The Republican Weenie Act of 2019

For all of his faults, and there are many, President Donald Trump has brought a refreshing approach to the Executive Branch not seen in my lifetime since Ronald Reagan.  He honestly follows his convictions.  Most of the time, he says what he means and means what he says.

The Republican Party is made up of a varied collection of individuals.  Many are self-righteous hypocrites.  Many are radical right-wing extremists.  Many are corrupt and untrustworthy crooks.  Many are clueless sheep looking for a ram to follow around.  A few are good people trying to do a good job.  In fact, the composition of the Republican Party is remarkably similar to that of the Democratic Party.  They just come at us from a different direction.

Whatever they may be and their decent members notwithstanding, the Republican Party is not worthy of Donald Trump.  When it comes to Congressional negotiating, they are pathetically inadequate, unprincipled, and cowardly.  From a position of controlling 2/3 of the three legislative branches in this nation, they repeatedly yield to the boisterous threats and wailings of the Democrats.  Time after time after time, they bring knives to gunfights.  Somehow, they fail to understand that the art of compromise lies in the center or thereabouts; not at the extreme end of the opposing party’s position. 

If the Republican Congressional Leadership caves to the Democrats on this current spending impasse as is being reported, they should be embarrassed and ashamed of themselves.  You start out asking for $5.7 billion for southern border wall construction and you settle for $1.375 billion?  The President requests a 25 percent increase in detention beds for incoming illegal immigrants and you settle for a reduction?  Are the Republicans so shriveled with perceptive fear that they fail to grasp the groundswell of support across the nation for effective immigration control policies?  If this so-called settlement comes to fruition, it is a sad, sad commentary on the leadership of the Republican Party.

When Trump is an arse, he deserves all the criticism he receives.  But when Trump exhibits the moral and legislative courage to take a difficult position on the basis of principle, his Party should rally to support him.  Anything less is not deserving of our President.