An old Republican laments the fate of his party:
I think the passing of time has allowed events to ripen sufficiently for me to offer my conclusion as to the state of American politics in the 21st century. After years of striving, the general election in 2000 finally yielded to the Republican party a goal for which it has striven for quite a while. The GOP won the presidency as well as majorities–and their cherished committee chairs–in the Senate and the House of Representatives.
What has followed is an astonishing development. The only thing the Republican Party leaders wanted was to prevail. They achieved control and have subsequently abandoned all traditional Republican principles and subordinated themselves to the Democratic leaders.
Why, then, have I almost invariably voted for GOP candidates? It is truly because of my conviction that two Federal government functions stand out above all others in operational significance. Those are the Federal judiciary and committee chairmanships in the national legislature. With respect to those, consider the Republican approach: They have deferred to Tom Daschle and then Harry Reid with respect to the judiciary. They have allowed weaklings to serve as committee chairmen….
I am too old to lead a reformation, I think. I would run out of breath climbing the steps to a speaker’s podium, and would be unable to address the throng assembled. About all I can do is write an occasional letter to office holders pointing out their disservice to us or to send letters to the press. About the only recourse I have is to continue to vote in Republican primary elections to replace the incumbents. And do you know what is the problem with that? The incumbents at that level are usually unopposed.
Some day I shall take the time and do the research required to do justice to this topic of Republican betrayal of their contributors and supporters as well as betrayal of their stated principles and of the Republic itself. Until then I will have to continue to say what has become customary when GOP organizations ask me for contributions: “Sorry, you guys are too far to the Left for me.”
I recommend that Republicans loyal to the nominal principles of the party instead of the team colors either vote third party or stay home in 2006. Yes, Democrats will take the country down the road to ruin, but so will the Republicans you elect. At least you will know that you were not complicit in the destruction, and that you opposed evil when you still had the chance to do so.
Remember that supporting the lesser evil is still a conscious choice to do evil. One does not argue that the thief commits a morally positive act when he refrains from murdering his victim, after all.