What Does the GOP Actually Want for You?
You can’t eat a culture war. You can’t retire on outrage.
The Republican Party is mad. Always. About something.
One week it’s drag shows. The next, it’s Bud Light. One day they’re banning books, the next they’re trying to stop kids from learning history. They’re angry about immigrants, angry about teachers, about athletes kneeling, about the word “equity” showing up in government reports. And through all of it, they insist they’re the party of “real America,” fighting for working families.
But here’s what we don’t ask enough — what do they actually want for you?
Not what they’re against. Not what they want to take away from someone else. What do they want you to have? What’s their vision for your wages, your healthcare, your kids, your neighborhood, your future?
It’s a short list.
Because today’s GOP isn’t trying to govern. It’s trying to perform. And if they can keep you afraid, angry, and constantly distracted, they’re betting you won’t notice they’ve got no plan to make your life better.
Take healthcare. They’ve tried to repeal the Affordable Care Act more than 70 times. And what’s their replacement? Nothing. They shout about socialism, then stand by while people in their own states go broke from medical bills.
How about wages? They’ve opposed every increase to the minimum wage. They attack unions. They passed tax cuts that sent billions to the wealthy while working people got scraps. They say they’re pro-worker, but their policies scream otherwise.
Education? They’re not interested in strengthening it — they’re trying to dismantle it. They ban books, censor classrooms, and pour public dollars into private hands. Their goal isn’t better schools. It’s culture war victories.
Gun violence? Every time another shooting shakes the country, they send prayers and block action. Red flag laws, background checks — they oppose it all, even when their own voters support it.
And democracy? They’re making it harder to vote in state after state. Gerrymandering districts, purging voter rolls, rewriting rules to shut people out — especially if you’re young, black or brown, or working class.
This isn’t accidental. It’s a strategy.
They’ve chosen grievance over governing. They’ve decided it’s easier to keep people enraged than to make their lives better. The modern GOP doesn’t want to solve problems. They want to sell them — as outrage, as content, as fundraising fuel. They want to keep you focused on drag queens and librarians while they hand your future to billionaires.
And the most cynical part? They know it. They know exactly what they’re doing.
This isn’t conservatism. It’s control. Control over what you learn, how you vote, what your kids read, what your doctor can do. It’s not about protecting freedom — it’s about managing dissent.
We’re in an era where Republican leaders have become addicted to rage. But rage doesn’t fill a prescription. It doesn’t fix a broken bridge. It doesn’t put food on the table or give your kid a shot at something better.
And when they do get power? They don’t use it to govern. They use it to punish. They pass six-week abortion bans, hand out tax breaks to billionaires, silence teachers, and attack companies that don’t toe the line. They’re not building a country. They’re disciplining one.
So again, what do they want for you?
Because if the answer is nothing — or worse, less — then it’s time to stop pretending they’re fighting for working people. They’re not. This isn’t about policy. It’s about keeping you angry enough not to notice the scam.
The good news is, people are waking up. Young voters. Union members. Suburban moms. black and brown communities. Even some conservatives who’ve had enough. They’re looking for something real. Something that works. Something that actually delivers.
That’s what we’re trying to build at Left Out.
Not a party. Not a purity test. A movement. One that doesn’t play by the right’s rules, and isn’t afraid to hold the left accountable when it needs to be. A community grounded in reality, focused on winning power and using it well.
If you’re tired of political theater and desperate for change that actually matters, this is where you belong.
Let’s make some noise. Then let’s win something that lasts.
Julius, thank you for writing. I really enjoy your posts and have found previous substacks by you insightful. Looks like i agree with you the overwhelming majority of the time.
Of course we will find differences and we ahv e found one.
The phrase "gun violence" is used by people with an agenda. This is a way for gun control advocates to control the narrative. In reality... Guns are not violent. Guns are tools. And yes guns can be used as weapons. But we don't talk about car violence, swimming pool violence, hammer violence, fist violence, screwdriver violence, tire iron violence etc. the goal is to make people think guns are violent by using the gun violence framing. It's to make people think "guns are bad". This story telling makes it hard to think of all the responsible gun owners out there who are not violent. It's a technique of the gun control crowd.
How about we focus on criminal behavior instead of inanimate objects. When was the last time you saw a firearm with Agency?
People can be violent, guns are not. People have volition, guns do not.
<Rant over>
Now if you want to talk about Republicans blocking measures that might help with root cause mitigation of violence with guns then you are maybe on to something. Mental health treatment, affordable housing, dealing with poverty, education disparity, job skills training, being a witness to violence, dealing with trauma, etc etc. then that is another story.
I am not trying to minimize the negative outcomes of violent people who use guns. Firearms can be used in social violence, predatory violence, domestic violence, political violence etc.
Just because people do not believe in regulations for firearms does not mean they "Do nothing". The only solution is not another law that violates the second amendment.
So if you want o pass judgments on the right for not dealing with root cause mitigation i am in alignment with you.
I do not however fault them for protecting our second amendment rights.
Taking just one example from their list of "I'm against it": socialism.
How many Americans can even give a coherent definition of what socialism is - and is not? Too few, even among those who are not hard-core proponents of capitalism (or conservatism, "MAGA", or whatever).
We've got to get to where we can have open discussions in this country about these things, whether socialism, or education, or what are Republicans' alternative to the minimum wage they oppose, or other. We'll no doubt need to start with one at a time, since in so many ways we're more backward as a people than we'll ever admit.
Now, if someone is *opposed* to something we are in favor of, such as any or all of the above - that's fine. Let's talk it out. But in the socialism example, what is it that is being objected to? Why are you against it? Not, "well, I've heard..." or "they have socialized medicine in Europe and I saw the place for a week once".
It's a long haul, no doubt. But yes I agree totally, we need to start pinning down the deception and those who perpetuate it, and engaging the ones who are deceived and/or reachable.