Evolution, Does it Work?

Opinion

Opinion by George McClellan:

Political parties are incapable of independent evolution. They strive assiduously to defend themselves against all attempts through the process of natural selection, to change. Politicians are not the cleverest of God’s creatures, but nature, in her wisdom over the eons has created this species then that and if they don’t work out, destroys ‘em like a giant hand angrily sweeping chess pieces off a board. A few creatures may escape or attempt to adapt but, in the end, they are still made redundant. Except politicians. Their survival instincts are unique indeed.

The GOP, steadfastly reluctant to accept Donald Trumps as the Republican nominee, still find any excuse to distance themselves from his brash talk, his politically incorrect comments and his plans for where the country should be going. His simple slogan, “Make America Great Again” has captured the hearts and minds of us descendants from the “Greatest Generation” whose memories are still infused by the blood, sacrifice and tears of WWII, Korea and Vietnam.

The people no longer trust the GOP to do what’s right. The tawdry show they are putting on right now against Donald Trump proves that and yet they still manage to avoid their demise by natural selection. Somehow, they have convinced us to return them to office. That distrust includes their agenda, the same as proposed by House Speaker Ryan, because we have seen it all before and have been disappointed by the inability of the GOP to move it or even try to move it forward. Trump’s candidacy is a hostile takeover of the old ineffective GOP.

Speaker Ryan expects that Donald Trump should embrace the GOP agenda but here, I think, he is barking up the wrong tree because Mr. Trump probably has other ideas the does not included clasping hands across the aisle with the enemy. Mr. Ryan’s assumptions on how Donald Trump should behave underline a basic premise that is both mistaken and, so far, unremarked. He said as much in his halting acknowledgement of Donald Trumps ascendency with these words: “Trump must come to accept the Republican Agenda…” Oh, must he? Why?No one else does.

The GOP agenda, an ambitious, six-part plan to show voters the detailed plan he hopes will unite the party and create guidelines that Donald Trump may embrace, is old news. This quote from an aide intrigues me: “The issues included represent the areas of common ground the speaker has with Donald Trump and he is confident the plans House Republicans would pass in 2017 would be signed into law with a Trump White House.” He does, does he?

The first part of the plan addresses poverty and entitlements. We’ve been there, done that! Poverty has always been with us, will always be with us and will likely increase as Obama’s progressives continued to destroy America’s once productive middle-class work force with onerous taxes, overspending, enforced minimum wages and required unaffordable health care.

A half dozen GOP House committees worked for months to give speaker Ryan the first part of the plan which tackles poverty and ineffective welfare programs. Later the Speaker will introduce the GOP’s foreign policy scheme, hopefully to be followed by illegal Immigration, trade and, one would hope, balancing the budget, eliminating the current tax code and reducing spending, issues that divide the elites from the their base.

Where are the Tea Parties? Great principles will only carry their weight when associated with a movement of greater force. The GOP doesn’t have it. Remember, freedom is the goal, the Constitution is the way. Now, go get ‘em! (7June 2016)

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