In the interest of fairness, I now turn to the Republicans to examine why anyone would want to be a member of that party. To reiterate, I'm a Marxist in the Groucho vein, so I have no dog in this race. I tend to loathe virtually everything there is about the modern-day Democratic Party, but that doesn't mean I'm enamored of the Republicans.
In my estimation, there aren't as many tawdry reasons to avoid affiliating with the Republican Party, but Wikileaks is busy right now with the Democrats. It may turn out that a cache with damning emails is produced that proves the Republicans are the devil incarnate, although right now, that title is clearly with the Democrats. But there's enough reason to question to sanity of anyone silly enough to join the Republicans.
My chief complaint against Republicans has always been their arrogance. Never before has it been on display as it has this election year, what with members of the base trying to oust the nominee who won their primary fair and square because he's not conservative enough. If he wasn't conservative enough, why was he allowed to run as a Republican? Wasn't he properly vetted? And if a vast majority of voters elected him, how can it be that an elite minority knows better than the majority? Is this Plato's theory brought to life? Did Jonathan Gruber suddenly become a Republican?
The Republican Party is entirely too monochromatic. In other words, it's too white. As a white person, I'm not opposed to white people. I just don't see the Republican Party as inclusive as it can and should be. Part of that isn't the Party's fault; the Democrats have hoodwinked blacks and Latinos into believing that it's their friend. But the Republicans share blame for a lack of effort. At best, it gives lip-service to wanting to be more inclusive. I don't see a whole lot of effort at reaching out to minorities. Perhaps it's going on behind the scenes, but while having the likes of Herman Cain, Dr. Ben Carson, Condoleeza Rice and Carly Fiorina on board, it's in the trenches that the gains have to be seen. Those four people are just that: Four votes. Four votes won't win an election.
In part, the Party's platform turns off minorities. That's because it's been sold that bill of goods by the Democrats who promise the world and provide next to nothing (Obamaphones notwithstanding). Republicans have to show why welfare is bad and how it's good only for the neediest in our society. It has to show that hardwork, education and opportunity are the by-words by which to live. It has to contrast that approach with the Democrats' approach and show the inefficacy of the latter.
It would also help if it touted its advances in minority advancement within the Party. This is a huge hurdle because brave souls who dare to label themselves as Republicans are accused of being Uncle Toms within the black community. It's ironic, one of the underlying principles of the civil rights movement was the freedom to choose one's own destiny. Yet there's a substantial block that holds that all blacks must think alike.
Republicans also reek of money, although that's as much a mistaken impression as it is that Democrats are blue collar people just getting by. If one doubts me, look up George Soros, Harvey Weinstein and virtually any Hollywood elitist supporting Cankles. Both sides have the monied elite, just as both sides have hardworking, blue collar members. The trouble with the perception is that conservative blue collar types are largely portrayed as hayseeds, trailer-trash or bikers. This demeaning perception isn't challenged enough to portray to those undecided that the Republican Party is comprised of people from all segments of society, not just the Koch Brothers.
Still, the overarching problem with the Republican Party is its arrogance. It did nothing to dispel this when it balked at Donald Trump being its nominee.
Apparently, those who would hold themselves out as true, Reagan conservatives forgot his famous Eleventh Commandment: Thou shalt not speak ill of any fellow Republican.
(c) 2016 The Truxton Spangler Chronicles
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