The once Grand Old Party is broken. It no longer battles with Democrats for its principles and ideas. It is too busy ‘infighting;’ extremists vs moderates; Republicans vs the “Freedom Caucus.” Add the embarrassment of Donald Trump and the situation appears irreparable. But, I know how to fix the situation. I only have one problem; I need a time machine.
Independents, such as myself, are always rewarded after the votes are counted. Whether the candidate we select wins or loses is not as important as the fact that we cast our ballots for the best, most qualified hopeful. If the individual we vetted wins, we can celebrate the fact that America will benefit from his or her election. If our choice loses, and an unqualified candidate is sent to Washington, we have the satisfaction of knowing that we did the right thing, and have no guilt for the harm that individual may do to our nation.
I am proud of my voting record. Until 2000 my ballot was often mixed with Democrats, Republicans, and third party candidates. My presidential choices were mixed. I voted for Nixon, twice, supporting his excellent record on foreign affairs and the environment. Jimmy Carter was a respected man who I believed would cure our nation’s ills. As a Californian, I praised Ronald Reagan for his actions as our state’s governor, and voted for him as our nation’s president, but only during his first term. Actions during his first term forced me to vote for Walter Mondale in 1984. George H.W. Bush deserved my respect, and I cast my ballot for him in 1988, and 1992. As I witnessed his successes in office, I voted for Clinton in 1996. When George W. Bush was nominated by Republicans in 2000, I was appalled; he had been a failure at everything he attempted, and was totally unqualified to lead our nation. Al Gore received my vote in 2000, and John Kerry in 2004. Like millions of other Americans, I was proud to help elect our first black president in 2008. John McCain made the choice easy when he made the biggest mistake in history by selecting “Caribou Barbie” as his running mate. In 2012 my choice was easy. President Obama had made great strides helping our nation move towards recovery from the great recession, and Romney was part of the one-percent; failing to represent me. This year my choices are expected to be Hillary Clinton or Donald Trump. The Republican Party made my choice for me.
Great changes in the Republican Party began with the Bush Administration of 2001. Support for Wall Street and the wealthy became the focus, as our flourishing economy began a road to destruction. His advisors approved a rush into two unwinnable wars, but the villain who orchestrated the cowardly attacks of 9/11 was never captured or killed. Campaigns became filled with attacks and fear tactics, which divided our nation in similar fashion to the time of the Civil War. Republicans moved further to the right, and accepted a single religion as the faith of the nation. Individual rights were denied, and government began to control the lives of individuals; all in direct opposition to former Republican principles. The party has continued to devolve and is now offering the American people “Trumpenstein.”
To fix the Republican Party I would need to go back in time and retrieve true Republicans; they are non-existent today. The party has become more important than the people and the future of our nation. Supporting Trump is supporting fascism and the worst aspects of our nation; racism, bigotry, and prejudice. There are no heroes in today’s Republican Party. It is composed of extremists and obstructionists who fail to represent the majority of our nation’s people. These same men and women now support Trump. Really?
Op-Ed
By James Turnage
Photo Courtesy of Mario Piperni
The Truth With No Restrictions 