The GOP needs to get out of politics

The GOP, also known as the Grand Old Patriarchy, I mean, the Grand Old Party was established in 1854. Anti-Slavery Whigs formed the party built on the foundational principles of anti-slavery ,Westernization and to oppose Andrew Jackson, one of President Donald Trump’s personal heroes. 

Today, the GOP has strayed from its progressive roots to be the haven of conservatism for anti-maskMAGA touting men everywhere. They have strayed from their promotion of the American dream to hateful rhetoric that denounces democracy and failed promises of a “drained swamp.” 

The GOP has stopped acting with sense, morals or empathy. Instead they spread their Breitbart and Fox News inspired hot takes that disproportionately attack those they perceive as foes. They call Black people “thugs”, denounce “shithole” countries, enable white supremacists and deny climate change. 

It’s not a matter of if the GOP has been corrupted, but rather when they were corrupted and if they are worth saving. 

Republicans are not who they were ten years ago, or even four years ago when the McCain era Republicans still had a sense of dignity. While I vehemently disagree with conservative policies, I do believe that Republican politicians like John McCain had a sense of class and respect for democracy that Trumpian republicans have completely abandoned. 

Conservatives are no longer discussing  policies. They’re pedaling alt-right conspiracies and chastising the sanctity of democracy. Truth does not exist in the GOP anymore. 

This administration has adopted ignorance as a cornerstone of the party, dripping in hair dye and facism. Conservatives perpetuate behavior that promotes baseless accusations of voter fraud and the theories that the radical left are controlling the media. 

Trump pounced on the cracks that were forming in the GOP, rooted in a lack of unity. Now, this administration has shattered any semblance of dignity they had left. 

However, Trump is not the issue. He is a symptom of a much larger issue that had been looming since the Regan era. Trump is a symbol to white supremacy and fascism across America. His policies are designed meticulously, not to promote conservatism, but to oppress marginalized communities. 

The GOP’s actions come from a place of bigotry and immorality, not a want for a better America. We have lost our McCain-like conservatives and gained a sea of authoritarian orange babies. 

The GOP versus the Democratic National Committee is no longer a debate of policies, but a debate of morality. It’s no longer a matter of higher taxes versus lower taxes, but whether or not our President should denounce white supremacy. 

Spoiler alert: he should. Even bigger spoiler alert: he didn’t. 

Trump has become the figurehead for a population that has felt disenfranchised by progress. 

However, the DNC is not this oasis of progressive ideals that it is made out to be. It’s not enough for Democrats to claim to be accepting of all walks of life and advocate for renewable energy. That’s the bare minimum. We need to start seeing our politicians advocate for policies that will lift marginalized communities out of the peril that years of governmental negligence has caused. 

The DNC idolizes politicians like President elect Joe Biden for a reason. He is progressive enough to win over millennial voters, but moderate enough to discourage Sanders-eque policies, like a free public college education. 

He has opposed progressive policies like Medicare for all.  Democrats like Biden will reaffirm the institutional commitment to capitalism and corporate corruption. We cannot dismantle the GOP until the DNC gets their sh*t together. 

It’s time to start holding our politicians accountable and calling out the problematic behavior within our government. True progress cannot be made within the governmental systems in place right now. 

It’s time to start nuancing our political bodies to include a wider range of views that would allow politicians from groups like the Green Party and Libretarian Party to be a part of the dialogue. Hyperpartisanship is a huge threat to our democracy and we cannot rest until we see the Grand Old Party become a Grand Old memory from the past.