New GOP base shaky

The congressional recess has answered the question: “Where is the new Republican Party?”

Want to know who forms the new Republican base? It’s the KKK (social justice), the NRA (law enforcement and civil liberties), and the John Birch Society (foreign policy). They come complete with their own policy agendas and activist bases. This convergence is giving the GOP a whole new party with ready-made planks. And they didn’t have to come up with even one solution to any pressing national challenge, not the economy, nor health care, nor education. They get off scot-free, no responsibility for anything. Very slick, wouldn’t you say? Congrats, GOP, on finding your new base. Good luck with it in 2010.

Does it sting a little, being branded by the right-wing extremists who try to dress up in your Republican brand? I’ll make you a deal, my Republican friends. You quit calling me socialist, Marxist, communist, and stop threatening the life of our president, and I’ll refrain from calling you fascists, Nazis, bigots and terrorists. Maybe then we could start having grown-up debates about the issues. Let’s both stop borrowing our talking points from talk radio. We rational pragmatists await your response.

Jim Wavada

Spokane