Even before Trumpenstein was created and became the standard bearer of the GOP, the Republican Party had become extinct. I am old enough to remember when I respected politicians of both Democrats and Republicans, and the reason why I decided long ago to be an Independent.
First of all, I believe that only Independents vote for candidates based on their beliefs and principles. Those who profess to being party members vote for that party, and ignore the fact that their candidate might not be the best choice. Voting for someone simply because they have an “R” or a “D” next to their name on the ballot is ignorant at its lowest point.
I first became eligible to vote in 1967, at 21-years-of-age. The first election I voted in was in 1968. I admit that I wasn’t a very informed voter during my first opportunity to act upon the freedom most cherished by our founding fathers. All I knew was that I was entering high school when John F. Kennedy was running for election, and Richard Nixon was unimpressive during the debates. In addition, I was a huge supporter of JFK after his election, and one of millions of mourners when he was assassinated in 1963; I was a senior. I voted for Hubert Humphrey, and other Democrats on that day. I never considered Nixon.
In 1972 I was a little more prepared; but not by much. What was of primary interest to me was the war in Vietnam. Like many other young men in America, I was angry as I watched relatives and friends return home in body bags, missing limbs, or with severe mental problems. I voted for the “peace candidate,” George McGovern. Richard Nixon crushed him by 23 points in the popular vote. This also signified the division between the ages in America.
However, there were things I admired about Nixon. The economy was booming, and he had negotiated a relationship with mainland China, dimming fears of additional conflicts around the world.
In 1976 I was 30 years old. My wife and I had a son who was nearly three years old. The election process became more important to me.
Gerald Ford, who had replaced Nixon when he resigned, was challenged by Georgia Governor Jimmy Carter. The choice was easy for me. I remained angry that Ford had pardoned Nixon for his unconstitutional crimes, and Jimmy Carter’s character was unquestioned. He was an honorable man who I trusted. In the end, he may not have been our greatest president, but he remains a respected and honored former public servant.
When I was just 19-years-old, I was working for a defense plant in Los Angeles. The actor, Ronald Reagan, presented a speech to all of us at lunch one day. He was running for the Governor of California. Subsequently, his accomplishments were impressive, and when he ran for the presidency in 1980, I was eager to vote for him.
He was an excellent president during his first term. However, when he ran for reelection in 1984, I voted for Walter Mondale. Reagan had begun a war on the working class, and his “trickle down” economic beliefs had not created new jobs in America.
In 1988, vice-president George H.W. Bush ran against Democrat Michael Dukakis, the Governor of Massachusetts. Bush had credentials which impressed me greatly in service to our nation prior to his vice-presidency, and I was proud to cast my ballot for him. He made one huge mistake. He inherited a high unemployment rate, and a huge deficit from Reagan’s failed economic policies. He promised “no new taxes,” but when he was forced to raise them, his base rebelled.
In 1992, William Jefferson Clinton, the Governor of Arkansas declared his candidacy. He was an eloquent speaker, and his proposals for economic growth garnered my loyalty. I voted for him during both elections. I was somewhat more unsure in 1996; his opponent was Bob Dole, a man I admired for his honesty and hard work in the Senate. However, the quality of life for the working class had been greatly enhanced during Clinton’s Administration, and I was certain of my choice.
In 2000, I knew what George W. Bush was not; he was not his father, and he was unqualified to lead our nation. Al Gore was principled, experienced, and his support for the environment was very important to me and the future of our planet. In 2004, I campaigned against Bush for his illegal and immoral invasions of two sovereign nations. His actions cost tens of thousands of lives, bankrupted our nation, and divided its citizens.
Barrack Obama was an easy choice. He was not only charismatic, but I believed that he would represent the working class. When John McCain, a man I previously admired, selected the totally unqualified and unintelligent Sarah Palin as his running mate, my choice was even easier. I have been pleased by my choice for eight years. He saved our nation’s economy and instituted programs for the working class, including healthcare.
So, what is my point. It’s very simple. Not a single man or woman who calls themselves a Republican has any of the qualities of the men and women who I voted for or considered voting for in years past. They lack the morals and principles of their predecessors. Mitch McConnell, Paul Ryan, Ted Cruz, Tom Cotton, and the others have no interest in the future of our nation or its people; they are hypocrites and phonies.
The party’s standard bearer is a disgrace, and can in no way be labeled a Republican. Trump is a buffoon, an immoral man, and a caricature. I will never accept him as my president, along with millions of others. Those who support him receive nothing but my loathing and disgust.
The Republican Party of today exists in name only. None of them have served the American people; they are all owned by special interests. They serve their masters, not the American people.
In the case of Trump, his strings are in the hands of billionaire Robert Mercer.
I believe America must have choices. Ignorant and uniformed Americans failed to vet the candidates this year, and our nation is forced to fight the fascist regime of Trump for the next four years.
Maybe it will be a good thing; our nation needs a second revolution. It’s time for real change. If we do not remove lobbyists from Washington, install term limits, and regulate the salaries of our legislators, we will never see the return of democracy in America, and we will fall even lower in consideration for one of the best nation’s in the world.
Please re-post; thank you.
Op-Ed
By James Turnage
Photo courtesy of DonkeyHotey
Follow me on twitter; @jamesturnagenvo
The Truth With No Restrictions 