Republican Party is self-destructing

I suppose if you look back over the last many years, you could see it coming. But never in my lifetime did I ever think it would go this far or get this bad.

We are witnessing the self-destruction of the Republican Party. Yes, you Rock 'n Rollers, Holy Rollers, and Teamsters (which I don't get because Republicans are anti-union).

As a Democrat who has yearned to vote Republican for years, it is clear that the Republican "establishment," which over time has embraced an ever narrowing vision of reality, has finally gone off the deep end.

The flight of the lemmings over the cliff was perfectly punctuated by Sarah Palin in her endorsement speech of The Donald in Iowa.

Yes, the Republican establishment, which used to embrace fiscal responsibility, liberty, small government, and, yes, compromise, is no longer the establishment.

Thoughtful, intelligent policy no longer drives the party. The inmates run the asylum. The establishment is now on the outside looking in, afraid of intelligent policy, afraid of inclusion, afraid of the one percent, afraid of looking soft, afraid of compromise, and afraid of alienating their "base."

Does anyone remember Illinois Republican Sen. Chuck Percy? Wow, there's a blast from the past. A real statesman. And Sen. Fitzgerald? He helped author top-notch bipartisan banking reform.

Where have all you moderate Republicans gone? We need you. The country needs you. Democrats don't have all the answers. This country needs a strong, intelligent Republican Party, not a bunch of clowns.

Never in my lifetime did I ever think real, intelligent, thoughtful Republicans would give up the ship.

Scott Frillman

Antioch