Post #3, Bob McKnight's Political Commentary
"The Republicans fear Trump and the Gingrich Contract with America in not working across the aisle."
Many Democrats and Independents cannot understand why it so hard for Republican office holders to stand up to Donald Trump's embarrassing actions. After Trump started out describing some Mexicans as rapists, then denigrating Senator John McCain's service as a POW, bragging about grabbing women's private parts, and even ridiculing a disabled reporter, the GOP big shots just seemed to just look the other way. Trump's racist rants at Charlottesville and his apparent treasonous support of Russia almost seems unreal for a President today. For the record, I am not talking about the strong stock market, some of Trump's appointments, and his mysterious approach to international conflicts, confusing our enemies. Trump has done some good things.
But watching interviews with Trump supporters, most of them seem to just say they are giving him a pass on his behavior in exchange for taking on the elitist Washington establishment. Republican office holders are sworn to support our Constitution, including telling the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth. Certainly everyone can agree, the one thing Donald Trump doesn't do is tell the truth, hardly a model for the Republicans.
The reason Republicans in office won't stand up to Trump is fear. They fear Trump's attacks, and linkage with the attacks of former Republican Speaker New Gingrich. Speaker Gingrich is largely give the credit for destroying civility in our government in the '90's, with his take it or leave us, "Contract with America." He declared war on bi-partisanship and laid much of the ground work for Trump today.
In Watergate, it was the Republicans that stood up to a corrupt Richard Nixon and demanded his resignation. Other than an occasional whimper from McCain, Graham, or Gowdy, there have been no takers in the Republican Party today. Polls show Trump is keeping his base , but it is still way below 50%, so his future electability is in question.
Perhaps after this year's election, the people will deliver the courage our elected officials have lost.