Only true Independents understand this fact; America needs the Republican Party. When it began to implode in 2009, our nation lost its balance, and eventually its way. As Republican principles began to disappear, the party was replaced by extremists known as reactionaries. They commenced looking to the past and denied progress.

It has finally reached its pinnacle. Republican voters will be forced to choose between the three least qualified candidates ever offered by the GOP. It is of little consequence whether Donald Trump, Ted Cruz, or Marco Rubio wins the nomination, none of them are true Republicans, and none of them would be able to find solutions to our nation’s domestic problems, or national security.

Trump is the least dangerous. Unlike his TEA Party opponents, he says that he will work with Democrats. However, if he is the Republican standard bearer, not only the American people, but people all over the world will believe that our nation is racist, bigoted, and misogynistic. This is the image of the Republican Party today. There is no resemblance to great Republicans from the past.

Ted Cruz has led the war on Republicanism, replacing it with his own extremist views. He led obstructionists in the effort to shut down our government in 2013. He has moved so far to the right that fellow Republicans question his intentions. He is an ambitious man who will pander to anyone for their vote. All of his policies are regressive.

The perfect example was a situation in Iowa. Cruz was asked a question at the end of a town hall meeting. After he promised to repeal the Affordable Care Act, a man asked him a simple question. He said ‘what would you replace it with?’ Cruz had no answer. This man told a story of a relative who could not afford health care for most of his adult life. When he was finally able to purchase insurance under the Affordable Care Act, he became ill. Comprehensive testing provided the bad news that he had waited too long and now had several problems, all of which were terminal. Once again the man asked, ‘what would you replace it with?’ Still no answer.

Marco Rubio is a nice boy, but too immature and uninformed to lead the free world. His recent displays in the ‘debates’ have proven that he can’t ‘think on his feet.’ His tax policy would be a huge gift to the one-percent. He would spend additional billions of dollars on defense and move our nation to another unwinnable war in the Middle East.

Rubio is the choice of mainstream Republicans because he has no strength and no ideas which would stray from the new Republican Party’s point of view. In this case, ‘new’ is not a good thing.

If you are at least 50 years of age, you remember the real Republican Party and its leaders who were accomplished and intelligent.

For those of you who are younger, yes, I swear, they did exist.

Our government was not perfect, but I can say that it worked. Heated deliberation led to compromise, and the American people were served.

I miss the Republican Party; I no longer have choices in elections. With the exception of John Kasich, the choices offered by the GOP in 2016 are too far to the right and would not serve the people of our nation.

Op-Ed

By James Turnage

Source

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