What Happened to the Party of Lincoln, Theodore Roosevelt, and Dwight D. Eisenhower?
Op-ed by TheWiseOldFart
The Republican Party began its demise on January 20, 1981,
when Ronald Reagan was inaugurated as our nation’s 40th President.
He began his first term with orders for every Republican on
Capitol Hill. He, alone, would decide policy and no one, regardless of their
position or stature, would challenge his authority. There would be no dissent.
In a simple term, absolute loyalty would unify the Grand Old Party.
Reagan’s popularity grew among the uninformed, although he
immediately began his wars on minorities, the working class, women, and
non-Christians. These battles continue within our nation today.
THE LAST REPUBLICAN PRESIDENT
When Reagan left the White House in January of 1989, his
Vice President, George H.W. Bush, became America’s 41st President.
Although Mr. Bush was a true Republican and a patriotic
American, and was philosophically less demanding and autocratic, the policies
of his predecessor were firmly in place.
When Reagan’s fiscal policy of “trickle-down economics” put
a strain on the national budget, and the deficit rose to more than one-trillion
dollars, Bush was forced to raise taxes and break a campaign promise. This
singular, necessary act, combined with 12 long years of Republican failures,
prevented Bush from winning a second term.
PROOF THAT A “RE-RUN” IS NEVER AS GOOD AS THE ORIGINAL
In the most controversial presidential election in history,
the son of our 41st President became our 43rd. In the closest
and most contested conclusion imaginable, the Supreme Court violated its role
and ended a recount in Florida. Al Gore had won the popular vote, but the
Electoral Gollege was presented to Gerorge W. Bush. We, the people, will never know
the truth about the 2000 election. The results were clearly decided by our nations
corrupt and highest Court, not by the people.
“W” reinstated Reagan’s policies. His actions were even
worse than his predecessor’s.
After ignoring warnings from national security agencies
about an imminent attack on our country, Bush went home to Crawford, Texas, for
a vacation. His favorability ratings were in decline.
On September 11, 2001, a cowardly attack on innocent men,
women, and children took the lives of about 3,000 American citizens.
The incompetent Bush administration overreacted with a
poorly planned effort to kill or capture the architect of 9/11, Osama bin
Laden. The mission failed. However, the second worst president in history left
our nation’s military forces in Afghanistan. This illegal and immoral war
became our country’s longest military conflict, and its fourth loss since WWII.
Other actions by Bush and his minions created the Patriot
Act, the Department of Homeland Security, and the U.S. Immigration and Customs
Enforcement agency known as ICE. Today, ICE has become Trump’s personal
Gestapo.
The Patriot Act, passed in October of 2001, removed rights
guaranteed by the 4th, 5th, and 6th
Amendments. With a mere mention of the word “terrorism,” illegal searches,
seizures, and all forms of privacy became null and void. It became standard
operating procedure to arrest and detain “suspects” without due process if the
situation was considered an act of suspected terrorism by any law enforcement
agency, regardless of its credibility. The Constitution was under attack by an
entire political party. A number of “military combatants” were tortured and detained
without due process in Guantanamo Bay. Some remain there today.
After eight years of President Barack Obama’s administration,
our nation had regained its former position in the world.
THE TRUMP YEARS AND THE BEGINNING OF THE END OF THE DREAM
The illegitimate election of Donald Trump on November 8,
2016, guaranteed the end of the United States of America as I knew it. With his
election came the end of most Amendments in the Bill of Rights. The orange
buffoon’s plan was to destroy my America and to accomplish the goals of his
handler, Vladimir Putin.
During his first few months in office, he signed dozens of
executive orders which repealed democratic policies and adopted the philosophies
of fascism. Trump literally used the Constitution as toilet paper while he
tweeted lies to his like-minded supporters.
Before the end of his first year, the former Republican
Party committed suicide and freely gave their fealty to Trump and his Nazi
followers.
There were no last rites, or services offering sorrow and
despair for the loss of an entire political party which had served the American
people for nearly 241 years. It simply faded into oblivion.
Not at single man or woman on the right side of the aisle
embraced and defended the former Republican Party. They surrenderd their
integirity, values, and morality willingly.
Independents, like yours truly, were forced into supporting
Democrats, although they were far from acceptable in many cases.
THE FINAL TRUTH
A Democratic Republic cannot exist without at least two
political parties who are willing to engage in honest deliberation and eventual
compromise. This is where we are today.
Trump’s party embraces fascism, and his party chooses to
favor the ideals of the Nazi Party which originated in Germany in the 1930’s.
Your vote can save America. Cast your ballot in whatever
manner is available to you. Our nation, and your future will be decided on November
3, 2026.
Op-ed by James Turnage
Follow my blog and be and informed American citizen
My 10 novels are available on Amazon’s free Kindle App
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