“Here’s the real State of the Union. Over the past two years under Biden, millions and millions of illegal aliens from 160 different countries have stormed across our southern border. Drug cartels are now raking in billions of dollars from smuggling poison to kill our people and to kill our children. Savage killers, rapists and violent criminals are being released from jail to continue their crime wave. And under Biden, the murder rate has reached the highest in the history of our country. Biden and the radical Democrats have wasted trillions of dollars and caused the worst inflation in half a century. Real wages are down 21 months in a row. Gas prices have soared and are now going up much higher than even before. And the typical American family is paying $2,200 in increased energy and food costs each year. Joe Biden’s weaponized Justice Department, and I’m a victim of it, is persecuting his political opponents. His administration is waging war on free speech. They’re trying to indoctrinate and mutilate our children. He’s leading us to the brink of World War 3. And on top of all of that, he’s the most corrupt president in American history, and it’s not even close. But the good news is we are going to reverse every single crisis, calamity, and disaster that Joe Biden has created. I am running for president to end the destruction of our country and to complete the unfinished business of making America great again. We will make our country better than ever before, and we will always put America first. Thank you.”

— President Donald J. Trump, February 7, 2023

Every year, especially because they’re faced with irredeemably hostile media outlets, Republicans struggle to get their message to the American public. There are a few things they can agree to do that might help them in the upcoming 2024 election.

Republicans are not like Democrats, and that’s a good thing. We value our individual liberties, are deeply grateful for our great good fortune in being Americans, and believe firmly in equal opportunity and the rule of law. On the whole, we are ethical, peaceable, tolerant, kind, compassionate, hard-working, generous, intellectually curious, helpful, and happy people. We are the big tent, but not an infinite tent, party. We empathize with the underdogs. That makes us good listeners and even better arguers. We want the best for our families, communities, and country, and we each have a slightly different idea of how that should be accomplished. This is also laudable.

But now it’s campaign season. The urgency of getting the message out and trying to secure the upcoming election is very stressful. And this is on top of the national and global disasters that seem to encompass us entirely, the utter corruption and failure of the current Administration, and the grief we still suffer post-covid. It’s easy to fall into the trash-talking in-fighting we’re famous for, and that never does any one of us a single bit of good.

Image: Reporters by freestockcenter.

Above is Trump’s response to the 2023 State of the Union address. It is a near-perfect model for this cycle’s election rhetoric, and I urge all candidates to follow it. Here are the guidelines to be drawn from this minute-and-a-half of elevated oratory.

Tell the truth. Americans are thirsty for transparency.

Point out our political adversaries’ failures. Use the powerful tools of mocking and derision to highlight their actions’ hypocrisy in the face of their stated ideologies. Emphasize the damage their policies do. Bash them for the worthless waste their careless, and falsely-based green, public health, wokie education, and rainbow military programs have caused.

Bring a unifying vision of what can be: An America full of unique individuals with common values and mutual goals enjoying life, liberty, and happiness.

Focus far more on future plans than on past problems. Provide a realistic hope for betterment in the economy, education, our children’s lives, healthcare, and international politics.

Yes, recent elections were disgustingly corrupted and stolen using a variety of means. Rather than beating our breasts over this, the RNC, state party organizations, and individual candidates must commit time as well as resources to helping states and localities clean up voter rolls, limit mail-in balloting, stop ballot harvesting, ensure only citizens vote, improve election oversight, and require that voters present valid government-issued proof of eligibility to vote.

Time is short. We must do this now. One smart tactic would be for the RNC to fully fund Scott Pressler and his army of volunteers in their efforts to register more Republicans. Jay Valentine must be brought in to advise on an effective de-corruption campaign.

Here’s another important item on the to-do list (and one that the leading candidate is strongly encouraged to follow): Do not trash other Republicans. Conservatives cringe away from candidates who bad-mouth other Republicans, even if they are competing for the same position, and even if the criticism can be justified. Calling names and pointing out other R candidates’ flaws, failures, and foolishness is a guaranteed way to chase away campaign contributions and ensure voters stay home on election day. Don’t do it. Rather, every candidate needs to shout their good works, and those of other party members, from the rooftops. Blow your horn like Gabriel. Do it every day.

It was heartening to see all the prominent Republicans come together over the leaked news of President Trump’s pending indictment. Their collective outrage over the indictment is already inciting voters to turn away from the Democrat party.

I think Tucker Carlson is a genius. It was inspired when he sent questions about Ukraine to the candidates and potential candidates/senior policy influencers, gave them time to consider their responses; and then shared those responses with the American people. Keep it up. Do it every week for the next year for all important issues.

Doing so will clarify and crystalize the Republican platform like nothing else could, and will allow a civilized debate where everyone—respondents and receivers of those responses—have time to consider issues thoughtfully. It will help that the responses are all consolidated in one place. Goodness knows, I haven’t got time to go from website to website to make comparisons among the candidates.

We’ve got a little time, so let’s make the most of it. Let’s make the red tsunami rise.

Anony Mee is the nom de blog of a retired public servant.