More than 400 delegates to the Republican Convention next month have sworn to prevent Donald Trump from receiving the Republican Party’s nomination for the presidency.
Naturally, Reince Priebus and others will claim that this group and others are tearing apart the GOP. Sorry Reince, you must be blind and ignorant; the party is already fractured. I believe this group is composed of true Republicans who value their party more than a single election. It’s your fault Trump rose to lead your party, but the American people cannot allow him to destroy the very foundation of the United States by giving him a win in November.
“Short-term, yes, there’s going to be chaos,” said Kendal Unruh, a co-founder of the group, Free the Delegates. “Long-term this saves the party and we win the election. Everything has to go through birthing pains to birth something great. We’re going to go through the trauma of the birthing pains, but the reward will be worth it.”
Nearly a year ago I denounced all 17 candidates who declared their intentions to capture the Republican Party’s presidential nomination. None were experienced; none were qualified, but all were ambitious. After the first debate in August, my disdain had grown. Not a single issue had been discussed while Republican voters were forced to witness a schoolyard brawl.
Ted Cruz was the first to announce his intention, and the next-to-last to withdraw. Those of us who follow politics witnessed his ambitions from the day he was sworn into the Senate in January of 2013. He quickly became the leader of obstructionists who eventually placed our government in gridlock. Through his own actions, Cruz became the most hated man in Washington. His efforts to derail Trump were pitiful.
Like dozens of others, I believed Donald Trump’s candidacy to be no more than a publicity stunt. The media loved him and are responsible for his early success, offering him five-times more coverage than all other candidates. I was sure his poll numbers would fall as he denigrated all Hispanic immigrants, but I had underestimated the anger and hatred of his followers.
The media struggled to explain Trump’s rise to power. To those of us who offer the truth, the answer was obvious. It had taken 15 years to create “Trumpenstein,” and his birth was inevitable.
The once Grand Old Party had moved away from the principles of the past. Its move to the far right, beginning in 2000, resulted in a dysfunctional government. Issues formerly supported by Republicans were now denounced. Desperate for support, the party allowed the Koch brothers, the Christian religious right and the NRA to control decisions made by party leadership.
While Trump’s rhetoric became more vile and divisive, his challengers began to fall off like bowling pins. He crushed every opponent in the primaries, until the Republican establishment was forced to admit that he was the party’s presumptive nominee. Trump’s rise was proof that the other 16 offerings from the GOP had no talent, no charisma, and no ability to garner the support needed to defeat the failed businessman.
Is it too late for this group, along with Mitt Romney’s supporters, to deny Trump the nomination? Not at all. Convention by-laws contain a “conscience” clause, which allows delegates to vote for the candidate who entertains their principles and beliefs. Therefore, they are not required to cast their votes for the man or woman who was victorious in the primary.
“Reality Television” begins on July 18th; don’t miss it. Inside and outside the arena there will be far more entertainment than a cage fight, and possibly an equal amount of violence.
Op-Ed
By James Turnage
The Truth With No Restrictions 