Donald Trump is a ‘fascist.’ Bernie Sanders is a ‘communist.’ Hillary Clinton is a ‘federal criminal.’ Marco Rubio is an ‘immature child.’ Ted Cruz is an ‘obstructionist’ and a would be ‘dictator.’ These are all claims made by the opposition in this year’s bid for their party’s nomination for the presidency. Some of these attacks have validity, and some or simply facetious.

Regardless of who you support, 2016 is like no other in the history of our nation’s politics. Let’s go back to where it all began in 2015.

Ted Cruz arrogantly announce his candidacy for the top office in our nation on March 23, 2015. This was the earliest announcement of its type in modern history. Without support from any other sitting Senator or Representative in Washington, Cruz decided that he wanted to be our president. He had no experience with the exception of leading the TEA Party movement to shut down our government, and repeated efforts to repeal gains made for the working class in the last 60 years.

Others soon followed his lead. Fellow TEA Party darling Marco Rubio entered the race on April 13^th. This young senator, who had accomplished nothing in five years in the senate, decided he should also fail as our nation’s president.

Then came the cruel blow to the Republican establishment. On June 16^th, Donald Trump announced that he was running for president. During his speech, he labeled all undocumented Hispanics as ‘criminals and rapists.’ He promised to build a ‘huge’ wall and keep them from entering our nation. We all laughed, and considered this just another publicity stunt.

We stopped laughing when the first Republican debate was held on August 6^th. Donald Trump led the other 16 presidential wannabees by double digits.

The ‘debate’ was moderated by FOX Noise. From the first statement by one of their pretend journalists, it was obvious that RNC Chairman Reince Priebus, and FOX President Roger Ailes had conspired to derail the real estate mogul. The following day Trump’s poll numbers rose.

Trump refused to mellow. He began attacks on all Muslims as his open racism and bigotry was revealed to the world. His poll numbers rose again. Panic began within Republican leadership.

As candidates supported by the Republican establishment began to withdraw, the GOP abandoned the idea of offering the ‘best man for the job’ as their goal for 2016. It now supported ‘anybody but Trump and Cruz.’ The focus became Marco Rubio, who was unpopular with angry GOP voters. As that effort began to fail, they decided to support Cruz as their only hope for defeating Trump.

Here we are, just before the ‘winner take all’ primaries in Ohio, Illinois, and Florida. If the polls are even close to being accurate, Trump will have a very large lead after Tuesday’s contests.

Trump is the antithesis of what it means to be an American. He is a liar, a racist, a bigot, a misogynist, and an ambitious man who defies any ideology other than his own. He does not believe in democracy or equality under the Constitution. He would isolate our nation from the other developed nations of the world as he made unrealistic demands of our nation’s allies.

The United States would once again be involved in a war in the Middle East; a war we cannot win. But, he leads the Republican Party.

I understand why his supporters are angry. Those they elected in the 2008, 2010, 2012, and 2014 elections have failed them and destroyed our government. But Trump is not the answer.

In Trump’s defense, what has the GOP offered as an alternative? Does anyone in their right mind believe that Cruz or Rubio would be a great president? The Republican Party has nothing to offer our nation and its people. It is an embarrassment and a danger to the future of not only our nation, but to the entire world.

The Republican Party does not exist. I do not have a label for this sad group of extremists in control of the GOP today.

Op-Ed

By James Turnage

Photo Courtesy of DonkeyHotey

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