Remembering the ‘Name of the Game’ in 2017

Let me paint a picture for you. America is suffering under the weight of eight years of failed liberal policies, government has expanded, people are ready for change, and a strong conservative Republican candidate is replacing a liberal Democrat president. If you were to guess this is February 2017, you’d be right. However, the same circumstances were true in February 1969, when the Phyllis Schlafly Report headlined the article “Patronage Is the Name of the Game.” Phyllis knew that electing the right people is only the first step to real change. The next step is to surround the right person with a strong and competent team of staff and advisors.

Unfortunately, the Democrats understood that fact too, so in 1969 they attacked President Richard Nixon’s ability to fill positions in the executive branch. Immediately after the election, Democrats shouted about the “unethical” practice of replacing employees from a previous administration. This practice is commonly known as “patronage.” While Democrats were quick to cry foul on Nixon for using patronage, they weren’t so vocal when Democrats like Johnson or Kennedy did the same. As Phyllis pointed out: “The Democrats have never permitted Civil Service to impede their political objectives.” Clearly, Democrats don’t consider patronage to be a moral issue until a Republican gets in office.

The same story can be told of the Trump administration today. Democrats realize that the best way to attack President Trump is to block his ability to surround himself with conservative people who want to help him achieve his policy goals.

Phyllis Schlafly warned President Nixon in her February 1969 Report that he shouldn’t ignore the importance of surrounding himself with the right staff. As she recounted in the updated A Choice, Not An Echo, Nixon “froze out the conservatives who had nominated and elected him” when he appointed mainstream cabinet members to ease the confirmation process. Trump should not make the same mistake. He must fight against those who would hamper him from putting good conservative people in his staff. As Phyllis Schlafly did in 1969, we ought to remember the importance of patronage. It truly is the “name of the game.”