One of the mistakes that those seeking to lead are constantly making is speaking with one voice to different constituencies in neighborhoods, cities and rural sections in America This mantra of conservative, libertarian, republican and right wing is often associated with the emphasis of less government, less taxes, individual responsibility and more access to entrepreneurial opportunities. Sadly, this message is not heard as intended but often overshadowed by eight years of Bush and the assumption that all Republican’s are wealthy. In last November’s election, we witnessed a severe divide amongst the rural vs. urban class, as well as the wealthy and lower class, thus introducing a new form of class warfare. Let it be said that the fundamentals of true capitalism isn’t less creative or cost effective when developing new and innovative solutions in public policy which has been the backbone of America. In 2009 American’s want real solutions to real problems, not just ideology.

As a New Yorker, that frequently takes the A train downtown, I have held multiple conversations with small vendors and merchants that sell goods in local neighborhoods, stores and on-line. Perhaps these individuals who are not wealthy should be granted a tax credit for investments and their businesses instead of being hit with the inheritance tax which is present in urban centers and neighborhoods. In recent weeks on the subway’s 6 line, I have had the pleasure of meeting a few ex-felons and victims of imprisonment who have discussed the need to feel like Americans again. Perhaps the GOP in 2009 should suggest the need for second chances by offering to felons who have served their time, paid restitution for their crime the chance to receive a crime free record, based on the severity of the offense committed, after five years. Republicans should take a look at promoting alternative sentences for non-violent crimes and offering these individual woman and men employment opportunities such as street crews, construction and landscaping.

Republicans stress the need for a strong defense system, lets re-build one. In the midst of a possible conflict with Afghanistan the United States needs troops, so perhaps we can look to promote military service as an alternative to jail and imprisonment for non-violent offenders. An Ex-United States Senator from Missouri proposed an idea for felons to have a chance to work, which lowered the need to create prisons. Ex-felons need to be educated and re-introduced back into society. The solution is the BJ Barnes model from Guilford County which allows non-violent offenders without at GED to complete these programs and eliminate the record of their respective crimes.

Once I reached my stop downtown, I have constantly noticed the rise in new immigrants to the United States that have entered into the country legally, as many of our forefathers have done before. However, the truth of the matter is that some of these immigrants to the United States are not legal and should require a e-verifying status before being hired. The federal government should take full responsibility for this effort to enact a national fine of $50,000.00 dollars per illegal worker identified and granting $1000.00 reward towards a whistleblowers fee to those identified by the federal government as being hired “illegally”, granting American‘s top priority first. Illegal immigration can be resolved in this nation, but the federal government must decide to walk the walk on these issues.

Walking from outside of the A train, I walked directly into a neighborhood school letting out for the day, which stood directly across the venue from abandoned buildings and subsidized project buildings. The disconnecting of property taxes from educational cost by county is a absolute necessity. The parents should have the ability to remove a child from a failing public school if the child is not performing at the grade level. The parent should have the right to send that child to any certified school that accepts the student, making the concern about the achievement gap non-existent. This option can work and keeps the state out of education, getting parents more involved in their children’s learning and achievement. The need for educational competition grants our children a chance, failing schools will coerce schools to find a method to teach children or risk losing the student to a better program and the money involved. We must give parents back the responsibility of raising their own kids, not the federal government that takes 25% of child care cost when this can be re-directed to the child’s family which gets government out of this business.

Last, the Republican party in 2009 needs to address the issue of women’s rights, as we know that Obama stole the female vote by 49%. We need to ask the question that if we are going to be the party to promote women to being “pro-choice” then we better have an option for these unborn children. Adoption has declined in urban communities and more black youth are simply not being adopted. In urban America we see the rise of crime and single mothers working two and three jobs to support their children, living in low income and crime infested neighborhoods, resulting in more people living off the federal government and tax payers. Living off the government is not America and we must adapt to an ever changing America. I thought the Republican Party was the party of choice, it’s time we started acting like it. 2009 is about control and choice which will be the message in the upcoming elections to come. Republican’s accomplish this by advocating to restore America and giving people back it’s right to be free from the federal government once again.

Brandon Brice is a graduate of Howard University and is a former fellow of the New Jersey Eagleton Institute of Politics fellow at Rutgers University. As a long time member of Republicans for Black Empowerment. Brandon Brice has worked as a policy intern for the former House Speaker Honorable J. Dennis Hastert and has served as a fellow at the United Nations. He has been featured on C-SPAN’s Road to the White House; BET’s What’s At Stake and the Truth, Hot97 with Lisa Evers and is a regular contributor on Fox news Strategy Room and Fox and Friends. Brandon is a proud member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc, and attends the Greater Abyssinia Baptist Church in Harlem.