Honest Republicans: A Disappearing Breed

 

by Pa Rock

Citizen Journalist

I was never a big fan of former House Speaker Paul Ryan, he is too conservative for my tastes.  But, his right-wing political views aside, Ryan is a decent man who never hesitated to put the good of his country above his own personal interests.  This week Paul Ryan, who is also a former GOP Vice Presidential candidate and a member of the Fox Corporation Board of Directors, spoke out about the current GOP presumptive presidential candidate, Donald Trump, in an interview with Neil Cavuto on Fox News, and in that interview Paul Ryan referred to Trump as "unfit for office."

Ryan, who calls Trump a "populist" rather than a "conservative," said that instead of being focused on the ideals of conservatism, Trump remains for focused on himself.

The former Speaker of the House also said that he would not be voting for Trump or Biden, but would instead write-in some other Republican for President this November as he did in 2020.   Ryan said that he had voted for Trump in 2016, hoping that he would be successful in the office, but that by 2020 he recognized Trump's failings in office.

Republican politicians eager to win Trump's favor were quick to lambast Paul Ryan for stating his honest views - on Fox News of all places!  GOP Rep. Troy Nehls of Texas, as an example, called Ryan "a piece of garbage."

But the harshest reaction to Ryan and his remarks on Trump came from Trump himself, a man who does not take criticism well.  The former reality television personality and convicted felon had this to say about the former GOP Speaker of the US House of Representatives:

"Rupert Murdoch should fire pathetic RINO Paul Ryan from the Board of Fox.  Ryan is a loser, always has been, and always will be.  He was the WEAKEST & MOST INCOMPETENT Speaker of the House in history.  Fox will sink to the absolute bottom of the pack if Paul Ryan has anything to do with it."

There doesn't seem to be many honest Republicans left with the courage to speak up about the populist cancer that is eating their party.  Paul Ryan left the circus a couple of years ago, and speaks now as a private citizen.  Mitt Romney, who was the last GOP presidential nominee (2012) before the Age of Trump, has been shunted out of his seat in the Senate by the Trump firebrands in the party and now has the political freedom to issue the occasional criticism of the party's egomaniacal leader.  Nikki Haley, Trump's former Ambassador to the United Nations and a former GOP governor of South Carolina, loosed several broadsides against  Trump while she ran against him for President earlier this year, but she has since withdrawn from the race and dutifully drank the kool-aid and says she will vote for him in November.  And there is also the proud "never-Trumper" Liz Cheney whose enthusiastic work with the House January 6th Committee earned her Trump's enduring wrath and ultimately caused her to be defeated in her reelection bid to Congress.    Ms. Cheney left Washington, DC, unemployed but unbowed, and she continues to shine the bright light of reason on the (now) convicted felon and his cultish followers.

There are a few other independent thinkers in the Republican Party, including a handful of senators who voted against Trump in his second impeachment trial, the one that resulted from the insurrection, but the vast majority of GOP officials are still lining up to kiss Trump's ring and declare their undying loyalty, much as German political sycophants did in the 1930's.

Most politicians in the Republican Party have attached themselves to Trump like barnacles on the Titanic, and any member who fails to come on board is out.   One hundred percent fealty is demanded, and anything less gets you branded as a RINO and sent home to Wyoming.

Trump, who turns 78 tomorrow, is massively unhealthy and won't be around forever.  What will happen to the zombie passengers and rats when his ship finally sinks, barnacles and all?

I am reminded of that famous jacket worn by an immigrant to the United States during her tenure as First Lady.  It read:  "I really don't care.  Do U?"

It's easy not to care, but someday the nation will have to begin the very hard work of cleaning up Trump's mess, and it's very likely to get much worse before it gets better.  So yeah, I do care, and so should we all, regardless of our party affiliation.