On September 11, 2011, I attended a Call to Prayer on the stairs of our state capitol. At the event, people of many different religious backgrounds and ethnicities joined together, prayed, and remembered the tragic loss suffered by our nation ten years before. The moment served as a powerful reminder that we, as Americans, share a single destiny.

The United States of America showed incredible resilience in the months after 9/11. In New York, Washington and across the country, countless people, many of whom had never met each other, came together to grieve, heal and rebuild. Skin color and socioeconomic status were immaterial in the aftermath of that tragedy. All that mattered was the need of our neighbors. The ability to come together in a time of crisis demonstrated our nation’s character.

The unity we felt in the wake of 9/11 is worth remembering as we transition into a new primary season. Our party’s first principles “limited government, fiscal discipline, and respect for all life” are timeless. They are cherished by many different ethnic, religious, and socioeconomic backgrounds and, as a result, illustrate the immutable bond between the members of our community. The goal of our party should be to create a safe place for all who share those principles. The electoral change we seek next November can only be obtained by expanding our tent, not excluding potential members.

In light of that fact, it is incumbent that we resist campaign rhetoric that alienates our neighbors and divides our house. Gone are the days when we can afford to energize one contingent of our party at the expense of the party’s future. Talking points that marginalize and demonize are not only unproductive; they are un-Republican. If we are truly committed to prevailing at the ballot box and reversing the disastrous economic policies of liberal Democrats, then we must work together.

If our party maintains an inclusive message based on its first principles, November of 2012 will deliver the genuine, meaningful change that we seek in Washington. Further still, if we are able to promote unity instead of division, we will have done more than construct an electoral majority. We will have affirmed, through our deeds, Abraham Lincoln’s famous characterization of this nation as the last best hope of Earth.

On June 23rd, the Ottawa County Republican Party celebrated its annual summer picnic.  This year’s event, which was sponsored by Brann’s Sizzling Steakhouse, took place at Victory Farms in Hudsonville.  We set a record in attendance for a non-election year gathering, drawing nearly 200 people.  Those in attendance enjoyed an evening of great food and fellowship with other members of our community.  More importantly, the attendees got a first-hand glimpse of Victory Farms, an exciting family business that represents the best of our agricultural heritage.  Holding our picnic at Victory Farms emphasized the traditional Republican commitment to agriculture.  It also highlighted the importance of that industry to the economic well-being of Ottawa County, our state and the nation at large.
A few days after the picnic, which celebrated our party’s historic past, the Ottawa GOP turned its focus to the future by co-hosting an important relationship-building event with the Latino community.  The casual get-together was held at Primera Plastics, an award-winning, minority-owned enterprise that employs more than one-hundred people and is on the cutting edge of the injection molding industry.  The event gave our elected officials at all levels a chance to hear from Latino business leaders, all of whom play an important role in the future of our community.  Our Latino neighbors share the timeless values of hard work, personal responsibility and family.  We cannot afford to lose their interest to the empty promises of the Democrats.  As a result, the Ottawa GOP is unfolding an ambitious outreach program intended to forge a lasting, vibrant relationship with this growing part of our population.
These recent outreach events remind us that the American Dream takes many forms.  The willingness to build, create and improve our community cuts across industries, ethnic lines and any other perceived division in our society.  Yet, the ability of future generations to pursue the American Dream is in peril.  During the past two years, our nation has been subjected to the explosive growth of an intrusive federal government that regulates too freely and spends our tax dollars too recklessly.  The economic policies of Barack Obama threaten the opportunity of our children and grandchildren by shackling them with insurmountable debt and unfunded mandates.  We simply cannot allow this downward trajectory to continue.  The excesses of the past cannot be allowed to compromise the prosperity of our future.

The 2012 election cycle is the most important of this century.  Our nation’s future hangs in the balance and we must act decisively.  Join the Ottawa GOP and ensure that the virtues of limited government, fiscal discipline, and respect for life prevail at the ballot box.  Help us lead the way in the urgent restoration of our nation’s greatness.  Working together, we can uphold the promise of the American Dream.