The GOP Party Divide: On the Other Side of the Looking Glass

If it feels like, in the current Presidential election cycle, nothing quite seems like you think it ought to seem, don’t panic. It might just be that way by design.

The Republican party has been spinning and splintering during this 2016 Presidential election cycle. After winning the Republican primaries convincingly with more than 13 million popular votes, the GOP presumptive nominee, Donald Trump has yet to convince large swaths of the country, many in the international community and, more importantly, conservatives within is own party of a competence and temperament suited for the highest office in the land.

The common critique among experienced politicians and pundits has been Trump’s inability to ‘pivot’ and moderate his tone toward a more presidential persona — a persona that is required in a general election bid. The change has not happened yet and now, less than a week before the Republican Convention, it does not seem to be something Republicans expect to occur.

Jeb Bush, one of the more contentious opponents Trump had during the primaries made it clear he could not vote for Donald Trump, citing the nominee’s lack foreign policy knowledge, toxic & divisive language and overall lack of temperament for the role as President.

Though Bush applauded Mr. Trump’s ability to utilize the media to his advantage, he spoke rather candidly regarding how he felt the American people would be ‘betrayed’ by a Trump presidency and denounced many of the nominee’s promises.

“The tragedy of all this is [that] there isn’t going to be a wall built. And Mexico is not going to pay for it. And there’s not going to be a ban on Muslims … This is all like an alternative universe that he created.”

But reality hit home rather emphatically last week with the shooting deaths of two black men by police officers & another mass shooting. Following this latest string of gun violence episodes, including the tragedy in Dallas, where a lone gunmen killed 5 officers and wounded several others, Trump attempted to politicize the events calling for unity and proclaiming himself the ‘law and order candidate’.

Without any concrete policies for change or any formal platform to speak of, however, the GOP candidate has instead resorted to the politics of division and hyperbole, while at the same time making empty calls for unity and order.

The lack of clarity in Mr. Trump’s message is paralleled by a lack of unity and support from elders and junior party members, making it difficult for the campaign to decide on a suitable running mate as many are either unqualified or running for the hills.

As if there weren’t enough obstacles standing in the way of the Republicans winning in November, there is still chatter in the filed regarding a delegate revolt at the convention. The Delegates Unbound agenda, which has been building steam under the leadership of co founder Kendal Unruh, is still very much alive and filled with passion and outright contempt for Mr. Trump.

Former Senator Gordon Humphrey had this to say on Monday of the presumptive nominee of the GOP:

“Trump is a sick sociopath. He has no conscience. No feelings of guilt, remorse, empathy or embarrassment. He has never apologized to Carly [Fiorina], the disabled reporter or Senator McCain on the horrible things he said about them…He has severe personality disorders and is not fit to be president.”

How do you really feel, Gordon?

With scant support materializing from fellow Republicans, running mate options running short and silent, guest speakers bowing out of the convention and delegates filing and winning suits in order to vote their conscience rather than be bound to Mr. Trump, it appears that the GOP convention will take on a carnival-like atmosphere.

To the electorate it may feel as if we have in fact stepped through the looking glass into an some kind of obtuse, alternate reality. What is clear, however, is that many within the GOP who bought a ticket for the so called ‘Trump Train’ seem to be thinking twice about risking their futures on this political roller coaster ride.