PURITY IN POLITICS - WHERE ARE THE REPUBLICANS GOING?

"Purity" Testing ??

I can not express in writing alone how revolting it is to consider any political party in this country conducting a test of its membership – a self reporting test – as to who supports the “core principles” of that party. The test has been called a “purity test,” as in: Who’s a pure devotee of their party’s ideals. (I threw up a little bit just then). 

Can’t you just feel the winds of change!  Oh, and guess what, for you who are members of the party, here’s the best part: If the Republican party leadership doesn’t like what they think you think they believe, they can throw you out and find someone who knows what they believe – even if they don’t actually know themselves.  And they will leave you to learn if you’re pure!  (Don’t ask Republican National Committee Chairman Michael Steele – he’s on his book tour and will be busy). 

What leadership.  What an idea. When in doubt about who you are, the very best thing to do at that precise moment is to conduct a test to see who should leave you!   This is like watching the captain of a sinking ship throw his crew overboard to keep the ship from going down too fast.

For those of us who fondly remember the Republican party as the party of Lincoln, the party that saved our Union and the party of the common-sense fiscal budget balancer, these are strange days indeed.  Lincoln’s not getting votes these days. The south is no longer in revolt.  And as for the budget balancing thing, well, George W. Bush recently decided that wasn’t very Republican anymore.

But, thankfully the RNC’s purity test has outlined ten things that are, supposedly, Republican. However, a careful read shows not principles but policy positions opposed to Obama’s agenda.  Consequently, the purity test is designed to get rid of those members who will not create a unified opposition to today’s Democrats.

How did the Republicans finally figure out that the American people want less cooperation in Washington? 

So what’s going on with the Republican Party?  I believe it’s a group who is desperately trying to figure out who it is. The Republican National Committee offered this purity test this past November and didn’t find many takers on Capital Hill.  So . . . of course . . . they brought it back yesterday in their meeting in Hawaii!  Now, they are fighting among themselves to ensure that purity reigns among their membership.

Purity in politics. That’s like a bar of soap in a toilet bowl! On any level, it’s totally revolting.  And, it’s disingenuous.  Attention all political parties:  the America people are not this stupid. They want good decisions, not obstructionist loyal party purists . They know what you and your membership are all about. In two words: power and money.  They understand, the greater the power, the more likely the corruption. 

And that, I assure you is not purely Republican.