The Mourning of this nation

It just hit me that a principal factor in the divisiveness and extreme rancor within the Republican Party has to do with the fact that many have not yet come to grips yet with the fact that the Republican Party has become largely irrelevant.  Whatever it once stood for, it stands for weakly, allows itself to be pushed on its heels continually, and has to lie to maintain the illusion that it presents a meaningful contrast with the apocalyptic spirit of the totalitarians on the Left.

I am seeing over and over “If Trump wins this nation is through”, as if electing Obama twice were not two nails in our coffin already, as if putting a Republican Congress in place 2 years ago only to be betrayed nearly immediately was not a third.

Many people do not want to accept this fact.  They want Republicans to be the good guys, who stand up to the Democrats, and giving up this illusion–as I would view it–will cost them dearly.  THAT is why they are so hateful to, to use George Will’s term, “Trumpkins”.

It is not that people like me have given up conservatism.  It is that the Republican Party has given up conservatism, which means that their guy is already by definition on his way to continuing to be part of the problem.  If they hate Trump, well that’s a start.

And who has effectively defended common sense in the past 50 years?  Reagan was not devoid of skill, but who else on a national level?  Certainly not McCain or Romney.  And I can’t see Rubio, Cruz or Kasich doing so.  I can’t see them pushing back with spirit and balls at the relentless attacks, the relentless hate.

To accept Trump, I think many Republicans believe, is to accept that the ghouls have won, and they just can’t do that.  Yet.  Me?  I don’t deal in optimism.  As Yogi Berra said, it’s hard to make predictions, especially about the future.  I do what I can, and my metaphysics leads me to believe that everything will work out in the end, at least for me, if I keep my faith, and try to do what is right.