The Trouble With the Republican Party
Said in love, even if coming from a progressive.
When I speak of the Republican Party, I need to be clear that I’m not talking about Marjorie Taylor Green, Steven Miller, or Pete Hegseth. Those people aren’t Republicans. They are what I consider to be MAGA loyalists.
A Republican is someone like John McCain.
Republicans like that are few and far between in today’s party. And that’s probably the biggest trouble with the party today: The loss of its identity. Next, it’s the loss of integrity which is followed by the lack of influence.
Now, you’re probably thinking how do they have a lack of influence when they are in the White House and in control of both chambers of Congress. Give me a sec and we’ll get to that. Let’s start at the beginning.
Identity
I can remember a time when the Republican Party stood for fiscal responsibility, military improvement, and free market. Again, you’re probably asking yourself what in the world am I talking about because I just described the party today. No, I didn’t.
The party today talks about fiscal responsibility to justify taking resources away from the most vulnerable Americans while increasing the deficit for foolishness. Don’t get me wrong, we definitely need to clean house within our spending. I just don’t think healthcare, food, and humanitarian aid should be where we start. For a party that uses Christianity to gain votes, you would hope that they would agree with me but for some reason they don’t.
It’s these things that lead us to the second issue with the Republican Party: Lack of integrity.
Integrity
I miss the days of Obama and McCain when the parties disagreed and yet still remained professional, respectful, and bound by the Constitution. Everyone understood that there were lines not to be crossed for the overall good of the nation. There were facts and opinions. Alternative facts weren’t a thing. Intentional disinformation and straight up lying to the public in an attempt to destabilize the country just weren’t a thing.
Don’t get me wrong. Things weren’t perfect, but we were a country that knew the boundaries and we respected them. The Republican Party has zero integrity when it comes to the representation of the people and the laws of the Constitution.
Influence
Finally, the Republican Party has lost its influence. Like, the real Republican Party. I don’t mean the MAGA, white, Christian-nationalist party that exists where the Republican Party once lived. I mean real Republicans.
You have no influence anymore. It’s Trump’s way or no way.
You vote the way they say to vote or you get pulled into a backroom somewhere and some deal or threat happens to get you in line and then you do what was inevitable from the beginning. You obey. Republicans don’t have any influence anymore.
MAGA is running things.
Donald Trump is running things.
Like, how do you feel about that? Most, if not all of you have known The Donald for a long time. You know his intellectual capacity, or lack thereof. You know his emotional capacity, or lack thereof. You know the road your party is traveling under this leadership is as anti-American as it gets, and yet… you falling in step with all the marching orders.
Now, the same way I had a conversation about the problems with the Democratic Party, I will offer my thoughts on solutions for these issues. Again, I’ll tell you upfront, I don’t have any special qualifications that make me an expert on this situation. I’m not a political pundit or part of some DC think tank. I’m just a person who speaks with the public daily discussing political issues (and more), and I’m pretty good at it.
So, let’s get to it.
I struggled to determine which needs to come first: Integrity or Identity in the work that the Republican Party must do. I mean, do you need to reclaim your identity and remember who you are in order to find your integrity? Or, do you need to act with integrity and create a new identity for your party?
I think it’s the latter.
The Republican Party that you were before the Tea Party/MAGA Movement took over isn’t going to be enough to right this ship. You’re going to have to create something entirely new and since you’re not likely to know what that looks like and who’s even going to be along for the ride, you’ll have to start with Integrity.
One of you, yes, even just one of you, is going to have to walk with integrity in every vote regardless of what it may cost you. Every interview, you must speak truth to power and be unwavering. If no one is asking you for interviews, contact the media. Every media corporation out there would love a story about a rogue Republican who is standing up to tyranny and the dismantling of the United States of America as we know it.
And if you’re operating in integrity, you know it too.
Now is the time for extraordinary action. This is where you demonstrate to the people that you truly are a public servant and are willing to risk what has become your career to do the right thing.
I’m not sure there’s anyone left in Congress willing to do that (not just on a singular issue), but I’m hoping so.
So, that takes care of Integrity.
Let’s move to Identity.
Who is the Republican Party?
Thats’s the central question that stands before you and the answer is going to have to be about more than taxes and small government. Your party has become the party of lawlessness, racism, sexism, transphobia, homophobia, ableism, and disregard for anyone who’s not rich.
Is that who you are?
I certainly cannot answer that question for you. I would offer that finding the answer to it will be connected to why you’re doing this work. Why are you an elected official?
Is it for personal gain or because you truly desire to create the best country for ALL people?
Look yourself in the mirror and get real about the answer to that question and you will be on the road to figuring out the identity of your party.
Lastly, let’s talk about the Influence a new Republican Party could have. Hell, let’s talk about the influence of just ONE Republican member of Congress standing up to this administration and refusing to go along with these ridiculous cuts, unqualified appointees, and lies to the American people. Imagine what you could accomplish as that person.
Think of the others who are around you just waiting for one person to stand up so they can join in. Somebody has to go first.
You would influence not only Congress, but the media, the public, our allies, and those who are plotting against around the world.
Now that, my friends, is a legacy worth leaving.