It was the Newt Gingrich era that really started the republican party (as we know it today) out on its extreme personal attacks, lies and misinformation as a campaign tool and policy. They have used it well against the democratic party and managed to deceive a lot of American voters. The republican party followed Ronald Reagan's 11th commandment of never speaking ill about another republican until Donald Trump decided to seek the republican Presidential nomination in 2016.
Trump knew personal attacks, lies and misinformation worked well for the GOP and decided he would have to do the same in his campaign if he wanted to defeat his republican opponents for the nomination. So he set out on a personal attack campaign against his own party's candidates and used it effectively, especially during the republican debates and cut his republican opponents off at the knee. His party was not familiar with personal attacks from their own party members and could not handle Trump's attacks. Republican voters responded by making Trump the party's nominee.
PolitiDose posted several commentaries, included during the campaign how Trump and the GOP became one and the same and they have been one and the same ever since. It is evident by the party's support of Trump and his assault on America's democratic principals. There are several republicans who are leaving office this month that have criticized Trump, but they still voted to support most all of his positions while they served in congress.
Republican Mitt Romney is the latest one to speak out against Trump, but Romney was interviewed to work in Trump's cabinet and gladly accepted Trump's support for the U.S. Senate. But one can bet, Romney will support Trump's agenda when he takes his seat in the U.S. Senate. Romney also supported Trump and the GOP's tax cut even though the results of the tax cuts have not met the predictions made by Trump or the GOP.
And with few exceptions, Donald Trump and the GOP's personal attacks will continue against democrats and others that have little or no authority to make decisions as how to run the country. The present government shutdown is a good example of how Trump and his party are one and the same. This is the third shutdown to take place on Trump and the GOP's watch. So what ever goes around, still comes around for Trump and his party.
This commentary written by Joe Lorio
