After agonizing for months over my choice in the GOP Presidential race in this 2016 election, I voted yesterday. For the first time since I cast my first vote almost 40 years ago, I felt a sense of loss and bewilderment as I left the polling place.
Forty years ago this month, I began my personal journey as a conservative. On a cold evening in February, 1976, a friend of mine and I—both in the second semester of our senior year of high school—attended a small gathering in Peoria, Illinois, where Ronald Reagan was speaking to a group comprised mostly of old friends from his high school and college days in Dixon and Eureka, Illinois.
I was not there that night by accident. Twice before, due to my parents’ political and social ties, I had personally engaged with the future President. The first time, which I only “remember” through the stories that my father later told, the then-Governor of California was so bored with the adults who were seeking his attention, that he left their company and spent the better part of an afternoon talking and laughing with a 10-year old boy who was oblivious to who he was, but who enjoyed and monopolized his company. The second time, a few years later, I spoke with him over the phone twice during calls he made to my mother to plan a retirement party for one of his college football teammates, and he genuinely seemed to care about how I was doing in school and what my own hopes and dreams were. It was because of these experiences, and the coaxing of my parents and my friend, that I took a break from home work on a winter night in 1976 to attend the meeting in Peoria.
Reagan spoke that night, not as a stilted candidate, but as a friend to those of us in the room, about his vision for the GOP and the country, as well as his strategy for the upcoming Illinois primary. And what I heard that night would start me on my own political journey—one I still travel today. Much of what he said that night would find its way into the 1976 GOP platform, and then into his blueprint for a “New Republican Party,” which he unveiled in early 1977.
It is hard to explain to someone who did not live through those years the state of the country at that time. Like others my age, I had grown-up watching the country seemingly unravel through the riots, the Vietnam War, Watergate, and Soviet expansion, and it truly seemed like no one knew what to do or how to lead the country into the future. And yet, here was a man that exuded confidence and optimism about the future, and who seemed to deeply understand and love our country in a way I had never heard expressed. Though I would see him speak a few more times over the next decade, it would be what he said that night that changed everything for me.
I think the journalist and author, Theodore White, captured the predicament we faced in those years best in his two books: In Search of History and America in Search of Itself. At the end of the first book, written soon after the 1976 election, he saw a coming decision between
whether America would be transformed, in the name of Opportunity, simply into a Place, a gathering of discreetly defined and entitled groups, interests and heritages; or whether it could continue to be a nation, where all heritages joined under roof-ideas of communities within government.
Then, toward the end of the second book, published after the 1980 election, he made the following observation:
I write and close this book in a clouded time, not knowing whether it is twilight or dawn, an era ending or an era beginning. It is twilight if new policy carries us back to the old America, before its transformation; it is dawn if new policy carries us forward to release us from civil fear and the web of federal control. Somewhere, in the decades of upheaval, came a wrong turning. Another wrong turning could take politics away from traditional politicians and bring us convulsions in the streets.
For most of my adult life, I believed that—with Reagan’s guidance—we had come through the upheaval to start a revitalization of America based on the best of its principles, that the world had been made safe from totalitarianism through American leadership, and that a consensus had formed that “the era of big government was over.”
But then, we took another wrong turn that only now seems clear through our rear-view mirror. Through the tumultuous year of scandal and impeachment in 1998, the disputed election of 2000, 9/11, and the Iraq War, the new consensus broke apart to unearth grievances and ideas that we thought had been vanquished. Then, the responses to Katrina and the financial meltdown of 2008 showed how fragile our resurrection from civil fear and federal control had been. And over these last 7 years, even after the election of our first African-American President, the unraveling of the consensus and the re-emergence of federal control exposed the consequence of our failure to fully assimilate all of our neighbors into our American community. Adding to all of this upheaval at home, the progress we made to form a better world through American leadership has crumbled, with Russia, China, North Korea, and a totalitarian faction of political Islam, each threatening world stability—and America.
Frankly, I believe we are more fractured at home and abroad today than at any time since Nixon left the White House, and there is no Reagan to help guide us out of this mess. Instead, we are left with candidates who either lack the understanding of America to lead, lack an appreciation of current problems to lead, lack the skills to lead, lack the vision to lead, lack the experience and maturity to lead, or lack the integrity to lead. In this vacuum has emerged a convulsion of political extremes, which is leading us toward a choice between an entertaining populist who wants to tear the “establishment” down and start over, and two varying degrees of socialists. As the late Yogi Berra might have said, we’ve reached the fork in the road and we have to take it.
So, as I left the polling place yesterday I truly felt as though we had lost what we had worked so hard to re-establish over these last 40 years, and I’m bewildered with the fork we will take this fall. I honestly don’t know in the short term where we will go from here, and I am concerned that things will get worse before they get better.
However, as I think back to that night 40 years ago, I still believe that eventually the answer will emerge and we will find the right road to take. But it won’t be behind the leadership of another Reagan—that moment is over. Instead, the leadership, when it emerges will come from the source of strength that Reagan believed in—individual Americans applying our shared principles. When and if we embrace each other and our shared principles again, and we find the courage to use them again to build a strong society of free people, this moment too shall pass.
I believe this will happen, because it must happen. As Reagan reminded President Ford and the delegates at the end of the 1976 Republican Convention, in the battle for our exceptional country and society “there is no substitute for victory.”
My hunch is things will get worse, in order to get better. If Trumps our nominee, the R party will take 2 decades to recover. JP
We must share with our friends and school children who are not being taught this today, what E Pluribus Unuum means, Diversity is our challenge, but it is the unity of patriotic citizens, who believe in America, who believe in the rule of law, who trust in God’s Providence, and who try to follow His Light, that is our strength.
The Republican Party is changing so you better get on the Trump Train with me or your going to be left behind!
Trumpus Maximus Caesar is not the answer, but would be better than Lady Chappaqua of the Homebrew Servers.
My vote is for Cruz-Rubio in 2016!
The first sign of a change in the Republican Party in my memory was the defeat of Taft by Eisenhower at the 1952 Republican Convention. In Texas there was a big democrats for Eisenhower movement. The modern day conservative movement had its Texas start with the surprise election of John Tower as US Senator in a special election to replace Lyndon Johnson in 1961. The modern day conservative movement had its national beginning with the republican nomination of Senator Barry Goldwater for president in 1964. I began my political activities in the Tower election when I was at UT. Many of today’s long time republican activists began their political activities by campaigning for Goldwater. With the exception of the Reagan years and a few other short pauses such as the 1994 Contract for America House victory in the House, the country has moved slowly leftward, accelerating under Obama. This year may truly be our last chance to reverse the trend. Not only must we prevent the democrats from winning the presidency, we must nominate an anti-establishment republican for president and throw out the worthless republican members of congress. Throwing out the worthless members of the Texas House is also a high priority.Its been a log time coming, let’s get it done. .
Probably does not matter who you vote for in November, here in Texas. But Hillary Clinton will receive my vote before I vote for Trump. or Cruz. If bigotry and racism turn you on, let us get rid of all the European looking people and make this country free again, round them up and deport might as well drop over the ocean as Europe won’t take them.
Where do I get such ideas? From Trump and Cruz supporters.
Your ideas come from the tripe that LULAC, La Raza, MALDEF and the other race baiting organizations preach.
To Manuel, you can vote for a liar and someone who is pandering to minorities if you wish. She doesn’t care about minorities, she and her husbands records are clear. She lied to the American public about Benghazi and about her personal server. She and Bill Clinton are liars! and We are sick and tired of false claims of racism and bigotry from people like you. You don’t even leave your last name with your comments. Couragedly! Look at the field of candidates in the Republican party. Every Republican candidate on the stage last Thursday is far superior to Sanders and Clinton. Give me a break! Randy Kubosh
Well Randy and Janet, and you think Trump or Cruz are not liars. Admit you are racists and or bigots and get over it.
Randy why don’t you and your brothers quit accepting business or clients from all those undocumented folks and really stick to your principles, assuming you have any.
Unlike people like people like you two, I am an American first not a Republican or Democrat. What is it that the Senate leader has stated?
https://www.rickey.org/mitch-mcconnell-says-republicans-will-drop-donald-trump-like-a-hot-rock-if-he-wins-gop-nomination/291719/
I mentioned two people, so Randy with all your brilliance do you think that Carson will be the nominee? How about Kasich? I voted for Jeb Bush, I voted early my second choice was Kabish.
So take your I am a Republican first and do with it what ostrichs do with their heads. America before party!
Manuel: “Admit you are racists and or bigots and get over it.” Well, it’s so much easier to simply call someone a racist than to actually argue on the merits. . . . How very . . . American.
Well us argue on the merits, you first, why are supporters of Trump and Cruz not bigots or racists?
Good question Manuel. Here’s another one, why are you not a child molester?
Manuel, for the same reason the country of Mexico is not bigoted and racist. Mexico’s immigration policy is far worse than proposed by either Trump or Cruz. We could include the Vatican but why drag religion into it.
Manual, you like to make false accusations and slander people and you like to do it anonymously. How cowardly! Trump is correct about many things, one of which is about securing our borders. We need to know who is coming into our country, The drug cartels are running the Mexican border and their violence is spilling over into Texas. This has gotta stop. I believe Trump will end this problem. As Trump has stated, in the middle of the wall will be a big door to let those who wish to come here to be productive members of our society. I’m tired of politicians promising one thing to us and doing another when they get to Washington. I’m voting for Trump because he isn’t a politician and he knows how to get things done. He will be a strong leader.. He has done it in business! I believe that he will be a 21st century Ronald Reagan. That’s how strongly I feel about it. Randy Kubosh
Like many on this board, my first political experience was working for Barry Goldwater in 1964. I still call myself an unreconstructed Goldwater Republican.
Unfortunately, “conservatism” no longer means what Sen. Goldwater meant. Too often “conservatives” put more trust in organizations like business and government than they do in people. Too often people calling themselves “conservatives” want to impose their moral standards on others. Too often, we have “conservatives” opposing things that have the potential to improve this country.for its people in the name of a “conservatism” I don’t recognize.
But, maybe I’m too much like Sen. Goldwater. In his last years in the Senate, he was told by some “conservatives “he was getting too liberal.
I was a Republican in this state when it was a felony. I remember when it became a misdemeanor in the early 1970s how we celebrated.
Now, the party has gotten to the point that our three leading candidates for president are spending all of their time calling each other names.
When I early voted this year, when it came time to vote for president, I had to hold my nose.
What slander, the part about undocumented and representation? Are you stating that neither the bonding company or the law firm accepts undocumented persons as clients. If you are then I apologize for that if I am wrong.
Tell me how Trump is going to stop the drugs? Please do so in detail. Please tell how Trump is going to stop illegal immigration considering half of those person don’t cross a river or climb a wall, they come in with visas. Tell me how is going to find them and round them up?
Drugs seems we as a country are giving fighting the use of legal marijuana, why is that? We have only been fighting that war since Nixon. http://www.drugpolicy.org/new-solutions-drug-policy/brief-history-drug-war
Illegal immigration, I have been against that since NAFTA, do you remember that signed by Bill Clinton and supported by primarily by Republicans. The fact is companies that support illegal immigration are the same ones that support the Republican party. Unions have been against illegal immigration one of the reasons Bernie Sanders was against the amnesty proposed by Bush, W. In 1991 I voted for Ross Perot because of NAFTA.
Donald Trump is no Ronald Reagan, while Reagan did appeal to southern Democrats who were in favor of Jim Crow laws, But I am sure that those southern Democrats were not racist, it is just that dark colored people did not belong in the same bathroom or drinking from the same fountains as the blue eyed light complexion folks.
Randy do you read or even bother to read things that may open your eyes. Why don’t you look at border crime and you will find that those communities are much safer than we are.
Do you know who China solved a heroin (opium) problem after the revolution? Following is a link as to the solution, read and ask yourself why is it that China could do that but we can’t? http://www.sacu.org/opium.html
By pandering I have often heard in Republican circles that Felix panders to the Blacks, is that bad Randy?
Read about Trump with an open mind and them come back with facts that support your position as to why you would support a person who panders to racists and bigots. Since drugs is one of them please feel free to correct me or enlighten me and others as to how Trump is going to solve the drug problem.
Trump would do away with the first amendment so what would stop him from doing away with the second? https://theintercept.com/2016/01/27/donald-trump-in-2000-i-support-the-ban-on-assault-weapons/
I voted for Jeb Bush because he was the best qualified, followed by Kasich whom I would have no problems supporting either. Rubio is still up on the air, need to see where the wind will guide him.
I struck a nerve with you, Manuel “the Cowardly” I’ll give you a last name since you won’t tell us who you are. You slander and call names and criticize those who do the same. My family has done many good things in our community. You like to sling mud, but it’s not sticking on us, only on yourself. My family’s record speaks for itself, all the good that we have done. Jeb Bush is a joke, we don’t need any more Bushes in Washington or anywhere else in politics. Jeb stated that his mother was a great woman, but I still can remember her endorsing Annise Parker for mayor. Parker’s administration was a disaster. Randy Kubosh
Well Randy since you resort to name calling, where does that put you? You changed the topic to the family has done a lot of good things, I am sure they have. I never voted for Annise Parker and I am not sure what Barbara Bush endorsing Annise Parker has to do with Jeb Bush. Where is the slander Randy what part is not true? Please tell me. That is very typical of Trump a bully as a youngster and still a bully,
By the way I live in Houston, did not have to rent an apartment like some persons did to run and claim they live here.
But Randy you failed to tell us how trump is going to stop illegal immigration or the flow of drugs.
Randy did you do some research on border crime? Here I will help you out, https://www.texastribune.org/2016/02/23/border-communities-have-lower-crime-rates/
Drugs, did you bother reading how China solved the drug problem? Here is an article on heroin, New Hampshire; http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2015/08/10/the-2016-heroin-primary.html If we don’t invest in treating those that are sick how do we solve the problem. If you bother to read the article you will notice that most became hooked because of legal prescriptions for pain.
So Randy why is that you support Donald Drumfs? http://www.ibtimes.com/trump-or-drumpf-whats-name-280579 Is it because he began his campaign with;
They’re sending people that have lots of problems, and they’re bringing those problems with us. They’re bringing drugs. They’re bringing crime. They’re rapists. found here http://www.dailykos.com/story/2015/6/17/1394019/-Trump-calls-Mexican-immigrants-drug-dealers-and-rapists-crickets-from-the-GOP-field
Wonder what a preacher that preaches in the Seventh-day Adventists church thinks about that message, How are we, people that look like Mexicans, are suppose to think? What are we suppose to think of Trump and the people that support him with his preaching of such message? https://www.adventist.org/en/beliefs/
The Bush family is a good family, I am sorry that you hate them. What did they do to you to merit such hate? I voted for Jeb Bush’s son (George) as did quite a few other Republicans.
Manual, you asked, so here it is, the condensed version.
Since you like links, I have included some for you
The question; was the Bush family good for America?
Let’s start out by mentioning local politics; by talking about Barbara Bushes endorsement of Annise Parker in the 2011 City of Houston Election.
http://www.guidrynews.com/story.aspx?id=1000037000
http://blog.chron.com/election/2011/11/november-2011-election-results/
Parker only escaped a runoff by 800 votes! So, would she have even been mayor had she gotten in a runoff election and she had not been endorsed by Barbara Bush? Who knows?
Mayor Parkers appointee, Barbara Hartle over the Houston Municipal Court has been a total disaster and police officer moral was at an all-time low!
http://www.texaswatchdog.org/2010/11/houston-police-miss-hundreds-of-traffic-court-dates-tickets/1290042682.story
Mayor Parker’s administration was a disaster! Including the HERO ordinance.
Endorsements do matter and Republicans were very disappointed by that endorsement.
Did you ever wonder why it was that during the George W. Bush administration abortion was not abolished, even though Bush had a Republican House and Senate and a Conservative Supreme Court? This may be the reason?
Laura Bush Supports Gay Marriage, Abortion
http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/laura-bush-supports-gay-marriage-abortion/story?id=10629213
Surprised Barbara Bush Now Says She’s Pro-Choice? Don’t Be. She Always Was
http://rhrealitycheck.org/article/2010/11/09/surprised-barbara-bush-said-prochoice-dont/
Let’s see, 9/11 happened on George W. ‘s watch, for starters!
http://nationalinterest.org/feature/unheeded-warnings-george-w-bush-9-11-14122
Let’s talk about the lies to the American public about weapons of mass destruction in Iraq. The WMD’s were never found!
http://www.salon.com/2015/05/20/george_w_bushs_cia_briefer_admits_iraq_wmd_intelligence_was_a_lie/
Some believe even worse things about 9/11.
http://abcnews.go.com/US/story?id=91651
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/9/11_Truth_movement
We now have ISIS because of the disastrous Iraq war.
http://www.motherjones.com/politics/2015/12/heres-how-isis-gets-its-guns
Let’s talk about another, the housing crisis and the bank bail out!
http://thinkprogress.org/economy/2012/06/14/499523/5-reasons-americans-are-right-to-blame-bush-for-the-bad-economy/
How about the growth of the Federal government by about; 40{997ab4c1e65fa660c64e6dfea23d436a73c89d6254ad3ae72f887cf583448986} during George W.’s administration.
http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2008/oct/19/big-government-gets-bigger/?page=all
Some could argue that Jeb Bush stole the election for the Republican’s in Florida from Al Gore, the inventor of the internet, Mr. Carbon Footprint, LOL
http://truth-out.org/buzzflash/commentary/http-www-truth-out-org-buzzflash-commentary-don-t-forget-jeb-bush-played-key-role-in-stealing-the-presidency-for-his-brother
George W. Bush gave us Obama
http://thehill.com/blogs/ballot-box/gop-primaries/253976-trump-tells-bush-your-brother-gave-us-obama
Maybe we shouldn’t be surprised by all of this. Just google Prescott Bush and the Business Plot to overthrow President of the United States Franklin D. Roosevelt in 1933.
http://harpers.org/blog/2007/07/1934-the-plot-against-america/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Business_Plot
Oh that’s right, it was only alleged. Never proven.
You judge for yourself whether or not the Bushes were good for America.
And this was the condensed version, too! Randy Kubosh
Randy I agree with every thing you said about George W. Bush and Annise Parker. But you did like I did when it came to vote for George Bush and John Kerry. That time when Parker won by 800 votes, I voted for Dave Wilson. Hartle has been a disaster as he is not qualified for that position her sexuality (Lesbian) was the reason she was appointed. Steve Kirkland being behind that move to my understanding. I don’t think you care much for Kirkland either. The fact that he and Parker were business partners should have disqualified him from being on the City legal staff after losing to Elaine Parker.
We agree on a lot of things Randy, we don’t agree on Donald Trump. My gut feeling is if Trump is the Republican nominee expect at least 4 years of Clinton, maybe 8. I am not sure that Cruz would be much more successful then Trump. Rubio probably has the best chance.
Manual, I’m glad that we were able to find common ground. Thanks for your last message!, that’s for the engaging discussion, I enjoyed it! Please accept apology or calling you a coward. Best wishes! Randy Kubosh
I went to the polling place where I had served as election judge until recently for quite a few years as a Republican. and voted in the Democrat primary for the first time in 24 years.
Raised in a Democratic, Catholic blue collar family I chose the GOP as my party.
And I am ashamed of what it has become.