THOSE WERE THE DAYS

 

Prior to Newt Gingrich becoming Speaker of the House – which was when the seeds for the ultimate destruction of the Republican Party were planted – Democrats and Republicans differed on policy issues.  It was conservative policy vs liberal policy.  One Party did not consider the other Party to be enemies of each other or of the American people or of democracy.  Members of Congress could rationally discuss and debate policy and they could actually compromise.  There was not the severe partisan divide that exists today – when, to be honest, we have seen the Republican Party truly become the enemy of the American people and American democracy.
 
And both Parties, with of course come exceptions, ultimately put county and the Constitution above Party – something the Republican Party no longer does. 
 
To be fair, over the last about 30 years both Parties shared blame for the partisanship divide.  I had consistently said in the past the Republican Party could introduce legislation that would without a doubt ensure world peace and American prosperity and Democrats in Congress would vote against it simply because it was proposed by Republicans – and vice versa.  Before the Trump debacle when discussing Congresspersons I would always refer to them as “the idiots in Congress”.
 
I applaud President Biden’s hope to return to some form of rational, legitimate and civil political discourse – but worry that it will be very difficult to accomplish without a complete turnaround and a return to integrity, ethics and belief in true conservative values by the Republican Party. 
 
A look back at some history from my childhood.  The following is from the official Republican Party Platform of 1956 (the highlight is mine) -
 
“While jealously guarding the free institutions and preserving the principles upon which our Republic was founded and has flourished, the purpose of the Republican Party is to establish and maintain a peaceful world and build at home a dynamic prosperity in which every citizen fairly shares.
 
We shall ever build anew, that our children and their children, without distinction because of race, creed or color, may know the blessings of our free land.
 
We believe that basic to governmental integrity are unimpeachable ethical standards and irreproachable personal conduct by all people in government. We shall continue our insistence on honesty as an indispensable requirement of public service. We shall continue to root out corruption whenever and wherever it appears.”
 
As we learned recently, today’s Republican Party no longer believes any of this – especially the highlighted portion.  With too few exceptions today’s Republicans clearly openly embrace and enable unethical, dishonest and corrupt politicians.