A Wake-Up Call for Republicans

Disgracefully, the Republican Party is now commonly being referred to as 'the party of NO'. The self-proclaimed (and apparently widely accepted by most 'conservatives') Republican standard bearer, Rush Limbaugh, repeatedly says he hopes President Obama will fail. Anything Obama tries, even the most benign act, is stridently and roundly castigated, in lockstep, by all Republican Congressional members. Often, usually, for the most flimsy of reasons, or no reason at all. Apparently it's just a partisan and doctrinal thing. Incredibly, even the selection of a White House dog for Obama's children is reason for criticism!

And, Republicans can present no reasonable alternatives in their criticisms, and now seem to be resorting to depending upon miracles.

That's the only possibility since eight years of having things their way was resulted in a near complete collapse of our basic economy. What seems obvious to anyone but Republicans, is that 'More of the same' simply can not possibly be the answer without some sort of miracle.

Yet, Representative Eric Cantor of Virginia, the second-ranking House Republican, comes right out and says, “ . . . we are standing up on principle and just saying no.” Maybe this originally stems from former First lady Nancy Reagan's now-famous anti-drug refrain, "Just Say No!", but such lockstep doctrinal negativity will never get us out of this mess.

Still, Republicans in general seem determined to prove how negative they can be. Possibly spurred by Obama's widely popular slogan "Yes We Can!", Republicans apparently have decided their only response can be "Not only NO, but HELL NO!"

The inevitable result of all this negativity has left today's Republicans with:

• No message;

• No ideas;

• No level of acceptable ethics;

• No leader;

• No contact with reality;

• No responsibility;

• No individual independence from party;

• No success at governing;

• No respect;

• No NUMBERS in their proposed budget;

• And apparently, No Clues!

Lest I am perceived as anti-Republican, I'll point out my voting record over the years has leaned in favor of Republicans. I always vote for the PERSON, not the party, believing as I do that we need a strong multi-party system. Yet the capture of the Republican Party by the Neo-Conservative wing now leaves me little choice. The result is leading directly to the destruction of the party. Already, it has rendered the Republican Party as marginalized, and largely irrelevant on today's US political scene.

This is tragic and sad. The Party of Lincoln is on life support and desperately needs a wake-up call!