Whoever said “might makes right” certainly didn’t envision the laundry list of scandals, political obstacles and low approval ratings currently facing the Republican Party. It appears as if the era of ultraconservative politics may finally be coming to an end.
All I can say is, it’s about time the rest of you came to your senses.
Surprisingly enough, the attack on the GOP has not hailed from the outside, but has resulted from the party’s apparent desire to eat itself and implode under the strain of its own quest for power.
You wish you could blame this mess on a liberal like me, but this time the responsibility lies with Republican leaders, poor administrative decisions and a casual commitment to the will of the people.
And the people are beginning to fight back.
The trial of Jack Abramoff serves as just one example of how Americans feel increasing distrust for political figures. Abramoff has admitted that he used gifts such as trips, donations and sports tickets while working as a lobbyist-and he is not the only one in the hot seat.
Former majority leader Tom DeLay is now facing felony charges in Texas for violations of campaign finance laws. Such scandals have prompted both parties to introduce the most recent round of ethics reform bills.
But the people have spoken, and these political apologies may be too little, too late.
Even President Bush is feeling the wrath of an angry and confused American citizenry. As per the most recent Gallup poll, the president’s approval rating sits at a meager 43 percent, and Bush’s fifth year in office marked his lowest numbers overall. Fifty-two percent of respondents to a Gallup poll reported the costs of the war in Iraq are not justified, and 50 percent of those polled think the war is a mistake.
It’s doubtful that Bush’s situation is going to improve any time soon. Many Americans are upset by the administration’s decision to utilize illegal wiretapping methods, a difficult Supreme Court confirmation battle and a political agenda lacking in purpose and resolve.
Things certainly don’t look good for the Republicans. In the upcoming Congressional elections, Democrats need only gain 15 seats to wrest control of the House, and 67 percent of surveyed voters are reporting disapproval for their congressman or congresswoman-the highest congressional disapproval rating in the past 12 years.
But how did all this come about? And why now?
Surely some of the discontent must be the result of the GOP’s tendency to stray further and further to the political right, isolating many constituents.
“Stray” probably isn’t the best word here-how about “the GOP’s full-speed run, followed by a giant leap and a back flip” to the far right? Moderate, self-identified Republicans may now feel betrayed and disenfranchised as their party continues to cater to extreme conservatives.
Issues like abortion, gay rights and physician-assisted suicide deserve tolerant public debate-but you would never get that impression from in-power Republicans who don’t seem to understand that democracy is about respecting a wide range of opinions.
Here’s hoping the days of a Republican majority are numbered. I’m not sure how many more rights violations, signs of disregard for national and international law, intolerance and general tomfoolery the American public can stomach.