Mediaboss Marketing

By PHYLLIS HUNSINGER

The short answer is yes. Until Donald Trump ran for president in 2016, the Republican Party had been losing registered voters in amazingly large numbers. There are many reasons contributing to the disgust with the Republicans as a political party going back for decades. More recently, however, before Obamacare passed, there was an organic tea party movement that arose to fight the passage of government-controlled health care. In some instances, Republicans tried to take advantage of the momentum being created by the tea party; however, as usual the verbiage coming from the Republican leaders did not match their actions. Some Republicans ran their campaigns promising to overturn Obamacare. Many actually voted to do so, knowing they were in the minority and it would never pass. When they had the majority under President Trump, they refused to honor their commitment.

The Republican platform always included reducing regulations, limiting the size and scope of government, fiscal responsibility, reducing taxes, and reforming immigration. Most Republican candidates would make high-minded statements and promises on the campaign trail, yet once in office, none of these campaign promises were ever mentioned again; that is, until the politicians came back to their district for their reelection campaign and repeated the same old rhetoric.

The typical Republican politician sent to Washington, D.C. would quickly assimilate into the culture, claim to be a statesman reaching across the aisle, and never stand up for the stated principles of the Republican Party. As America lurched further to the left, adopting one socialist policy after another, not one time did we witness a Republican standing up in Congress giving a lesson on the Declaration of Independence or the Constitution, both of which they observed being trampled on with impunity. The weakness of the Republican Party, the failure to fight for principles, and the demonstrated lack of conviction caused many Republicans to withdraw and register as unaffiliated or something else.

Enter Donald J. Trump. Mr. Trump unabashedly loves America, believes in the goodness of America as founded, and knows the average middle-class working citizen is what makes this country great. Mr. Trump stood for the same principles as the Republican Party had espoused for decades, but immediately the old guard couldnt stand the thought of a non-politician being able to lead the United States. Soon the Never Trumpers formed an encounter group and proceeded to denigrate Mr. Trump. The message of Make America Great Again resonated with the American people who had become disenchanted with politics as usual and recognized in Mr. Trump a determined leader accustomed to getting results. The excitement and hope that accompanied President Trumps election was palpable.

Who knew that from the beginning, the Never Trumpers would continue to fight against their party? The only explanation is that they were fighting for their own self interests. Here they are, career politicians, and President Trump accomplished more in the face of extreme opposition than they had ever accomplished. And then there is the swamp that President Trump vowed to drain. How did we know that many of the feckless Republican politicians were mired in that very swamp? Of course, they could not have him succeed, so they eventually joined hands with the Democrats because whatever it takes, right? Wrong!

Before President Trump, the Republican Party was hemorrhaging support. President Trump demonstrated how to fight for America; he put the well-being of Americans first. He gave the Republicans a road map to follow. The old guard, elite Never Trumpers have proven they are incapable of leading and promoting the principles upon which this great country was founded. President Trump made the Republican Party relevant again.

Success breeds discontent with failure, which had previously dominated the Republican Party. Republicans were empowered to speak in defense of Constitutional principles and Americas national security. President Trump demonstrated what pushback to the socialist agenda looks like. The Republican Party under President Trump garnered the largest minority vote share than any Republican has in 60 years. The MAGA Republicans will not soon forget this success.

The GOP as we know it has made itself irrelevant. It is time to resurrect the dedication and enthusiasm of the tea party movement and fight back against the Marxist doctrine of the Democratic Party. President Trump has demonstrated he can lead a principled, inclusive political party. It is time for that party to take wing.

Phyllis Hunsinger is a retired Western Slope school teacher/administrator and author of Down and Dirty, A how-to Math Book.

Visit link:
Is the Republican Party dead? | Columns | gjsentinel.com - The Grand Junction Daily Sentinel