, only then can we earn the chance to lead.

It is certainly a difficult balance, but if we are truly ever to achieve the majority it is one we must find. We aren’t fighting wind mills, although at times it does feel like it. We need to be aggressive in pointing out our opponent’s flaws and failings, but remember to follow that up with the hope for something better. A plan, our plan, a clear precise thing that isn’t in pastels but is bold, tangible, real, so that people can hold on to it and believe in it because they can see it and share in that vision, together.

Do such leaders exist amongst us, perhaps? The people leading us now are good decent people and they do the best they can. We however need more, and should take this opportunity to think about what qualities we want out of our next Chair or President for that matter. Are we to be masters of a nothing place or the vanguard of a new era of prosperity for our state? We must be careful, and on guard to not get swept up by fervor generated by the cult of personality, or of those promising to lead us to the promise land with only vague platitudes. Our next leader has to in plain terms lay it out, their goals, their vision, and their plan to get us there. We may not want to hear it, or even like what we might have to do or bare to get there, but sugar coating it will only get us a leader who will deliver us to an empty hollow place. Well, just maybe another few decades in the minority which is pretty much the same thing.

Over the next year we will have a great opportunity, let us hope we do not squander it but rise to the challenge presented to us. I say all this with the best of intentions and I mean to insinuate nothing, but am sincerely expressing my belief in what must happen after this election cycle if we are to truly move forward. I mean no disrespect or malice, just a friendly yet frustrated plea of hope to my fellow citizens that it is time to stand. That after this election cycle great change is coming at us whether we want it to or not, and we can either join together and seize it, or we can wallow together for another decade or two in the shadows of mediocrity that is the minority, either way we choose we will be doing it together.

Anyway just a few thoughts I had at three in the morning, be well.

Zak

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