The Republican Party that I joined in the 1980s (and later left) espoused a straightforward set of principles. It believed in free markets, limited government, peace through strength in dealing with international aggressors, and "traditional" values. Sure, the last one was nebulous and the party often was hypocritical, but these core ideas were the key to its eventual resurgence.
One of its leading lights, former NFL quarterback Jack Kemp, was described by The New York Times as someone who "brought more zeal to America's poverty problems than any national politician since Robert Kennedy…the only official to have won standing ovations in black ghettos by calling for a capital gains tax cut." Kemp, like Ronald Reagan, exuded authenticity. Despite their flaws, these serious big-hearted men truly believed in classic American ideals.
