No two people will ever agree on everything and this analogy begins with religion and politics. Political parties too are divided within themselves according to issues and leaders, but in recent years the Republican Party has shown that it no longer has a core identity and belief system and the result is a White House that few would consider truly “Republican”.
Tea Party
In 2009 the emergence of the group known as the “Tea Party” shook the right of mainstream American politics. This group took a view that approached laissez faire capitalism in that the private sector should not have to suffer government interference and, as the name suggests, that taxes should be lowered.
The confusion it caused within Republican ranks and with The Party’s supporters meant that the White House would remain in Democrat hands until 2017.
The Tea Party’s effects are still felt now as Donald Trump campaign agenda and now the budget presented this week shows clear signs of some of the changes wanted by the splinter group.
But the Tea Party was a symptom of the problems within the GOP and not of the sickness proper and that would come to a head in 2015 with the Primaries for the 2016 presidential election.
Candidate
When businessman #Donald Trump announced his run for office the news was greeted wryly by many. Trump had no experience of the military, diplomacy or even in politics that are the normal prerequisites for the highest Office in the land.
He simply had a plan to make changes and then would go on to invent a personal political agenda as the campaign progressed and he understood what made people react more.
The Party hierarchy and the other candidates at first scoffed at the political rookie and then began to worry as one by one he defeated the other candidates to become the Hillary Clinton’s opponent in the presidential race and then to go on to the White House.
The public squabbles during the various levels of the campaign, beginning in the Primaries, exposed the divisions within the GOP. These arguments between Republicans continued after the Inauguration and they never stopped.
Leaders
The progress of the erstwhile politician was a clear sign of two “qualities” of the modern day Republican Party.
The first was the lack of a clear party identity and policy agenda as it followed the new President in all his orders and changes.
The second quality was the lack of strong leadership at the highest levels of the Party. This may not have stopped Donald Trump’s progress along the political road, but it would have identified the policy issues that are now causing the divisions within the Party.
The repeal of the AFA was definitely one of these as the phrase meant nothing and everything to politicians and the public. Now as the Ryan proposal is under the hammer many Republicans have now realized that it has become a viper that may well bite them back at the midterms next year.
The same can be said in regards to the allegations of Russian interference in the election.
A strong leadership would have tackled the problem immediately and not let the matter lie. On this it must be remembered that the famous report that instigated the current investigations was given to the FBI by Republican John McCain and not by Democrat politicians as is a sign of the concern of some within the Party about the new President.
Next phase
As the President continues on his road to “make changes” in the system the very identity of GOP is also being redefined. The comments of prominent Republicans regarding their President’s accusation of wiretapping of Trump Tower by the previous Administration may be a sign that some are reaching a boiling point in regards to the Oval Office.
The debate on the proposed #budget will cause further division between President Trump and his Party but no solution will come to this situation until all involved ask themselves “What does the Republican Party represent?”
The answer to that question will decide the fate of the Party and the Presidency.
