"If at first you don't succeed, find out if the loser gets anything." William Lyon Phelps, American Author
May 4, 2016
By Linda Case Gibbons
At first you'd think it was because Jeb Bush, Mitt Romney, Paul Ryan and Lindsey Graham didn't get the memo, the one that said Trump is the Presumptive Republican candidate.
That's what you'd think if you assumed a spirit of fair play prevailed in the Republican Party.
But it doesn't.
The Stop-Trump people are acting out. If they were toddlers, you'd give them a paddling and send them off to bed.
For a long time after George Bush left office, we thought, "Gee, how noble! In eight years, George never spoke a disparaging word against Barack Obama, What a guy!"
He claimed he was silent because he didn't want to impose his views on another president's time in office. His dignity brought tears of pride to our eyes.
Except that wasn't what happened.
It was not sensitivity that kept him from speaking out against Obama. He just didn't stand up for the American people during Obama's Reign of Terror.
Yet, when it came to speaking out against Donald Trump, George had no problem. He came out, guns a'blazing, and Jeb, Laura, Barbara and the elder Bush weren't far behind.
The reason is simple. The Bushes wanted Low Energy Jeb to be president and were not pleased that voters didn't feel the same. They were so displeased that this week the Bush men declared they would not attend the Republican Convention in Cleveland.
It seemed to be a strange expression of "unity," and "Republican Principles." But it wasn't surprising. It's the way they roll.
There are many "conservative Republicans" who are refusing to back Trump, even those who took a pledge to support whoever the ultimate nominee would be.
Mitt Romney, the guy who lost the race for president twice, announced he also won't be attending the Convention, and it's rumored he's looking into launching a Third Party candidate. How much you want to bet that candidate is Mitt?
Some might say, "Who is Romney to advise us on anything?"
He's done nothing but fail in the political arena, except that one time when he manipulated the rules at the GOP Convention in 2012 and effectively put Rand Paul out of business.
It's a good point.
Then there's Paul Ryan who is full of advice as to why Donald Trump is unacceptable. Some might say, "Who is Paul Ryan to advise us on anything."
It's a good point.
The Donald has energized the Republican Party as no one else has ever done, has drawn millions of voters out to vote, unifying and drawing from diverse sectors of the voting public, something Romney and Ryan couldn't pull off when they ran -- and lost.
I bet that stings.
The reason why Ryan is a "Reluctant Team Player" is that he wants to be president, too. And he was promised that he would be.
A "Reluctant Nominee" for Speaker of the House, Ryan's name popped up out of nowhere as a potential presidential pick. It was part of the Establishment-Expected-a-Contested-Convention, and its "Get-Rid-of-Trump-Movement.
Ryan demurred, insisting he would not accept a draft for president at the Convention. But you know he hoped there would be a contested convention, and thought he would be the candidate.
The Establishment promised him he would be.
But that was before Trump swept the primaries, knocking out Cruz and Kasich.
That was before the Contested didn't happen, and Ryan, The Reluctant Speaker and Presidential Candidate, woke up to the fact that there would be no presidency in his future.
Bummer.
And truthfully there were many people who were not keen on Ryan becoming Speaker, but the Establishment pushed it through.
We were told "he was the only person for the job," that "he was a Unifier," that there was no ne else who "could unify the way Paul Ryan could."
Now here we are. Ryan, the Unifier, is chairman of the Republican Convention, and has announced he "isn't ready yet" to support Trump.
Here we are, with Ryan, the Unifier, saying he believes he is the only person who can "preserve conservative Republican Principles," that he doesn't believe Trump is the guy to be the standard bearer for "Republican Principles."
What are "Republican Principles" exactly?
Ryan and the Establishment didn't have much to say about that, or the Establishment Machine that runs those principles, but voters have a pretty good idea after eight years of watching Republican inaction.
And they don't want any more of it. That's hard for the Get-Rid-of-Trump folks to swallow.
Yes, Paul Ryan and the Establishment Republicans are right. Trump won't carry on their "Principles" or their "Standards." That's exactly why the people want him.
The "Republican Principles" are the ones Republican Congressmen have practiced for the last eight years: Rolling over and playing dead by passing everything on Obama's Wish List, promising, but not delivering, and disappointing voters in 2008 and 2012 with lackluster, Establishment-chosen candidates.
So, no, Americans don't need advice from George, or Jeb or Mitt or Paul. Voters have been there, done that, and they know with a firm certainty what they want, and what they don't want.
They do not want any more "Political Correctness," or party bosses picking their candidates.
And they want To Make America Great Again.
Hold the line, America.