There is definitely a shortage of legislators who can truly call themselves conservative. Although they may carry the Republican banner, many of these fair weather folks have shown their true colors in refusing to support actual conservative positions when it counts. Straightforward policies that should be an easy sell to most Republicans in Congress are finding more resistance than they should.
It is essential that we recognize those leaders within our movement who are carrying the torch proudly, much to the chagrin of the liberal media and establishment.
Representative Jody Hice of Georgia’s 10th Congressional District recently received the American Conservative Union Foundation’s Award for Conservative Excellence, and with good reason. Rep. Hice has been a stalwart champion of true conservative values in the face of downright mutiny from many of the representatives in the South who should be on board with the initiatives voters mandated.
The ACU gives the Award for Conservative Excellence on an annual basis. The conditions are clear: only members of Congress who uphold the notions of personal responsibility, traditional values, liberty and a strong armed forces will be considered. In his press release following the announcement of the award, Rep. Hice proclaimed his continued commitment to exactly these values.
The ACU also performs an incredible service in rating every member of the state and federal legislatures on these values. They keep track of more than 8,000 legislators, selecting 25 for a final vetting before picking the recipient. They do not make any announcements as to the bills they will be scoring ahead of time, so there can be no collusion or strategizing by any legislator to increase his or her chances of winning.
Under these strict conditions, Rep. Hice holds a lifetime ranking from the ACU of 98%. This year, he scored 96% and fit the standards of the ACU on 24 of the 25 bills that were scored. ACU Chairman Matt Schlapp stated in the same aforementioned press release that he was proud of this year’s selection. He also stated that Rep. Hice holds a consistent record of siding with true conservatism in the face of great pressure. Schlapp noted that Rep. Hice was especially vigorous when defending the Constitution, with a special attention to the First Amendment.
How important is it to recognize the true defenders of freedom and justice in today’s legislative environment?
If you ask the average conservative legislator these days, you may end up with mixed answers. As more legislators flip flop over their support for President Trump and the issues he campaigned on, a Congress that should be strongly and unabashedly conservative is still gridlocked despite a Republican majority. At the very least, policies that should have been easy pass throughs in the Congress are thwarted and stalled with just a little resistance — often from within party ranks.
It is only through the efforts of conservatives like Rep. Hice that the executive branch has the strength to push through the reforms that it has in the past few months. President Trump thankfully has not backed away from his campaign promises to get rid of the worst parts of Obamacare, shore up jobs for American citizens, and take care of our wounded vets. Much more could be done on all of these fronts if the legislature was fully on board with true conservative politics. This is not the case. However, Rep. Hice and other receipients of ACU awards continue to fight the good fight on behalf of the President and their own constituents.
Conservatives must continue to recognize the people who are bringing light to the changes that must be made in modern America. Rep. Hice is the latest in a shrinking line of true conservatives who deserve support in the 10th District of Georgia and around the nation. We must look to others like him to carry the torch.
Let’s thank the ACU for continuing to lead the charge in recognizing true conservatism. Let’s also make it a point to create more pathways for true conservatives to get the recognition they deserve for standing up for us in the contentious federal and state legislatures.
~ Liberty Planet
