Not every Republican subscribes to conspiracy theories, belongs to a far-right militia group, or spreads the lie that the 2020 election was stolen. But not enough Republican leaders are firmly denouncing these festering problems, so they are growing like weeds, choking off any good that the GOP could accomplish. Such a party might bring about its own demise, or far worse, cause irreparable harm to the country. A party should be about ideas based in reality that can offer solutions. If it's instead driven by fear and lies—and single-minded devotion to a person who perpetuates both—then it becomes devoid of ideas and solutions and cannot govern. If it can't govern, it will struggle to compete. And if it can't compete, it will reject liberty. —Evan McMullin
 
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Trouble, trouble

It's been a rough week for some current and former public officials. The big story, of course, was that Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus R. Vance, Jr., finally received eight years of Donald Trump's tax records, after the Supreme Court rejected the ex-president's last-ditch effort to prevent them from being handed over. Bloomberg's Tim O'Brien, one of the few journalists who has seen the returns, said last night that Trump "is very afraid of what's in these documents, I think," because they put him in serious criminal jeopardy. O'Brien also thinks it's likely Trump's chief accountant, Allen Weisselberg, will flip on Trump. Stay tuned. —The Week

MORE: WaPo Ed. Board: Virginia is still stuck in an ethical free-for-all when it comes to money in politics —The Washington Post

Biden launches first military strike

In retaliatory action for last week's rocket attack on American personnel in Irbil, Iraq, the U.S. launched air strikes against Iran-backed militias in eastern Syria early this morning, local time. The calibrated response killed at least one fighter and wounded several others. White House officials indicated that the attacks, which were limited in scope, were designed to show that the Biden Administration will act firmly while avoiding a big escalation in the region. It's not yet clear what effect, if any, the action will have on the U.S.'s efforts to coax Iran back into compliance with the 2015 nuclear deal. —Reuters

Ignatius: Justice for Jamal...and for all journalists

"[Journalist Jamal] Khashoggi lived in the corridors of power all his life. He understood better than most the compromises that are necessary to survive in a world where government leaders can order a murder, cover it up, and maintain control. He would have been glad that the United States told the truth about his murder, but he would have wanted to be sure that the new Biden Administration had truly resolved: Never again." —David Ignatius in The Washington Post

David Ignatius is a columnist covering foreign affairs at The Washington Post.

MORE: U.S. officials believe Saudi crown prince approved operation to 'capture or kill' journalist, says newly released document —Associated Press

No minimum wage hike in relief bill

Senate Parliamentarian Elizabeth MacDonough dealt a blow to Democrats last night, ruling that their proposed increase in the minimum wage to $15 an hour could not be included in the $1.9 trillion coronavirus relief package making its way through Congress. The parliamentarian, the neutral arbiter of the chamber's rules, said it didn’t meet the guidelines for reconciliation, the process Democrats are using to pass the relief plan with a simple majority in the Senate, and would be ruled out of order. —The Wall Street Journal

MORE: House set to approve Biden's $1.9 trillion stimulus package, send bill to the Senate —CNBC
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The Economist: The learning toll of the pandemic

"[T]he costs in lost teaching-time, social interactions, and the creative sparks that fly in a well-run classroom are obvious and mounting... And they will be weighing even more heavily on less adaptable or fortunate ones. Test results point to rising rates of truancy and plummeting attainment rates in math and English, especially among poor minorities, who tend to be least able to deal with remote learning and most afraid of returning to school." —The Economist

MORE: Polls show less enthusiasm for reopening schools without teacher vaccinations among minority and lower-income communities —Yahoo! News

Focus on immigration

Earlier this month, President Biden reversed a Trump Administration policy that allowed U.S. authorities to rapidly expel migrant children caught at the border without their parents. The decision is already being stress-tested. In January, U.S. Border Patrol caught 7,300 unaccompanied minors crossing the border illegally, up from 4,500 just a month prior.

MORE: White House lifts Trump order that temporarily banned certain immigrant visas during pandemic —CNN

Dupree: GOP still committed to Big Lie

"Back in Georgia, during the Capitol attack hearing, ex-Sen. David Perdue, R-Ga., announced he would not run for U.S. Senate in 2022; in a statement, Perdue expressed support for changes in state election laws so that 'illegal votes' won't be counted. Democrats argue those types of statements by Perdue and other Republicans are part of the underlying reason for the attack—that false charges of election fraud in 2020 convinced people they needed to stop Congress from ratifying Donald Trump's defeat." —Jamie Dupree in The Atlanta-Journal Constitution

Jamie Dupree covers national politics and Congress for The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.

MORE: Rep. Herrera Beutler censured by Clark County Republicans over Trump impeachment vote —The Seattle Times
This month's read is: "Love Your Enemies" by Arthur C. Brooks
 
If you've ever wanted to have a coffee with an economist and discuss how to fix the contempt that currently permeates our modern political discourse, "Love Your Enemies" by Arthur C. Brooks is for you! While Donald Trump is out of office, there continues to be a deep political divide among Americans, which has left many people worried about the future state of American politics. Brooks offers tangible insight and key steps anyone can take each day to help eradicate the contempt that currently exists in our society, specifically in our politics. As Brooks explains, the opposite of love isn't hate, it's contempt, and he makes the case for loving your enemies.

The biggest takeaway for me from reading this book was not just how to love my enemies, but about the importance of compassion, story sharing, and overall humanizing of those with whom we may not agree. The most basic lessons we learn early on (treat others as you want to be treated) are ones that can help turn the tide of our nation. In his pamphlet "Common Sense" by Thomas Paine, he wrote, "It is not in numbers, but in unity, that our great strength lies."

I encourage you to take a moment and give this book a read, and let us focus on seeing one another as humans, not through the lens of political tribalism. By seeking connection with our fellow humans, we can help unify our nation and eradicate the culture of contempt that has found its way into our society.

Have you read this? Share your thoughts with us on Twitter @StandUpRepublic and Facebook: facebook.com/standuprepublic.com

Want to purchase this book? Click here.

Have a suggestion for our next monthly read? Send them my way: [email protected]

If you think a resurgent Donald Trump is a concern, and if you think the UN's sudden alarm about nationalism and populism worldwide is a concern...look no further than Steve Bannon. Look where Bannon went after he was fired by Trump the first time. He spent time in the EU, stirring up the same racism, nationalism, and populism he spun up in the Trump platform with Steve Miller. Now Bannon is back with Trump, acting like Hitler's general, based at Mar-a-Lago. —Bob W., Utah

Always love THE TOPLINE! It's become my quick take on every day's news. Thanks so much. —Mark R., M.D., Oregon
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