(Cartoon image is by Joe Heller at hellertoon.com.)What has happened to the Republican Party? That party once produced presidents like Lincoln, Roosevelt, and Eisenhower -- men that Americans could respect. That party once was a bastion of true conservative principles. It is no longer a party of either great leaders or solid principles. That party has changed radically, and would not be recognized by our parents and grandparents.
The Republican Party used to claim to be the party of fiscal responsibility. They wanted to hold down government spending, balance the budget, and keep the national debt at a reasonable level (if not altogether eliminated). Today's Republican Party respects none of that. They have increased spending and cut taxes (for the rich and corporations), and they have waged a seemingly endless war without providing a method to pay for it.
The result is that we will have a trillion dollar deficit this year, and will add a trillion dollars to the national debt for the next ten years. They have thrown conservative economic principles and fiscal responsibility out of the window. They are now the party of big spending and huge debt.
The Republican Party used to be staunch defenders of the FBI and our intelligence agencies. And they would spring to defend them at the slightest appearance of criticism. Even during the Watergate years, the Republicans were quick to defend the FBI.
That is no longer true. Now they have a president that, to defend himself from investigation, has viciously attacked the FBI and its leaders, accusing them of engaging in a conspiracy against him. And the Republican Party is backing his attacks on those agencies, and questioning the service of individuals who have given many years in service to this country. They are tearing down the agencies they once could be counted on to support.
The Republican Party once proudly called themselves the party of "family values". And to defend those values, they attacked politicians who erred sexually and stood firm against social change. Now they have elected a president who is a serial adulterer, brags about sexually assaulting women, gleefully attacks women, minorities, immigrants, and anyone who disagrees with him. He is a man without values, but that is OK with Republicans who have tossed their family values under the bus to defend him.
The Republican Party once considered themselves the defenders of this country from the menace of Russia. They considered Russia to be the primary danger facing the United States. Now they have a president who is soft on Russia and its dictator (Putin). He refuses to criticize Russia or impose sanctions against them. And the Republican leaders defend his actions -- even though Russia has interfered in our elections, attacked our electrical power grids, and threatened us with a new generation of nuclear missiles. They are now appeasers -- willing to follow this president in knuckling under to the Russian threat.
The Republican Party once had leaders (Gerald Ford, Ronald Reagan) who understood that military-style assault weapons had no place in civilian society. Now they have been bought by the NRA, and won't even support background checks for all gun buyers. American lives are not as important to them as NRA money and support.
I'm not sure at this point whether the Republican Party even has beliefs and values anymore. They no longer seem to respect our democratic values, our constitutional rights, our governmental institutions, or the need to compromise for the good of the country.
