The Republican party once considered itself the “Law & Order” party. (Bum Bum). 20 years later, led by Dangerously Deranged Dishonest Donald (DDDD) Trump, the party has unofficially become the lawless party.
Let’s take a look:
In 2004, the Party platform stated:
“Our government’s most solemn duty is to keep its citizens safe” and “the president’s most solemn duty is to protect our country . . .”
The platform respected:
“Men and women in uniform who protect and defend our country and our freedoms . . .”
and saluted:
“Law enforcement officers, firefighters, EMS personnel, and other first responders in state and local jurisdictions throughout the country who have diligently employed increased federal resources to train and prepare for the prevention and mitigation of future terrorist attacks.”
Referring to the possibility of another terrorist attack, the Platform stated:
“These dedicated men and women, the nation's last line of defense and first hope in response, give their utmost every day to keep us safe . . . America's firefighters, local law enforcement, and other first responders play a critical role in protecting the homeland . . . They must have the tools they need to perform their jobs as safely and effectively as possible . . .”
DDDD’s position on government support for our first responders (referring to the January 6, 2021 Insurrection):
“My first acts as your next President will be to . . . free January 6 Hostages being wrongfully imprisoned.”
The January 6th insurrection caused an estimated $1.5 Million in damages to the Capitol building. Five people died in connection with the riots and 114 officers were injured. Yet, DDDD calls the criminals “hostages,” and the now pro-lawlessness Republican Party enthusiastically embraces his candidacy.
The 2016 Republican Party platform contained similar decrees:
“The men and women of law enforcement—whether patrolling our neighborhoods or our border, fighting organized crime or guarding against domestic terror—deserve our support. Their jobs are never easy, especially in crisis situations, and should not be made more difficult by politicized second-guessing from federal officials . . .we recommit ourselves, as individuals and as a party, to the rule of law and the pursuit of justice. (emphasis added). The next president (who turned out to be Trump) must restore the public’s trust in law enforcement and civil order by first adhering to the rule of law himself.”
“Additionally, the next president (Trump) must not sow seeds of division and distrust between the police and the people they have sworn to protect. The Republican Party, a party of law and order, must make clear in words and action that every human life matters.”
While emphasis was added by the author, it is appropriate, considering the shape of the current Republican Party. Has the current Republican party adhered to the principals of the its 2016 Platform? The Party and its members have pledged fealty to a candidate who supports division over unity and insurrectionists over the law enforcement. “Every human life matters?”
Would this be funny if it wasn’t so scary?
The 2004 Republican Party welcomed:
“the enlargement of NATO, which has strengthened history's most successful Alliance.”
DDDD’s position on NATO:
“You didn’t pay? You’re delinquent? No, I would not protect you. In fact, I would encourage them (Russia) to do whatever the hell they want. You gotta pay. You gotta pay your bills.”
Again, the candidate’s ignorance would be funny, if it wasn’t so dangerous! Aside from siding with and praising authoritarians (most recently Hungary’s Viktor Orban), DDDD obviously does not understand NATO. There are no such delinquencies. NATO members do not pay to belong to the organization. NATO members do agree to invest in their own militaries. At the last summit, members agreed on a 2% of GDP benchmark. But no deadline was set for meeting the goal and it is a suggested, not required amount. The anointed leader of the 2024 Republican Party does not seek the enlargement of NATO, quite the contrary, he seeks its demise.
These are but a few examples of how the 2024’s GOP’s loyalty to DDDD gets in the way of what the Party claims to stand for. Who needs law & order? We want Trump. Ninety-one indictments, civil judgments for fraud, defamation, and sexual assault, and he’s still their guy.
Why? That’s easy.
Trump remains incredibly popular to the important Republican electorate. Play fast and loose with classified documents? Who cares? I am the president! Spur an insurrection? That’s misunderstood; these people are patriots! Conspire to overturn an election? I won! Hush money to a porn star? I can grab women wherever I want—I don’t need to pay for it. DDDD continues to deny all charges and cry ‘witch hunt.’ His supporters adore his disdain for the rule of law. He has won the nomination despite it all. How could this happen to the GOP?
That’s easy, too.
The Lawless Party
The Republican Party has become a radical right-wing party. While some say that the Democrats have moved left, its movement pales in comparison to the GOP move to the right. Since Ronald Reagan and George H.W. Bush in the 80’s, we have witnessed such an intense radicalization of and partisanship in the Party, that it now believes in a superpowered president, which plays right into DDDD’s hands and threatens our democratic system.
The Republican Party and playbook that justified the post 9/11 overreaches of George W. Bush now justifies insurrection, a rigged election, intense gerrymandering, voting rights restrictions, and much, much more. The Party looks the other way when their president exercises absolute power over the Justice Department and Homeland Security.
The presidency is safe, for now. Our citizens must get out and vote to maintain this important status quo. Trust in government has eroded. The seeds of mistrust were sowed primarily by DDDD and his followers (with an assist from the Fox News disinformation machine) who claim that legitimate indictments did not result because Donald is a dangerously deranged and dishonest criminal, but from a Democratic witch hunt, a conspiracy of rogue prosecutors and governmental officials seeking to stop the former president from becoming president once more.
No less than our republic and democratic way of life is at stake. There is a reason that DDDD praises dictators like Kim, Putin, and Orban. His followers laughed when he warned America:
“I’d be a dictator on day one.”
Maya Angelou said it best:
“When someone shows you who he is, believe him the first time.”
Please check out Mark Bello’s ripped-from-the-headlines legal thrillers, all available online at Amazon and other major online booksellers. He has quite the hero in Attorney Zachary Blake, who fights for justice on all fronts. His books are Betrayal of Faith, Betrayal of Justice, Betrayal in Blue, Betrayal in Black, Betrayal High, Supreme Betrayal, Betrayal at the Border, You Have the Right to Remain Silent, The Final Steps – A Harbor Springs Cozy Legal Mystery, and his latest, The Anti-Semite Next Door. Also, he’s written a wonderful children’s book about bullying, “Happy Jack, Sad Jack,” and he's just announced the pre-order release of "Love Hate Law," a new legal romance novel. For more info, just check markmbello.com.