Is Marco Rubio supporting a ‘brokered convention’ in July? Does he remain hopeful that the Republican establishment will gift him the party’s nomination? It appears to be the case, after the failed presidential candidate suspended his campaign, and offered lukewarm support for his fellow TEA Party darling, Ted Cruz.

“I write this letter to inform you that the decision to suspend my campaign for President of the United States is not intended to release any National Convention Delegates bound to me as a result of the 2016 delegate selection process that took place in your State. It is my desire at this time that the delegates allocated to me by your rules remain bound to vote for me on at least the first nominating ballot at the National Convention.” Marco Rubio.

Every day I become more anxious for the Republican Convention which will be held in Cleveland, Ohio, between July 18^th, and the 21^st. This event could be made into a ‘movie of the week’ before it happens.

Flint, Michigan, is a short drive from Cleveland. How many protestors will travel the short distance to express their anger with the Republican Party, and its failed Governor Rick Snyder?

The Cleveland Police Department is known as one of the more prejudicial law enforcement agencies in the nation. Its record of bias against the black community is unmatched. How many angry black men and women will be outside of the Quicken Loans Arena?

The Black Lives Matter movement will be in force and receive much of the media’s attention.

That is a small portion of angry groups who will be outside of the convention. Inside, protestors will have direct access to Republican leadership.

If the efforts of the Republican establishment to defeat Trump are successful, Trump supporters at the convention will become an angry mob. Their candidate will be encouraged to wage a third party candidacy. But it could be worse, (or better, depending on how you look at the situation, and whether or not you worship the NRA).

At last count, more than 50,000 gun nuts have signed a petition to establish an ‘open carry’ policy inside the convention. Could this become a scene in an old western movie? The discharge of hundreds of guns at a single moment would excite the NRA, but, because few gun owners can actually use their weapons effectively, the death rate would be reduced to only a dozen or so.

When the convention ends, the big question is ‘will the GOP be united behind a single candidate?’ If it’s not Donald Trump, nearly 50 percent of Republican voters could remain on the outside of the party.

It remains difficult for me to believe that the once Grand Old Party could support Trump or Cruz. They are an embarrassment to those who are in fact Republicans.

I know that I’m repeating myself, but as an Independent, I miss the Republican Party. I should be able to choose who I vote for from two parties, but this year I cannot find a single GOP candidate to support. They don’t believe in the same solutions proposed by the two Democratic candidates; those solutions directly affect me, and are the reason why the chosen candidate will receive my vote on November 8^th.

To my Republican friends, I must offer words of optimism; there’s always 2020.

Op-Ed

By James Turnage

Source

Photo Courtesy of DonkeyHotey

Novels by James Turnage are available at Amazon