Republicans have been grinding out real policy wins in Washington, but too many Americans still hear only the liberal media’s angry noise instead of common-sense results. That was the blunt message Rep. Lisa McClain delivered to Dave Rubin — the GOP can and has moved the needle on the issues that matter, yet the narrative never flips in our favor. Conservatives who want to win must admit this problem and fix it, starting with telling the truth plainly and often.
Take border security: after years of Democrats letting America’s southern border collapse, Republicans pushed through a major package that finally funds walls, detention capacity, and a dramatic expansion of enforcement resources. The so-called One Big Beautiful Bill includes historic investments to give Customs and Border Protection and ICE the manpower and infrastructure they need to stop the flood and deport criminal aliens. This is the kind of practical governance Americans want — secure borders and restored rule of law — and we deserve credit for delivering it.
On taxes, Republicans acted where Democrats would only promise to tax more and spend more; H.R. 1 locks in and extends pro-growth provisions and provides concrete relief to workers and small businesses. Making sensible parts of the 2017 tax reform permanent and expanding targeted deductions sends a message that Washington can choose growth over grievance. If you work for a living, that policy matters more than phony moralizing from the left.
The economic picture is improving in ways Joe Biden’s allies refuse to celebrate — inflation, which terrorized families in 2022 and 2023, has cooled significantly, and the Fed’s measured approach has stabilized interest-rate expectations. Americans are finally starting to see prices normalize after hardheaded fiscal discipline and pro-growth policy began to bite, even as the Federal Reserve remains cautious about next steps. That’s the quiet recovery Republicans should trumpet until it becomes unmistakable in every household budget.
Yet despite these wins the GOP still struggles to control the narrative, allowing a loud, theatrical minority and a hostile press to set the agenda for everyday Americans. Lisa McClain’s warning to conservatives was simple: stop whispering while Democrats scream; make the case for your successes with confidence and with the dignity voters expect from patriots. The American people respond to optimism and competence, not apology or timidity, and the conservative cause will grow when we act like we believe in America again.
Too many Republicans still play defense on talk radio while the left parades outrage on every cable channel, and the result is the public impression lags behind reality. That must change: celebrate American workers, brag about lower taxes and safer communities, and make it impossible for the media to ignore concrete results. When voters feel the relief in their pocketbooks and the security on their streets, the midterms will reflect the realignment conservatives have fought for.
This is not a time for internecine squabbling or for shrinking from the big fights that define a free nation — it is a time to stand tall, tell the truth, and sell success. The Democratic Party’s biggest fear is not policy debate; it is the return of an optimistic, prosperous America that believes in its own future. Republicans would do well to meet that fear with confidence, unity, and an unashamed celebration of American renewal.
