Republican Pod People

The Republican Party seems to be suffering from the "Palm Beach Trust Boy Syndrome", where the grandfather was an energetic and creative guy who carved out an empire with bold vision. The father was a reasonably competent guy who kept the empire in play while diluting its original purpose and intent. And the son becomes a useless entitled butt head who pisses away his inheritance and trades off the reputation his grandfather established without understanding what it took to build an empire, and without having anything to offer the world in his own right.

Barry Goldwater is credited by many political historians as the founder of the Conservative movement in America politics. I disagree with much of his political philosophy, but I believe his views were held genuinely. And some of what he believed I also hold as true. The Godfather of Conservatism said: "I am a Conservative Republican, but I believe in democracy and the separation of church and state. The Conservative movement is founded on the simple tenant that people have the right to live life as they please as long they don't hurt anyone in the process."  A very ambiguous statement and volumes could be written on what constitutes hurt.
He clarifies: "I don't have any respect for the Religious Right. A woman has a right to an abortion."

Today we have Tea Party candidates, as well as candidates like Gingrich, who appear to be amoral and, upon close examination, really stand for nothing. What they profess to stand for is more often then not, contrary to what they do and the way they live. Most have not served in the military, like their "fathers" Dole and McCain, and view war as a board game. Honestly, didn't you get that feeling about Bush? They view the American people as numbers on a spreadsheet. What they do or say, and what happens to that spreadsheet, really doesn't matter. And they appear to have no awareness or understanding of any of this. Bachmann is talking about $2 per gallon gasoline after she becomes President. It appears that the only amity that all Republicans share in common, when you sort out all the gobbledygook, is their allegiance to the mothership. Sorry, I mean to the acquisition of power and the almighty dollar.

What really is frustrating for thinking people, is the awareness of the fact that it doesn't have to be this way. The problems of America can be solved with intelligent effort and compromise through the democratic process, over the course of time.