Guest Author
True story.
When we got through security at LaGuardia airport on the way home from a Thanksgiving in New York City, my kids were treated to the profane-laced diatribe of a woman who had been pulled aside for a random TSA check. She was berating the TSA officer who was politely asking her to extend her arms so she could do her job. “Why are you checking me, I’m an American you @%&$ idiot! You need to check the #@&% Muslims (as she pointed to a group of people who apparently were speaking Spanish).”
She went on and on, until a supervisor stepped in and asked the woman to conduct herself civilly considering so many children were in the vicinity.
Her response: “None of this #%$@ will happen after Trump is president!”
The Republican Party’s problem isn’t Donald Trump. Nor is it Donald Trump’s narrow, warped vision for America. The problem is that – according to every poll – a clear plurality and, perhaps, majority, of the Republican electorate apparently shares his vision.
When Trump started his march through the Republican Party, his adversaries avoided calling him out for his xenophobia, misogyny, racism and idiocy. Rather, they politely attributed his success to the fact that, in their judgment, he was simply tapping into the legitimate “anger” and “frustration” of so many apparently angry and frustrated Republican voters.
That was a convenient theory because, presumably, it allowed other candidates to express similar anger and frustration as they tried to wrest voters from The Donald’s column.
As Trump’s vote share has increased, though, they have now taken to attacking Trump for what he is. He has been called “unworthy” and “idiotic.” Many have said, “Trump doesn’t represent who we are!”
The problem is, Trump didn’t just tap into anger and frustration. No, he gives voice to that fairly significant swath of Republican voters who fully embrace his wrongheaded views.
Like it or not, Republicans, Trump does represent who you are. Or at least what your party has become.
Since Richard Nixon’s maligned “Southern strategy” (the GOP’s calculated decision to embrace disenchanted segregationists in order to carry the South on Election Day) the Republican Party has tried to keep its right wing, angry cousin in the family without giving them an invite to the wedding. So nearly, ritualistically, each primary season presidential wannabes pay lip-service to the right with a generous helping of red meat, then run to the center for some healthier fare.
This season, however, that nasty cousin’s not just at the wedding, he’s giving the toast. And it’s a very, very ugly toast.
If you are a fiscally conservative, socially moderate Republican, you have to be wondering how you can remain a card-carrying member of a party in which so many people openly spout so much hate and inanity.
You might try to attribute it to the “fringe” of your party. Or unconvincingly try to argue that both parties have their “red zones” – pointing to the popularity of U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders on the Democratic side. Of course, you can’t be a fringe candidate when you’re the front-runner, and the first or second choice of half of the voters being polled.
Plus, the Democrats don’t have a Donald Trump. Nothing close. Trump and Sanders couldn’t be more different. One guy is using fear mongering to divide America; the other is trying to inspire by appealing to Americans’ sense of social justice and fairness.
If you want to judge a party by its outliers, I’m not sure this bodes too well for my colleagues across the aisle.
So to all my right-thinking, centrist Republican friends, maybe it’s time to consider the wisdom of Groucho Marx. To paraphrase him: “Do you really want be a member of any club that has The Donald as its front-runner?”
Dan Gelber is a former State Senator and Democratic Leader of the Florida House.
One comment
Dave Francis
December 11, 2015 at 5:55 pm
If the American voters see any funny business in trying to dislodge Donald Trump from his forward momentum in winning the Presidency–one whisper, one sleight of hand, they will be looking at a mass departure from the GOP establishment. Any wrongdoing by the Party of Ronald Reagan will need resuscitating equipment to win this election. Trump has pledged not to abscond from the Republican Party, but if he is bullied by the elitists he has several avenues to pursue? Why are most of the hierarchies in the party so outraged with Donald Trump, because dissimilar to them he is not stained by corruption as he beyond their reach and cannot be brought and paid for by the rich and powerful donors.
Trump has a god given right to be the nominee for President. And John Kasich like any of the GOP hard liners ‘Can go to hell” as Lindsey Graham said about Trump. Whatever Trumps character proclaims he has a far decent aura than the personages who have led us into this mess. Former House speaker John Brohner just gave Obama everything he needed, and including an extreme budget, Obamacare and not trying to use the ‘Power of the Congressional Purse’ to end Obamas pursuit’s of his executive orders to end the illegal alien invasion.
The money placed into Super PAC’s not only enriches the politicians for campaigns as much is used for personal benefits. The top of the league is occupied by Jeb Bush, whose numbers has diminished and Hillary Clinton who seems to be bullet proof, even though she has a growing compendium of potential criminal afflictions. The rest are trailing behind, except for Ted Cruz who has a favorable progression among his supporters. It seems to me money buys anything in Congress, including a politicians vote on the floor–Democrat or Republican.
We shouldn’t be forgetting that Donald Trump pledges to clean up corporate welfare, the movement of large companies moving overseas or central and South America where they can use cheap labor and we lose jobs. What is significant is Trump is a free trader, but owing to bad previous negotiations–America does not have free trade. This is one of the reasons why the GOP establishment hates Trump. All those so called multinationals will be paying taxes, to bring their products into the United States of what the people get nothing, a 49 % tariff on everything from cars; parts to electronic equipment will have to be equitable. Companies as Ford, Nabisco and thousand of other American companies will arrive back here and all Americans will be gaining in jobs. Our country will flourish and as Trump stated “American will be Great Again”.
We don’t need a ‘Shadow Government’ of corporate and Industrial rich controlling Washington or our politicians. A Trump Administration means that no foreign countries influencing any elected official, or giving lobbyists an inroad of privileges for special interests. People in high places as Hillary Clinton has a sinister side to her, as her and Bill’s Foundation are involved in procuring money whose sources are no so friendly nations. Regular Americans don’t live in armed gated communities, high towers, and isolated properties or even on nearby islands. We live on savings, society security or hard wages with little over.
My faith in the mainstream media is zero, especially when it’s Corporate and owned by the Leftist wealthy? Just as with the major political parties their opinions come first before the real news. I depend on ‘One American News Network’ on cable, which is free from the spin. Additionally I incorporate my search for the facts at the Canadian Free Press. Since my bombardment of the net, cannot help notice that my commentary is barred by the Liberal press. LA Times; Chicago Tribune; etc.
The other very serious issue is to scrutinize illegal aliens voting. It’s a felony. But it’s overlooked by the courts; a slap on the hand in most cases and very little oversight by election committees. Fraudulent elections would have indefinable consequences on our Democracy. Non citizens voting in tight races could have an effect of an official losing when the votes are counted. People have cheated the system by voting in two different counties, even states. We should all be nervous specifically with absentee ballots and even manipulated electronic voting machines
Obama thinks that every preferential executive order is Constitutional, which just goes to show his incompetent temperament. He has ignored the edicts of the Constitution. Other than that his advisers, along with Harry Reid, Nancy Pelosi need to be certified and place in an insane asylum. King Obama has failed to name the ISIS terrorists, his refusal in sealing our borders, using E-Verify so it’s a MANDATORY instrument. These are what both political parties could have achieved. These are loopholes that would eventually stop the hiring illegal aliens? How quickly foreign nationals will leave when no jobs is available and company owners are punished? Both major parties have a agenda to bring in either cheap labor or for Democrats more future voters.
I don’t trust Obamas government, as they seem aligned more so with different Muslim organizations that has been exposed as dissidents. By intimidation they intend to control our rights to weapons of any sort. I have taken some precautions for my family’s protection by buying a handgun. As a sergeant first class from prior wars never thought I would need a handgun, but that is in the works now. I do have in my possession a couple of rifles and a shot gun, sitting in a gun safe, but small handy pistol is more practical for household defense. Take into consideration that this President released from prison thousands of illegal aliens, who at this time will be protected in ‘Sanctuary Cities’, but still walking the streets and not deported. Many are violent felons and committed numerous heinous crimes and walking our streets of your neighborhood. PASS THIS AROUND.
Comments are closed.