Watching the debates at this stage in the presidential primaries is a masochistic endeavor. The spectacles of both parties are simply unbearable.
On the Democratic side, I’m growing tired of Hillary and Bernie outlining their plans to raise taxes and bankrupt the country, all under the ruse of offering “free” services and entitlements.
The GOP debate last Thursday made me want to take a shower. I felt dirty. I’m sickened that the party of Lincoln, Reagan and H.W. Bush is now being degraded to what took place last week. Instead of arguing policies and ideas, the media and roaring Detroit crowd yukked up Trump’s hand and another anatomical part’s size, thus giving “The Donald” a whole new meaning. A serious candidate seeking the presidency should never utter the petty attacks and third-grader-like put-downs featured in that debate.
As a man of the right, I’m deeply saddened for my party. How can Republicans seriously think we’re going to win the presidency and hold the Senate? If the general election were held today, the presumptive top of our presidential ticket would be poisonous, which is surprising: How can we nominate a pro-choice, big-government, foul-mouthed, crony-capitalistic con artist? He is truly the GOP’s antithesis.
That being said, I am heartened by the grown-ups in the GOP taking a stand against Trumpism.
Leaders like House Speaker Paul Ryan, a true conservative and GOP standard bearer, said this last week: “If a person wants to be the nominee of the Republican Party, there can be no evasion and no games: They must reject any group or cause that is built on bigotry... We believe all people are created equal in the eyes of God and of our country. This is fundamental. And if someone wants to be our nominee, they must understand this. I hope this is the last time I need to speak out on this.” Responsible. Reasonable. Adult. Republican.
Mitt Romney, a former Republican presidential nominee, also took a stand. Unfortunately, he is by far the worst person to go after Trump, but his words carry weight and are thoughtful: “Think of Donald Trump’s personal qualities. The bullying. The greed. The showing off. The misogyny. The absurd third-grade theatrics.” He added, “Watch, by the way, how he responds to my speech today. Will he talk about our policy differences? Or will he attack me with every imaginable low-blow insult?” Well-measured. Adult. Republican.
Rising-star Nebraska Sen. Ben Sasse promoted classical conservatism during the Conservative Political Action Conference — a man after my own heart. “I am anti-establishment, but what we need most of all is not just someone who wants to breathe fire on Washington, but wants to breathe passion into our children for a constitutional recovery,” he said. “Because that’s how we will actually make America great again.”
He used his platform to declare: “Our founders were making a claim about human dignity. Our founders were saying that everybody, everywhere — not just people like us who have been blessed to be born in this place — but everybody, everywhere is ordained with natural rights. That everyone, everywhere is created in the image of God, with natural rights and government is just our shared project to secure those rights. Government is not the author or the source of any of our rights.”
None of these men used phallic or sexual imagery or made fun of a woman, a war hero or an individual with a disability. Remarkable. I’m impressed with their self-control. They all sound like the ideal Republican president.
Doomsdayers say the GOP is destined for 1,000 years of darkness with the inevitable nomination of Trump. I’m more optimistic. Looking at Ryan, Romney and Sasse, I think the GOP has a lot to look forward to. These three bring ideas, policy and a conservative temperament to a wanting nation. During the next few years, I think the party will be in good hands. No measurement needed.
Michael Beato is a UF political science senior. His column appears on Mondays.
