Mar 20, 2021 5 min read

In July 2017, I was asked to describe conservative principles and what this new “Trumpism” was. I wrote the following:

We begin with the Core Structural Beliefs. The other Values and Principles depend upon these foundations.

• We believe that the duties of the government should be limited to those enumerated in the Constitution.
• We believe that the three branches of government should carry out their duties as required by the Constitution; that is the legislative branch should make laws, the executive branch should carry out laws and the judicial branch should evaluate laws.
• We believe that the First Amendment prohibits the government from interfering with the free exercise of religion and the exercise of free speech.
• We believe that the Second Amendment prohibits the government from interfering with a citizen’s rights to keep and bear arms.
• We believe that the 10th Amendment means that powers not delegated to the federal government by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the states, are reserved to the states respectively, or to the people.

From these Core Structural Beliefs, derive our Functional Values and Principles. These Functional Values and Principles are the way the Core Beliefs operate in our society. These include:

• We believe in a strong and free economy. A free and open market economy is the result of minimal government interference. An open market economy is free of artificial distortions, which result from government regulation.
• We believe in a strong family system. Strong families create stable and productive citizens and a stable society.
• We believe in a strong and effective national defense. The United States must be able to protect its interests around the world. We need not be a global policeman but we must be able to form secure alliances and stand behind them.
• We also believe in a secure nation. We believe in secure borders to protect us from illegal drugs, terrorists, and any other threat to this nation.
• We believe in a strong and reasonable immigration policy, one that assures the protection of American jobs and resources, first and foremost, but also allows qualified persons with sincere desire to assimilate and contribute to legally enter this country.
• We believe in quality education for our children. Education must be fact based, objective, and free of bias. The educational system should teach the skills needed to function in life and to grow intellectually.

This is a short summary of what conservatives believe. We can define our beliefs. They are grounded in the foundational documents of this nation. They are what America has stood for, for 245 years. They are what built this nation.

When I look at these principles today, they are just as true as they were four years ago because they are the principles of free people. They are the strengths of individuals. In a free society, the government works for the people. These are Republican principles and they were articulated and turned into policy by President Trump.

When former president Trump spoke at the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) in February, he masterfully and energetically reiterated Trump conservatism, the form of government that worked very well for all Americans even in the face of continuous obstruction. In a compelling 90-minute speech, Trump delivered the State of the Union speech that Joe Biden never will.

Trump asked why rioters and looters are tearing apart American cities such as Los Angles, Seattle, Portland and Minneapolis and it isn’t even mentioned in the papers. He asked why a mostly missing Biden is so intent on shipping American jobs and manufacturing to China? He asked why our southern border, under control until January, has suddenly become a humanitarian and criminal disaster and why hundreds of thousands of illegal aliens are pouring into this country bringing disease, drugs and criminals with them, displacing American workers and depressing American wages?

When one looks at the conservative values previously listed and then looks at what the current administration is doing, the current actions are directly opposed to the actions of a free people.

Free people believe in limited government – Democrats believe in hugely expansive government.

Free people believe in the defined duties of the three branches of government – Democrats believe in dictatorial power as demonstrated by government by Executive Order, Administrative Regulation, ignoring the Constitution and courts legislating from the bench.

Free people believe in the First and Second Amendments – Democrats, with their big-tech allies, believe in killing the First Amendment and are viciously attacking the Second Amendment.

Free people believe in strong families – Democrats are doing everything possible to destroy the family by destroying moral values, attacking religion, social engineering and, recently, declaring that the reality of male and female does not exist.

Free people believe in quality education for their children – Democrats believe in continuous indoctrination, devoid of facts, and revisionist history.

The values of conservatism remain very strong in this country. We are currently witnessing an attempted socialist takeover. Conservative values are a stronger part of human nature than a societal death wish by socialism. At some point, people will collectively say enough is enough and throw off the pretenders. Socialism, as pushed by the Democrats, has never been a successful form of government and it never will be. Our nation did not become great because it was socialist. It became great because it was a just society of free people in a free market economy.

Dave Ball is chairman of the Republican Party of Washington County and a Peters Township councilman.