By Jack Bernard, contributing columnist
PEACHTREE CITY, Ga. | Ex-Speaker Kevin McCarthy was booted from his position by a handful of right-wing GOP extremists who did not think he was pro-MAGA enough. They were led by Matt Gaetz, a Florida Congressman with about as dubious a background as anyone ever in Congress.
I was once a southern Republican, and a fiscal conservative. I was an elected official and head of a county party in rural Georgia. But no more.
The GOP was once the party of progress. Democrats were the ones who wanted to preserve slavery, even after they lost the Civil War. Democrats in Southern states in times past passed a series of horrible laws designed to make sure that black people would be an underclass. These laws related to education, voting, marriage and virtually every aspect of daily life.
Much later came Nixon’s Southern Strategy, designed to remove the dominance that the Democrats had in the South. Over an amazingly short period of time, the Dixiecrats became the Republicans who now dominate Southern politics. And along the way they adopted the exact policies that had characterized the bigotry of Southern Democrats.
Former President Trump, a one-time Democrat, has a long history of racism. The Trump firm in NYC was sued twice for discrimination in housing. Both times, the cases were settled; the Trump organization lost.
Trump also advocated the death penalty for the Central Park Five, black teens accused of raping a white jogger. He even took out a full-page ad. The problem was that they were all proven innocent. But, Trump never apologized for his error.
Then, we have the Charlottesville incident. Violent neo-Nazi and white supremacist protestors were equated by Trump with the peaceful democracy-loving counter protestors.
Governor DeSantis of Florida decided that his path to victory is to be an even bigger bigot than Trump (book banning, history denial and statements about slavery). According to DeSantis, slaves were lucky to learn a trade. They were grateful to be enslaved.
Only Senator Tim Scott, an African American, has strongly criticized DeSantis. Most candidates for the GOP presidential nomination remained quiet.
Surveys show that older white people have a higher incidence of bigotry. I have heard: “Trump will make sure the ‘coloreds’ don’t get welfare and take our money.” And also “Trump will stop those Mexicans from coming into the country.” (actual quotes). These statements were made by people on welfare (meals on wheels, Medicaid, etc.) and/or who have immigrant parents.
The younger generation does not believe in racism to the extent that older Americans do. How can the GOP expect to prevail long-term?
Booting an extremely conservative, pro-Trump Speaker for not shutting down the government takes the cake in irrational actions. Unless the party changes course under new Speaker Johnson, the Republican Party will eventually lose elections-starting with the House in 2024.
That is, unless it can figure out a way to steal elections by reducing minority voters (like the voter purges and restrictive voting laws in Georgia) or claiming voter fraud. That is how Kemp prevailed.
- Have a comment? Send to: elliott@brack.net
Follow Us