New Hampshire Gov. Chris Sununu’s (R) commitment to preventing Donald Trump from being president again, as articulated in his June 6 op-ed, “I’m not running for president. Beating Trump is more critical.,” is important and valuable. But if he wants to make a difference in establishing what Republicans believe for the country, he could start by stating explicitly what he meant by the words with which he ended his piece: “The best path forward is to promote limited government, individual responsibility and personal freedoms.”
As much as I have tried, I have never seen anyone articulate precisely what these terms mean. Where should government be limited, and where is government crucial? When should an individual be responsible, and when should individuals submit to the greater collective? As to personal freedoms, I assume the governor knows that they come with responsibility and accountability, too. What exactly does he mean by “personal freedoms”?
If he wants to make a difference in our dialogue as a country, he can start by skipping the high-level platitudes and speak specifically about his views of what the Republican Party should be. The country, both conservatives and progressives, would be better served by a range of considered perspectives. To do so requires more than stating the same-old, same-old macro Republican points. It requires starting to speak with more clarity about what you believe in. I am rooting for the governor in this respect.
Edward Binder, Washington
