It's Time the GOP Asks, 'Why can't we all get along?'

pstern

07:59 on 28 January 2012
 
No wonder why the GOP can't get along with the Democrats in Washington.  They can't even seem to be civil to one another.

 
Case in point is how presidential candidate and former House Speaker Newt Gingrich first lamented that the Party should work together and stay focused on tearing down President Barack Obama rather than fighting each other within the GOP, but currently Gingrich is leading the charge in a nasty ad campaign against former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney, perceived to be his foremost rival.

Gingrich has become the "Black Bart" of the campaign trial, with former Pennsylvania Senator Rick Santorum showing his ongoing and apparently uncontrolled anger, while blasting both Gingrich and Romney in a blazing attempt to remove himself from a last place position in Florida.  However, Santorum is a Roman Catholic who is a pro-war hawk and wants to keep troops heavily based throughout the Middle East and in many areas of the globe.  On one hand Santorum tells Gingrich and Romney to "get over" each other, but then he attacks the two men instead of following his own advice.

Romney, in turn, has blasted Gingrich for his questionable record as Speaker and for being a lobbyist for Fanny Mae instead of letting go of Gingrich's attacks and just focusing on the issues.

The Obama administration must love the GOP chaos.  The Democrats can sit and watch as the GOP destroys its own chances of preventing Obama's reelection.

Congressman Ron Paul seems to be the only GOP candidate who maintains any sense of decorum and he does so with a strong domestic and financial knowledge of our current problems, while intelligently and systematically discussing how to fix them.

However, Paul has his own problems.  He maintains what many believe to be an antiquated view of foreign isolationism, keeping the U.S. out of overseas affairs.  On one hand, Paul is correct that we do not need to be the world's policeman.  Yet, Paul is unrealistic if he believes we can go back to that sort of total isolationism.

The world has changed and has become a smaller place.  There is unrest and chaos in most areas of the globe.  To believe that the U.S. could exist and maintain business relationships without protecting its overseas interests is naive at best.  The U.S. once tried to stay out of WW II, which almost permitted Germany and Japan to achieve world domination.  Paul has other opinions that hurt him more than help his efforts, including the total elimination of the Federal Reserve Bank and his strong anti-abortionist views, which is sure to hurt his chances of securing women voters.

In any case, the GOP is in chaos as a party.  At one time, it was a promoter of less government interference in our daily lives.  It believed in a platform of what was good for business was also good for the nation.  Today there are many factions within the GOP.  Many have evolved as neo-con extremists, who have lost touch with reality and with the majority of Americans.  For whatever reason, the party has lost its way and judging by the actions of the current GOP candidates it is continuing down that long lost road.

Losing the last election apparently did nothing to enlighten party leaders.  Perhaps after losing the 2012 Presidential Election the GOP will then be forced to take a long, hard look at itself and make changes that will promote the best interests of the American community and not just its wealthy core of special interests.