Response to Mike Johnson’s 7 Core Principles of Conservatism
To the editor:
House Speaker Mike Johnson lists 7 Core Principles of Conservatism which he says Republicans claim to fight for:
1) Individual Freedom, yet the GOP definition of freedom is:
1. Restricting the Citizens’ Initiative Petition process
2. Limiting family reproductive healthcare options
3. Limiting grade-level and teacher-recommended books in schools. Florida leads the country in book bans
4. Reduction in Home Rule and states’ rights
5. Voter Suppression (mid-census redistricting of Congressional districts, no other districts, by the way).
6. Rights Abuses by ICE
7. Reducing citizens’ rights to petition their government
2) Limited Government, yet their definition equates to:
1. Increased bureaucracy around women’s healthcare
2. Increased state revenue where federal funds should be used (detention centers, ICE)
3. Measles outbreaks on the rise
3) Rule of Law, yet, their practice is:
1. Elimination of due process for migrants
2. Mid-decade redistricting against the FL constitution
3. Defying court rulings to release the Epstein Files, to hang the Jan 6th plaque in Congress, and to SNAP restoration
4. Trump 34-count felon
5. Jan 6 insurrectionists pardoned
6. Disregard for the balance of powers and the Constitution
7. Hide the Epstein Files
4) Peace Through Strength, yet we see:
1. Significant Federal Resources shifted from investigating white collar crime and political corruption to immigration and ICE enforcement (70% don’t have criminal convictions)
2. Destabilizing the world and government order
3. U.S. citizens detained by ICE
4. A War in Iran without end, bankrupting the USA
5) Fiscal Responsibilities, yet we have:
1. School Voucher Abuse
2. $10 M Hope Charity Scandal
3. DOGE
4. State left to deal with lost revenue from Fed cuts.
5. Exorbitant Salaries for Politically Connected GOP Allies
6. ICE consumes the largest part of the federal budget
7. Building monuments and a ballroom at a time when citizens struggle
8. Escalating wars
9. Pushing name changes (Airports, roads, Charlie Kirk Blvd, Gulf of America, Florida, the Freedom State) at taxpayers’ expense
10. Health Insurance cost rises 46% to 100% more
11. 20 billion to Argentina
12. $184 higher family cost (Jan ’25 to ’26 and more since January)
13. Spending more money for environmental cleanup than pollution prevention
6) Free Markets, but they practice:
1. Government bailouts for business, but not for those with policy-induced healthcare, homeowner insurance, or school debt.
2. Insurance Co. sweetheart legislation allowing profits to be hidden from rate regulators. Home Insurance up 40% (since 2022)
3. Ignores the requirement to grant 5% of federal loans to small businesses
4. Open oil drilling off Florida’s Gulf coast, 165,000 clean energy jobs lost
5. Tariffs cost Americans $1,100 each (2025)
7) Human Dignity, yet we see:
1. Denied Medicare Expansion
2. Worst job numbers since 2009, and Florida has the shortest unemployment program in the nation
3. Florida teacher salaries lowest in the nation
4. 36+ ICE detainees dead
5. Military personnel deaths and injuries wiped from the records
Karyn Edison
Fort Myers