By James B. Ewers Jr. Ed.D.
The ageless and iconic singing group, The Temptations had a song a while back titled, “Ball of Confusion”. It painted a dim view of what was happening in the world at the time. The year was 1970.
Some of the lyrics said, “Evolution, revolution, gun control, sound of soul. Shooting rockets to the moon, kids growing up too soon. Politicians say more taxes will solve everything. And the band played on”.
Sometimes these old school songs mirror what is happening in our country during these times. Few would argue that the political landscape is uneven and unpredictable. Both sides have positions sometimes that are problematic. The American people over time have increasingly lost faith in the system.
The Republican Party, for example, is at a crossroads. Too much wrong and not enough right has crept into the GOP. Many critics have said that it has become a shell of itself.
The in-fighting and public displays of anger (PDAs) are being viewed by all of us. It is my opinion that this vitriol will not be ending any time soon. Meanness and mayhem will be with the Republican Party as the 2024 elections draw near.
My 4th quarter view is that they have not always been that way. If you are a Democrat or an Independent, you are flummoxed as you look at the circus-like atmosphere the Republican Party has created.
We are seeing the cracks and the crevices in the GOP armor. Their leadership is questionable and unsure. I have a suggestion for them. They should bring in former Speaker of the House of Representatives, Nancy Pelosi for some lessons on leadership. A simple title could be, “How to keep your members together”.
The GOP has taken a downward turn since the arrival of Donald Trump. His ascent to the presidency has caused them anguish and anxiety. They have become polarized and extreme. These are my opinions.
Republican House members, Jim Jordan from Ohio and Marjorie Taylor Greene from Georgia have gone off the Republican path. They believe in the stolen election lies and other ill-founded subjugations.
Kevin McCarthy, Speaker of the House of Representatives is barely hanging on to his position. He is being held as a political hostage by his own party. If you recall, it took him 15 ballots over 5 days to assume his role.
Does that engender any confidence in his leadership? Lastly, he had to make some concessions in order to become Speaker. He agreed to a House rule change that would make it easier to remove him from office. So, it is safe to say that Speaker McCarthy needs to walk gingerly and watch his step at every turn.
Republicans are now wondering what to do and who to trust. Their constituents are unsure about the goals of the party.
On one side, you have former president Trump. He is presently hung up and tied down in legal drama. The state of Georgia will be coming for him soon.
On the other side, you have other Republicans, all of whom wield power at different levels. Ron DeSantis is a wanna be, Nikki Haley is a could be and Chris Christie is a maybe. Each has a political machine that is fighting an uphill battle to dethrone Donald Trump.
Meanwhile, the old guard in the GOP has remained silent. Does their silence mean apathy or are they sick and tired of the current GOP?
I think it is a bit of both. The Bush family for instance are Republican loyalists yet we don’t hear from them. Senator Mitch McConnell is on mute these days when it comes to addressing the Republican carnage. Maybe he can see the handwriting on the wall.
The Grand Old Party is in the political emergency room. Can it be saved? Stay tuned. We will see.
