JimBowie1958
Old Fogey
- Sep 25, 2011
- 63,590
- 16,835
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The Washington Post seems to think that Trump more closely resembles an independent that did a 'hostile take over' of the GOP, than a genuine Republican.
But what defines Republican, or Democrat or Independent? Few seem to define these labels as anything other than membership in one of the two main parties or neither of them. There is no hard cast ideological definition of what a Republican is any more than here was eighty years ago, a definition that has been left behind in the dust of history. Back in the 1930's the GOP stood for Protectionism, Nationalism and a strong National Defense while we maintained a pseudo Isolationist view of the world.
No one in the Republican Party advances those same issues today, so why would we expect the GOP to remain steadfast to some other once dominant ideologies? Whatever the GOP was 4 years ago or 8 years ago, one thing it was for certain was a LOSER party that had painted itself into a demographic corner and had no way of getting out of it until Trump came along. While it had co-opted the Tea Party movement, a civil war ignited between the business as usual Party Establishment and the new rank and file over what was to be done.
While Trump is not a Tea Party man, he does have a whole lot of support among them. His problem within the GOP is that the hard core right, the Mark Levins, the Michael Savages, the Rush Limbaughs seem to want purity over effectiveness, and perfection over the 'good enough'. It is way past time for these ideologues to lose their control of the GOP so it can once again lead a more peaceful dialogue with the opposition and the left out of this country.
And Donald Trump has done three things that are simply amazing as a result of his ability to exploit the political situation from what it was a year go; he won the Presidency, he has brought back into the political discussion millions of out cast voters, and he has rebranded the Republican Party into a more populist and less ideologically pure party that once again has a chance to win a Presidential election.
And the GOP is all the better for it.
Yes Donald Trump is a Republican, and he is THE Republican.
But what defines Republican, or Democrat or Independent? Few seem to define these labels as anything other than membership in one of the two main parties or neither of them. There is no hard cast ideological definition of what a Republican is any more than here was eighty years ago, a definition that has been left behind in the dust of history. Back in the 1930's the GOP stood for Protectionism, Nationalism and a strong National Defense while we maintained a pseudo Isolationist view of the world.
No one in the Republican Party advances those same issues today, so why would we expect the GOP to remain steadfast to some other once dominant ideologies? Whatever the GOP was 4 years ago or 8 years ago, one thing it was for certain was a LOSER party that had painted itself into a demographic corner and had no way of getting out of it until Trump came along. While it had co-opted the Tea Party movement, a civil war ignited between the business as usual Party Establishment and the new rank and file over what was to be done.
While Trump is not a Tea Party man, he does have a whole lot of support among them. His problem within the GOP is that the hard core right, the Mark Levins, the Michael Savages, the Rush Limbaughs seem to want purity over effectiveness, and perfection over the 'good enough'. It is way past time for these ideologues to lose their control of the GOP so it can once again lead a more peaceful dialogue with the opposition and the left out of this country.
And Donald Trump has done three things that are simply amazing as a result of his ability to exploit the political situation from what it was a year go; he won the Presidency, he has brought back into the political discussion millions of out cast voters, and he has rebranded the Republican Party into a more populist and less ideologically pure party that once again has a chance to win a Presidential election.
And the GOP is all the better for it.
Yes Donald Trump is a Republican, and he is THE Republican.
