Republicans Created the Trump Train Wreck

The phenomenon of Donald Trump’s oncoming train wreck was precipitated by a cynical, click-bait driven corporate media and Republican fear-mongering that offered fertile ground for Trump’s rise. What a slap in the face to Republican politicians that 16 of them were defeated for the Presidential nomination by an erratic, narcissistic businessman who wouldn’t know effective policy, a truthful statement or civil behavior if it bit him. Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and his current cabal adopted a chicken little “the sky is falling” attitude to all things liberal (and all things Obama) for so long, they’ve painted themselves into a corner with Trump as their standard bearer – and a loss looms in November.  How did they – how could they – do this to themselves?

Let’s apply logic to the behavior of Republicans Party leaders and see what we get. First, if indeed Democratic governance is so horrible that we are in dire straits economically and with regard to our foreign policy, then why is the Republican controlled Congress endlessly focused on:

(1) 62 symbolic (and futile) votes to repeal the Affordable Care Act,

(2) literally hundreds of pieces of legislation to restrict women’s right to choose and lessen their health care options, with repeated attempts to defund Planned Parenthood (a miniscule portion of our budget)

(3) repeated, equally futile “investigations” into the Benghazi tragedy (Republicans themselves have concluded there was no wrongdoing by Clinton or Obama).

(4) anti-LGBT legislation; and

(6) tax cuts for the rich.

Given their lack of attention to anything that will help rank and file Americans, Republicans politicians’ obsession with the above can only be adjudged fear mongering to fund raise and a desperate attempt to distract from their own lack of effective policy prescriptions with legislation that will stir up – and retain – their base. How, then, can they be taken seriously as stewards of the economy?

Is it any wonder that mogul, carnival huckster and reality TV star Donald Trump eviscerated his “competition” like so much tissue paper? That doesn’t make Trump any less of a dangerous and cruel joke. But the joke is on Republicans because if they believed that Americans were doing that badly, why would they ignore their needs, instead endlessly obsessing over social policy?

Either we are desperate or we are not. Either Republicans don’t care about Americans’ problems or contrary to their assertions, the sky is not falling.

Which is it?

Over the top hateful rhetoric and purposeful gridlock in Congress has only been exacerbated by the Sean Hannitys and Rush Limbaughs, and for that matter, operatives like NBC’s Chuck Todd, who lend grateful audience to all things anti-Hillary. When demagoguery rules the day, is it any wonder Republicans wound up with Trump?

Given that the economy was still sputtering in 2012 and the Affordable Care Act’s launch was less than stellar, Mitt Romney should have been able to pull out a win. He wasn’t.  That President Obama beat him soundly should have been an indication that Republicans needed to update their platform and back off regressive policies.

If their current behavior is any indication, they learned the opposite lesson from Romney’s defeat and have since doubled down on the reasons they have not won the popular vote but once in the last six presidential elections.

Regardless, Democrats cannot afford to be complacent and will still have to fight for every vote. That stated, Hillary Clinton is on track to win the Presidency. Will Republicans develop some horse sense and let the more reasonable members of their Party work with her – or will they remain the Party of Trump and forever relegate themselves to an out of touch fringe status?

By stirring up every ounce of hate and animus toward Democrats in general (and Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama in particular), Republicans are harming the very Americans they pretend they wish to help. They built this.

By nominating Trump, a majority of Republican primary voters have made clear their don’t believe Republican leadership or have faith in current institutions.  What a shame they desperately put their faith in a phony.

What will it take for Republicans to change their current course? Most likely, until the current guard is voted out up and down the ticket, we will see more of the same.