A Reader Speaks:

I’ve been watching the last few weeks of the presidential elections, namely the republican nomination and has been very disappointing at least from my conservative viewpoint. My points of disappointment are as follows:

1. Eight years or so ago, a groundswell of conservative momentum arose and began calling themselves the Tea Party. For the next six years, the Republican Party enjoyed their support while publicly (and privately) distancing themselves from the passion of the people, the very people they were supposed to represent. These groups were too extreme, too conservative and were labeled “whacko” racist and worse not only by the democratic propaganda machine (also known as the press), but also the Republican Party. Now that they have a nominee that they claim may not represent the good of the party (note good of the party rather than the good of the people) they have all turned conservative and are calling Donald Trump such names as bombastic, narcissistic, litigious, and boorishly vulgar while also implying he is a bigot. O’ the irony.

2. Early in the primary season, Donald Trump was called by the Republican Party to sign a document essentially saying that if he were not to win the nomination, he would support whoever the nominee was. Now that he has won the nominee, the party, at least the party establishment have essentially said they will not support him. #NeverTrump indeed.

3. Early on in the convention, several members of the Party waged a campaign to allow the delegates to “vote their conscience” apparently thinking that the delegate conscience would be to choose another candidate. In other words they were trying to go against the will of the people. That’s not the conservatism I know.

4. Jeb Bush wrote an opinion article and submitted it to a liberal newspaper condemning Trump and calling for another nominee. He didn’t say anything about the $100 million he spent on his own campaign without any impact on the race. Fiscal responsibility?

5. Paul Ryan pulled a huge Boehner (pun intended) at the RNC convention. It seemed to me as if he was damning Trump with faint praise and couldn’t let the will of the people move him to make an actual endorsement. Who is he the Speaker for?

6.  For the last two election cycles the Republicans have presented vanilla candidates who bring no passion to the people of their party. John McCain crossed the aisle so much, there is a permanent chair for him there. Mitt Romney is a Northeastern Democrat…err Republican who was basically Elizabeth Warren lite. Where were the conservatives then?

7.  Bill Krystal, George Will and several other noted conservative commentators have either withdrawn their support or tried to find a third party candidate. While I agree with what they normally write, they do much of what they accuse liberal professors doing. They sit in their ivory towers and write opinions to people who already agree with what they say. Now, instead digging in and helping Trump find a conservative agenda and view point, they pouted and took their toys home like 6 year olds. Share and share alike?

8. Many of the party “elite” including Ryan, Bush and Mitch McConnell seem to be maneuvering to take over the party and rebuild it after Trumps landslide loss to Hillary Clinton. With friends like these, who needs enemies?

In the end, if the Republican Party has a candidate they don’t like, there is no one to blame but themselves. They have been given control of the House and the Senate, in large part because of their campaign promises to stop our current president’s agenda and try to bring the country back from center left to at least center right. They have failed every turn, most of the time without even making the attempt. It seems as if what they campaign on and promise is forgotten the minute they step of the plane in DC. Trump heads a movement because the voters of the Republican Party feel betrayed and helpless.

Outside of a few conservative newsletters, I see very little movement or work to spread the ideas and philosophies of conservativism, at least not until the next election rolls around.

Contributed by:  Eric Olson - eolson@pioneernet.net

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