It seems that nowadays everyone has an opinion on the Republican Party. In fact, how could you not when you look at its current state? You have Donald Trump leading the pack and dominating the headlines by making bombastic remarks, while on the other end of the spectrum you have people like John Kasich who are willing to work with Democrats dwindling in approval. Unfortunately, it now appears that preaching populism and non-cooperation are sure-fire ways to gain public endorsements.
What happened?
A lot of misgivings people now have about the GOP can be attributed to the rapid rise of Tea Party movement. In many senses their views are simply libertarian and fiscally conservative; lowering government spending and cutting the national debt are examples of this. These are not the ideas that are alienating people. What the issue with this faction of the GOP is however, are the more personal yet unashamedly overt opinions of their members. Most of them continue to reject the science on both evolution and climate change. I shouldn’t be having to point out how regressive this kind of thinking is. Michelle Bachmann, a former Republican candidate for President and founder of the Tea Party caucus, has described climate change as being “voodoo”, “nonsense”, and a hoax among other things.
Another thing which many members of the Tea Party claim to take pride is their strict and literal interpretation of the constitution.
Why then, is that Ted Cruz, a darling of the religious right and poster-boy for evangelicals, (whom I have already taken the liberty of criticising continues to call the USA a country founded on Judeo-Christian values. I don’t think being an atheist precludes you from having some moral bearing, nor do I think love for your neighbour is an exclusively Judeo-Christian trait.
I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again. But as founding father John Adams once said:
The government of the United States is not, in any sense, founded on the Christian religion
Because of the rise of this movement, a lot of candidates who once were written off as being have been flung to the front of the Republican pack, such as the aforementioned and Ben Carson, a man who does not even have any political experience. Even Donald Trump has attempted to appease the pious evangelicals in party by claiming the Bible to be his “favourite book”. When asked further about the religious text, here is what he had to say:
Not particularly flattering, is it?
I think we can all agree that the Democrats are not as burdened by having to claim to be overly religious, and perhaps this is because many of them are aware that religion is a personal matter, and as such it should not be nefariously politicised just for political gain. I am sure many Republicans share this sentiment. However the GOP risks becoming (many would say it has all succumbed to this) imbibed in religious zealotry and consequently becoming unelectable for years to come. If the Tea Party had stood for inclusive principles rather than misguided piety, perhaps we would not be in the situation we are in now.
Pertinent Problems 
The republican party seem to have become the home of fascists, nutcases, fundamentalists and imbeciles. They are a bunch of gun-toting idiots as dangerous, and analogous to, ISIS.
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That’s what upsets me.
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Very interesting article.
I wonder if you see any signs of a more sensible moderate emerging from the party in the future?
You’ve mentioned Kasich but he currently appears to have about as good a chance at winning the nomination as Lindsay Graham.
Also, due to the broken super pac system and the GOP’s reliance on the coal and fossil fuel lobbies for funding, how long do you think it will take for the Party’s mainstream to accept climate change?
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I would class Kasich as the best thing the Republicans have that fits the mould of a ‘moderate’ and as you’ve rightly stated, he has no chance. I think it’ll take a few more elections (maybe 2 or 3?) before the a moderate with more sensible social attitudes can win the nomination, let alone win. The Tea Party would have to wane in influence for that to happen as well, which I am hopeful of…eventually.
It seems the as long as the GOP accepts funding from the Koch’s, climate change denialism will be a burden a the party has to bear, and I think at this point it would be better if they stopped receiving money from them. Right now they’re running quite literally on a anti-science platform from which they cannot win. Once again, I’d say give it a couple of elections. By then I think most, if not all of the electorate will be sufficiently educated and aware.
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The GOP is finally reaping what it has sown for many many years. When LBJ got the Civil Rights and Voting Rights Acts passed through Congress, the South went from Blue to Red within weeks. This is the party that fought a national holiday for Martin Luther King. This is the party that David Duke could feel comfortable campaigning for. This is the party that considers Rush Limbaugh a leader, a pundit who is both a race-baiter and a misogynist. This is a party that believed the Confederate Flag represented a heritage to be proud of. And when we got our first African American president, it couldn’t contain itself and hold back the racist vitriol. Like the old saying goes: if you lie down with fleas, you’re going to have to scratch. It’s really really sad but this is where a major American political party finds itself in the 21st Century.
In that first debate, why didn’t no candidate walk off stage and tell the world that he or she was not going to dignify the debate. By remaining on stage with a misogynist, a racist and a man who insulted veterans by basically calling John McCain a coward, the candidates showed what cowards they are. They quick to mention the name of Jesus but I’m pretty darn sure that Jesus would be ashamed of theses people.
So this campaign season has turned into a dog and pony show with Trump having the rest of the group on leases. Not one of these people could stand in the shadow of Abraham Lincoln, Theodore Roosevelt, Herbert Hoover, Dwight Eisenhower or Gerald Ford.
Every time I think the Republicans can’t stoop any lower, they prove me wrong. Though I may not vote Republican, I do believe we have a need for two strong political parties that can stand and debate the issues with dignity. Only when this occurs do we get better government.
Republicans have offered great perspectives in the past, such as a strong defense and a balanced budget (which they still use as a mantra but don’t practice when they run the country). And I have never been opposed to smaller government, less regulation and tort reform. But way too often, the Republicans want to throw out the baby with the bath water.
The only issue the Republicans seem to be offering this season is tear everything down. All government is bad. We don’t need government. Except to invade another country, win, then we’ll build their schools, we’ll pave their roads, and we’ll make sure they have decent healthcare. With this attitude, why would I trust these people with power. If you hate government, how are you going to make it run efficiently.
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So true, preach it.
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Wow! What a comment! Yes, I think that the current state of the GOP is not only bad for them, but it’s bad for democracy too.
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I don’t think this is written someone who knows any Republicans. It’s the standard talking points. The religious right hasn’t been heard from since the 1908s. Climate change has no meaning as the definition changes as needed by the left. The Tea Party, (I’m not a member) is more concerned with the constitution and limited government than religion.
The media tend to decide who are the spokes people for any particular group they will always pick the most outrageous since that gets ratings and clicks.
But hey, the Democrats have a corrupt liar running with an devout socialist and a guy that’s proud of his tenor in Baltimore and Maryland.
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Hmm, I don’t think it’s ‘standard’ for the Republicans to be so violently anti-science. Pretty sure climate change is real and set in stone too, although I’m always open to other opinions.
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actually the data is mixed depending on what your definition is. The faked data and changing goal post make this a silly argument. Republicans like anyone else want a healthy climate. Science is always evolving as more information is discovered. I idea the the science is settled is just to shut down discussion. Which is a weak standard.
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If the Republicans wanted a healthy climate surely they’d support the EPA?
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The EPA who dumps thousands of gallons of waste water in the Animas river? The EPA the new of the flint river issue over a year ago but didn’t do anything. If the EPA wasn’t used as a political enforcer more people in general would support it.
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The Republicans don’t seem to be offering an alternative and some propose not do anything, claiming that it doesn’t even exist. So I still think there is an issue.
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If climate change is the most important issue to you than the Republican party probably isn’t for you. The frustration I find is so many people who won’t talk honestly and openly about the issues. I wouldn’t expect to agree 100 % with anyone. But, I do want the country to follow a general direction.
For example I think the constitution was a very well written document that has served us very well. So, any changes to the founding principles I wan’t debated and not overturned by a single entity, like the President. That’s any President, of any party. There is a process that is in place that needs to be followed.
I also don’t find government very efficient and I don’t want any government agency to have more power than our actual representatives, local or federal.
Both parties have been terrible and very self serving.
I do however respect all people rights to disagree and don’t think of them as evil or horrible people if they do.
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