Is the GOP a Serious Political Party?

The GOP, as a political organization, stands for “grand old party.” Does it live up to its name? Or should it be renamed, “gladly out of power”?

Republicans are doing everything they can to commit political suicide, becoming a permanent minority in national, state, and local politics.

The GOP, ever since Donald Trump transitioned from television and real estate impresario to presidential candidate, then president, ex-president, and now candidate once again, has had a death wish, leaving conservatives and Republicans wondering why we bother voting.

In 2016, Trump was not the GOP establishment favorite. They instead desired the third member of one of America’s political monarchies, Jeb Bush. Trump shocked the ruling class by winning the presidency, despite efforts of the FBI and DOJ to thwart his election by spying on his campaign and both falsely and knowingly accusing Trump and his associates of colluding with a foreign power, namely Russia.

Where was pushback from the GOP, including the House and Senate intelligence committees? Where is Republican party outrage over the Biden family actually doing what Trump was falsely accused of? Other than a small handful of elected Republicans, the rest are silent or secretly working against Trump and his supporters.

The anti-Trump seditious coup continued during his transition and presidency with ongoing accusations of Russian collusion, again with little if any pushback from Republicans.

Remember how Democrats castigated Special Counsel Kenneth Starr who was investigating Bill Clinton’s malfeasance? That was a legitimate investigation, compared to the current crop of prosecutors chasing Trump over nonsensical crimes while his political opponents receive a pass for doing the same or worse.

Elected Republicans are studiously avoiding any discussion of 2020 election shenanigans which cost Republicans the White House and Senate, and almost the House. Any scrutiny is met with resistance and silence from the GOP. Move on from 2020, they say.

A majority of likely U.S. voters believe our elections are fraudulent, according to Rasmussen Reports, including most Republicans and a quarter of Democrats. What have Republicans done to correct either this real problem or the perception of one? Nothing.

Why not perform legitimate audits and scrutiny to fix the election system or reassure skeptical voters? Instead they quickly agreed to certify the 2020 election in the face of an “insurrection,” not of Trump supporters, but of the ruling class assisted by federal agents.

Republicans played along with theatrical January 6 committee hearings, offered minimal resistance to two “Trumped-up” impeachments of President Trump, seven Republican Senators even voting to convict Trump and remove him from office.

How’s that for the GOP reflecting the will of their voters? Even so-called conservative pundits like Laura Ingraham want us all to “stop talking about 2020.” Why? So it can all happen again in 2024? No wonder Fox News ratings are circling the drain.

All Republicans should be shouting at the top of their lungs over our two-tiered justice system, corruption of numerous federal agencies, and the ruling party attempting to arrest and imprison its political opponents, in the style of Stalin, Mao, or Castro.

 Where is the GOP? A few are making noise, but most are silent or complicit. For example, Colorado Republican Congressman Ken Buck, once a tea-party conservative, defends political hatchet man FBI director Christopher Wray as “just doing his very best.” Best at what? Heading up a politicized national police agency?

 Republican voters expect their leaders to fight back against the left, not make excuses or offer faint praise.

 Meanwhile the Biden Family has been credibly accused by government whistleblowers of accepting foreign bribes for political favors, treasonous and impeachable offenses, and other than some noisy Congressional hearings, Republicans are doing nothing.

Impeachment and defunding are two powers granted to the Republican majority House yet they only huff and puff. Where is the spirited opposition and defense of the Constitution, equal protection under the law, and common decency?

Rep. Jim Jordan just can’t seem to commit to impeachment of Biden or Garland. Instead, he will roll up his shirtsleeves and have more hearings while the administrative state is hell bent on locking up the leading Republican candidate in prison.

The American economy is in free fall. Our borders are wide open to taxpayer funded freeloaders and criminals, cities are crime ridden, with filth, drugs, and homelessness. America is needlessly pushing World War 3 with the largest nuclear power in the world. Our children are being trafficked or indoctrinated with woke sexual and gender deviancy. Republicans are either silent or playing along.

There is little difference between the DNC and GOP on so many core issues, making the GOP increasingly irrelevant as a political party. Instead, we are ruled by a uniparty, unified in its goal of self-enrichment and power, with little regard to the well-being of America or the wishes of American voters.

What’s the solution? This election cycle is the perfect opportunity for a third-party challenge to the uniparty. Although an unlikely alliance, think Donald Trump and RFK Jr. Rasmussen Reports finds half of likely US voters with a favorable impression of RFK Jr. If he can peel off 20-30 percent of Democrats and Trump can keep his MAGA base, this third-party ticket could win or at least throw the election into the US House where the GOP may have one last chance to prove their relevance to voters.

Voters are certainly long on Trump. According to a recent Harvard poll, “Trump tops Biden by 5, DeSantis by 40.” And further, independent voters favor Trump over Biden by 18 points.

If the GOP wants to remain relevant as a political party, they need to get into the game as they will be the next targets of the weaponized administrative state and their voters will walk away, leaving the GOP in the political abyss.

Brian C Joondeph, MD, is a physician and writer.

Follow me on Twitter @retinaldoctor

Substack Dr. Brian’s Substack

Truth Social @BrianJoondeph

LinkedIn @Brian Joondeph

See Other Commentaries by Brian C. Joondeph.

See Other Political Commentaries.