“Here is why we do not have conservatives anymore”; The Citizen; 2-8-24

“Corrupting an election to keep oneself in office is perhaps the most abusive and destructive violation of one’s oath of office that I can imagine.” -Senator Romney

Steve Brown wrote (in the Citizen) about the fact that there are no longer any conservatives in Washington. He is right, but not in the way that he states.

Conservative Democratic Senators Doug Jones and Joe Manchin voted for removal of Trump, knowing that it could cost them votes and their seats in their very red states. Jones lost his and Manchin has decided he will lose, so he is not running again.

They are men of honor in an age where lies and deceit have become commonplace. But what about the GOP side, supposed conservatives who believe in law and order?

Incredibly, self-described conservative Mitch McConnell publicly stated (12-17-19) that he would not be objective about the Trump removal trial, saying: “I’m not an impartial juror”. Subsequently, he and all other Senators publicly swore an oath (1-16-20) before God that, “I will do impartial justice according to the Constitution” an oath administered by the Chief Justice. Mitch McConnell’s hypocrisy knows no bounds. He is no conservative, just an opportunist.

The sad truth is that McConnell and many of the “conservative” GOP Senators…with the notable exception of Romney … care more about themselves than they do the nation, the Constitution or their oath. They are afraid of the political retribution that will come their way if they defy Trump. Look at the doomed bipartisan immigration bill.

For another prime example, look at what  happened to Sen. Mitt Romney, an honorable and highly religious conservative. The majority of independents supported Romney’s vote to remove Trump, 47%-33%. But only 15% of Republicans agreed with Romney’s vote, while an astounding 76% disapproved (Morning Consult/ Politico). 

Even the Utah Republican Party criticized him, tweeting “As a party, we strongly disagree with the vote cast today by Senator Romney.”

Matt Schlapp is chairman of the Conservative Political Action Conference. On the show Full Court Press (Greta Van Susteren), he stated this about Romney coming to the CPAC Annual Meeting: “This year, I would actually be afraid for his physical safety, people are so mad at him” and “We won’t credential him (Romney) as a conservative.” And Donald Trump Jr. tweeted: “He’s (Romney) now officially a member of the resistance & should be expelled from the GOP.” No wonder Romney is also “retiring” rather than fact the MAGA rath.

 But that’s mild compared to right wing on-line newsletters. For example, Real American Pundit (2-12-20) stated: “Mitt Romney may be one of the most hated politicians in America”; “(Romney’s) recognized as a traitor among Republican Senators and President Donald Trump.”

Of course, the Trump camp is pushing this Washington DC atmosphere of hatred. At a National Prayer Breakfast, where politics is normally kept to a minimum, Trump tweeted about Romney: “I don’t like people who use their faith as justification for doing what they know is wrong.” How strange coming from someone whose morals are questioned even by his most fervent religious backers and who has been convicted of sexual assault.

However, I have given up trying to convince right wingers, like my best friend who only believes what Fox and Hannity tell him, that Trump should have been removed by the Senate. The 76% of GOP voters that disapprove of Romney’s vote to remove Trump will never believe Trump unethically attempted to coerce the President of the Ukraine into investigating someone who was a political rival, although the conversation was recorded. Or, that he blocked the Ukraine and Russia investigations every chance he could, obstructing Congress in its Constitutionally mandated duties.  Or that he violated tradition and ethics in commuting traitor Roger Stone’s sentence (again, Romney was the only GOP big shot to directly criticize it)

If a left-wing politician like a Senator Sanders would have taken similar actions, McConnell and the other hypocritical supposed conservatives on the right would have tarred and feathered him. That GOP Senators almost unanimously found Trump innocent will go down in history as a black stain on the soul of the Republican Party. And it caused the mess we are in now, with MAGA radicals taking over the GOP. 

Lincoln must be rolling over in his grave if he sees what the Grand Old Party has become.