I left the GOP in May 2016, right after the Indiana primary. I've been independent ever since, with little likelihood that I'll return to the party that chose to embrace a reality-show star. Here in PA, we have closed primaries, which is why I registered as a Republican back in the 80s. However, my primary vote has NEVER reflected who the eventual nominee was, so my vote was essentially in vain. I had nothing to lose by leaving.
Relevant to this piece is a discussion between Matt Lewis and Bill Kristol on the difference between joining and allying with the Democratic Party. While probably a tortured metaphor, it's a bit like allying with the USSR to defeat Hitler (though let's leave the deep-dive on that for a future conversation).
David, I appreciate your candor about your 2016 GOP departure and your vote in 2020. I suppose you could say I have been a "Red Dog Republican" since 2012. I was a dyed in the wool Republican up through 2010 when the scales began to fall from my eyes. I give a great deal of credit to my reading back over various election year Republican Party platforms. The 1956 platform made me realize just how far to the extreme right the Republican party had gone (and it has gone still further in the last 4 yrs). You write, "The downside is that no matter how much the Democratic Party moves to the center, it isn’t going to be a conservative party any time soon." On an international left-right political scale, what we consider left in the US is center and I suggest a read of the 1956 Republican Party platform as evidence. Much of today's Democratic party espouses many of the same values while the Republican Party, over the last 50 yrs, has been attacking them. The one thing that is consistent in the party is the claim of fiscal responsibility yet over the last 40 years we have seen the Republican party's trend of making a huge issue of debt and deficit when they don't hold power only to become altogether silent on the issue while driving up both. Much of today's Democratic party espouses many of the same values as the 1956 GOP, while the Republican Party, over the last 50 yrs, has been attacking them.
In the 1956 platform:
-America does not prosper unless all Americans prosper.
-Government must have a heart as well as a head.
-President Eisenhower said: "Labor is the United States. The men and women, who with their minds, their hearts and hands, create the wealth that is shared in this country—they are America."
-. The Federal minimum wage has been raised 😲
- Social Security has been extended to an additional 10 million workers and the benefits raised for 6 1/2 million.😱
- The protection of unemployment insurance has been brought to 4 million additional workers.😱
- There have been increased workmen's compensation benefits... increased retirement benefits... wage increases and improved welfare and pension plans for federal employees.😱
-{R leadership] has enforced more vigorously and effectively than ever before, the laws which protect the working standards of our people.😲
-Workers have benefited by the progress which has been made in carrying out the programs and principles set forth in the 1952 Republican platform. All workers have gained and unions have grown in strength and responsibility, and have increased their membership😱
-the process of free collective bargaining has been strengthened by the insistence of this Administration that labor and management settle their differences at the bargaining table without the intervention of the Government. This policy has brought to our country an unprecedented period of labor-management peace and understanding.😱
-Provide assistance to improve the economic conditions of areas faced with persistent and substantial unemployment;😱
-The protection of the right of workers to organize into unions and to bargain collectively is the firm and permanent policy of the Eisenhower Administration. 😱
-The Republican Party believes that the physical, mental, and spiritual well-being of the people is as important as their economic health. It will continue to support this conviction with vigorous action.😱
-Republican leadership has enlarged Federal assistance for construction of hospitals, emphasizing low-cost care of chronic diseases and the special problems of older persons, and increased Federal aid for medical care of the needy.😱
-We shall continue to seek extension and perfection of a sound social security system.😱
Supporting conservative values. Rejecting Republican demagoguery and the Trump RINO’s that favor the former president over conservatism.
I left the GOP in May 2016, right after the Indiana primary. I've been independent ever since, with little likelihood that I'll return to the party that chose to embrace a reality-show star. Here in PA, we have closed primaries, which is why I registered as a Republican back in the 80s. However, my primary vote has NEVER reflected who the eventual nominee was, so my vote was essentially in vain. I had nothing to lose by leaving.
Exceptional piece David.
Relevant to this piece is a discussion between Matt Lewis and Bill Kristol on the difference between joining and allying with the Democratic Party. While probably a tortured metaphor, it's a bit like allying with the USSR to defeat Hitler (though let's leave the deep-dive on that for a future conversation).
https://www.mattklewis.com/matt-lewis-and-the-news/bill-kristol-on-allying-with-biden-democrats/
David, I appreciate your candor about your 2016 GOP departure and your vote in 2020. I suppose you could say I have been a "Red Dog Republican" since 2012. I was a dyed in the wool Republican up through 2010 when the scales began to fall from my eyes. I give a great deal of credit to my reading back over various election year Republican Party platforms. The 1956 platform made me realize just how far to the extreme right the Republican party had gone (and it has gone still further in the last 4 yrs). You write, "The downside is that no matter how much the Democratic Party moves to the center, it isn’t going to be a conservative party any time soon." On an international left-right political scale, what we consider left in the US is center and I suggest a read of the 1956 Republican Party platform as evidence. Much of today's Democratic party espouses many of the same values while the Republican Party, over the last 50 yrs, has been attacking them. The one thing that is consistent in the party is the claim of fiscal responsibility yet over the last 40 years we have seen the Republican party's trend of making a huge issue of debt and deficit when they don't hold power only to become altogether silent on the issue while driving up both. Much of today's Democratic party espouses many of the same values as the 1956 GOP, while the Republican Party, over the last 50 yrs, has been attacking them.
In the 1956 platform:
-America does not prosper unless all Americans prosper.
-Government must have a heart as well as a head.
-President Eisenhower said: "Labor is the United States. The men and women, who with their minds, their hearts and hands, create the wealth that is shared in this country—they are America."
-. The Federal minimum wage has been raised 😲
- Social Security has been extended to an additional 10 million workers and the benefits raised for 6 1/2 million.😱
- The protection of unemployment insurance has been brought to 4 million additional workers.😱
- There have been increased workmen's compensation benefits... increased retirement benefits... wage increases and improved welfare and pension plans for federal employees.😱
-{R leadership] has enforced more vigorously and effectively than ever before, the laws which protect the working standards of our people.😲
-Workers have benefited by the progress which has been made in carrying out the programs and principles set forth in the 1952 Republican platform. All workers have gained and unions have grown in strength and responsibility, and have increased their membership😱
-the process of free collective bargaining has been strengthened by the insistence of this Administration that labor and management settle their differences at the bargaining table without the intervention of the Government. This policy has brought to our country an unprecedented period of labor-management peace and understanding.😱
-Provide assistance to improve the economic conditions of areas faced with persistent and substantial unemployment;😱
-The protection of the right of workers to organize into unions and to bargain collectively is the firm and permanent policy of the Eisenhower Administration. 😱
-The Republican Party believes that the physical, mental, and spiritual well-being of the people is as important as their economic health. It will continue to support this conviction with vigorous action.😱
-Republican leadership has enlarged Federal assistance for construction of hospitals, emphasizing low-cost care of chronic diseases and the special problems of older persons, and increased Federal aid for medical care of the needy.😱
-We shall continue to seek extension and perfection of a sound social security system.😱
-We are against any trade with the Communist world that would threaten the security of the United States and our allies.🤔https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/documents/republican-party-platform-1956
Red Dog Independent here