The republican party is not a conservative party of only one ideology. That is why they oppose everything and have achieved very little while in control of the government they hate. There are the Eisenhower republicans, the Goldwater republicans, the Reagan republicans, the extreme republicans, the right wing republicans, the Evangelical republicans and the Tea party republicans. Some of those factions think of themselves as being purist.
The republican Presidential candidates in the last two campaigns of 2008, 2012 and now 2016 were and still are so divided among themselves had no policy to offer the voters because they were too busy trying to appeal to all of the conservative factions. That is an impossible task. The republican controlled House is a good example. They have no accomplishments, shut down the government, can not agree on needed legislation, are in conflict with each other and their former speaker John Boehner resigned because he could not control their actions. And as of this writing the republicans control both houses of congress and there is no action taking place.
The republican Presidential candidates of 2016 (17 when they started) were so weak because of their ideology, the 3 left standing, Trump, Cruz and Kasich continue to have problems with the factions within the party. Trump and Cruz are dividers with Trump playing on the republican party's past failures and Cruz trying to prove he is Mr. conservative. Kasich does not play well within his own party with most of the factions.
The various factions of the conservative ideology with in the party has been devastating. Because of the "stop Trump movement" Trump said the other day he did not believe there would be violence at the RNC. If Trump wanted to use the word violence what he should have said is I will not condone or support violence in any form at the convention. Saying he did not believe there would be violence is not a very strong message.
The conservative ideology of the republican party is truly unAmerican in practice because it believes there is no boundary in achieving its radical and extreme agenda even if it means holding the people and the government hostage by shutting it down. Today's republican party will not survive or live to govern effectively if they fail to realize that America and democracy are inclusive, that all people should be able to live the American dream and diversity is American's strength. No one can live in the past and the future needs to be embraced because it is the future for our children and grand children.
This commentary written by Joe Lorio
