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Eric Cantor speaks to U.Va. students as part of the 'Batten Hour' series

Former Republican House Majority leader discusses party's agenda

<p>Eric Cantor, a former Republican House Majority Leader and House Minority Whip&nbsp;</p>

Eric Cantor, a former Republican House Majority Leader and House Minority Whip 

Eric Cantor, a former Republican House Majority Leader and House Minority Whip, spoke at the Frank Batten School of Leadership and Public Policy Monday as part of the “Batten Hour” series organized by the Batten Council.

Cantor addressed a host of issues facing President Donald Trump’s administration, including concerns about the fracturing of the party, Obamacare, American multinational corporations returning to the U.S. and the phenomena of “fake news.”

Regarding the status of the Republican Party as it currently stands, Cantor expressed concerns that Trump’s philosophy is, in some aspects, at odds with that of other Republicans.

“Over the past eight years the Republican Party has been a party of limited government, a party of free markets, a party of less spending and a party which promotes the protection of individuals’ private property, a strong defense,” Cantor said. “I think [it has] also [been] a party that represented or lent itself to one where America was indispensable to the world.”

He said some of those ideals are “being challenged by Trumpian nationalism that has generated an electric appeal, but it is somewhat in conflict … In terms of a policy perspective.”

Cantor emphasized his faith in checks and balances to counter measures which the Republican Party as a whole might disagree with.

“There is but so much the president is going to be able to do without bringing along Congress,” Cantor said. “I don’t see the Republican Party flipping and becoming totally protectionist.”

Cantor also said he had limited faith that Democrats and Republicans would be able to work together to create bipartisan legislation regarding health care or tax reform.

As many Americans who rely on governmental health insurance wait with anticipation to see what will happen to Obamacare, Cantor said he did not think Obamacare would just be thrown out.

“The majority of Republicans and Trump have said that’s somewhat unrealistic because there are many people relying on healthcare through the government,” Cantor said.

In response to the divisiveness of today’s politics, Cantor provided some advice for students.

“We need to be about what Mr. Jefferson is about — civil exchange with different ideas to get to a point where we can move forward,” he said.

Some students in the audience strongly related to these ideals. Adam Kimelman, a second-year College student and vice chairman of campaigns for College Republicans, said he appreciated the optimism of Cantor.

“At College Republicans, we try to plan events such as debates, especially leading up to elections, with the University Democrats,” Kimelman said. “The open discussion is the best way for us to get past gridlocks.”

Cantor echoed those sentiments in his closing remarks at the end of the hour-long session, directing some advice towards a student in the audience who introduced herself as a moderate Democrat.

“Be a force in your party to bring some of that back, just like some of us are free market conservatives that want to see less of this sort of government centric, protectionist avenue break loose in my party,” Cantor said. “And then perhaps … Maybe we can have a real robust exchange of ideas and have constructive discussion.”

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