Although it’s true that the GOP of today is not your father’s party, it does continue to exist in name only. In reality it is two parties under a single banner; Republicans and the TEA Party.

The TEA Party is the Trojan horse. It has undermined the way our nation is governed and divided the nation. Less than 40 men and women in the House have attempted to disrupt the way government works through inaction and extremist ideas. What it has accomplished cannot be labeled in any manner as an achievement. It is entirely destructive. Refusing to deliberate and compromise while searching for methods to destroy accomplishments for the working class in support of big business has created the gridlock Congress is experiencing today. Can the GOP survive?

The truth is that if the TEA Party is allowed to remain a contentious part of the GOP, it will not survive. Extremists cannot be allowed to control our nation and rule the American people. This small group cannot campaign under the label ‘Republican;’ they lack all resemblance to the party which once served the nation’s people with an opposing ideology to Democrats. The TEA Party has no ideology; they are the party of destruction.

Now these men and women in the House are calling themselves the ‘Freedom Caucus.’ Re-labeling will not change what they are. These are inexperienced and uneducated men and women who do not belong in Washington.

The greatest problem the GOP has endured for the past seven years is leadership. John Boehner and Mitch McConnell lacked the ability and the desire to control the detractors in their group. Now the party is in complete disarray. They have no guidance, no one to hold the party together and keep it from splintering into two or more factions.

Unheard of is the fact that several member of the GOP are literally begging Paul Ryan to seek the position as Speaker of the House. No one in their right mind would want that responsibility. Anything the House accomplishes needs 218 votes to pass; the GOP has 247 members, and the ‘Freedom Caucus’ votes ‘nay’ on virtually everything. Republicans are now in need of the support of Democrats to pass sensible legislation. Is this a good thing? Very likely.

If Democrats ignore the negative faction of the TEA Party or Freedom Caucus, whatever they want to call themselves, and work with real Republicans, maybe our government can once again accomplish something for the American people. Washington can no longer allow a small number of elected officials to influence our political system.

My biggest complaint is that the major media is not reporting the truth and assisting in the battle against extremism. Without CBS, NBC, ABC, or any other legitimate news network becoming involved, most Americans will not be informed. Few of our citizens read the newspapers and are therefore ill-informed. Television is their only source. We can eliminate those who choose to watch FOX Noise or MSNBC, they hear only one side of the situation.

It is becoming very obvious that the GOP will split into two parties. It will be divided between extremists and centrists. Polls show that most American believe that both major parties must move closer to the center and govern in a manner for which they were elected.

Op-Ed

By James Turnage

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Photo Courtesy of DonkeyHotey