By Elliott Brack
Editor and Publisher, GwinnettForum
FEB. 7, 2023 | A recent letter to the editor of the Atlanta newspaper hit me as a major cry for help.
A reader in Marietta essentially asked: “Why has my Republican Party abandoned me?” There is no doubt that many, many Republicans are asking the same question these days.
For the once-balanced Republican Party has turned into a far right-wing cluster who seem to want to take control not only of conservatism, but would not mind taking down the entire government.
The question would then be: what would be left to govern us?
That now-lost Republican laments in his letter: “There are just too many crazies in the GOP, too many actions taken by the party that are downright embarrassing, and too many folks in the GOP who won’t call out fascism/Trumpism as a threat to our constitutional republic.”
He concludes: “Thus, I am a voter without a party.” And he says: “I’m abandoned and now politically homeless.”
We all should feel for this lost political soul. He feels his party has left him, and cannot abide the Democrats, so is really lost.
A two-party structure, led by statesmen in both parties, has been the unwritten governmental structure of the United States. It has served our nation quite well for 247 years. We’ve had the Democratic-Republican, Democratic, Federalist, National Republican, Whig, and the Bull Moose. Occasionally, a third party has stuck its nose into elections, but never prevailed.
In many parts of the world, other democracies have often seen multiple political parties of different factions, which often create chaos in government. The United States has not had to experience multiple parties. We have dodged that bullet.
Yet the way the Grand Old Party is traveling these days, it makes a person wonder if it can succeed with so many far-right ideas that discourage the average voters. The failure of the GOP to make headway in the off-year elections shows that the average person doesn’t want to vote for disruption and disorder in leadership. The way Speaker Kevin McCarthy came to power makes you question if the new GOP-led House of Representatives will ever be able to pass reasonable measures. At least the Democratic-led Senate is holding the House in check.
Then look at the successes in the last two years in the Biden Administration. Many thought the oldest president might have difficulties governing. But Biden has shown his political skills. The Democrats have passed significant legislation, didn’t lose as many House seats as thought in the midterms, and have come together in many ways. It is attracting voters, not turning them away as Republicans have.
So yes, we can understand the plight of this Republican in Marietta, and no doubt many similar GOP doubters in Gwinnett. You wonder if this schism in the GOP will lead efforts of the far-right wing to become what amounts to a third party. It won’t work on the national level.The third party wing-nuts would never be able to attract enough voters to be viable.
Many current Republicans would be pleased to see a reasonable element of their party take back control of the Grand Old Party and work for a more stable party. That would be good for this country and give that Marietta voter a happy home.
- Have a comment? Send to: elliott@brack.net
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