STEVE PIECZENIK TALKS

The Borderline, Self-Destructive GOP: Self-Immolation at the Thursday Night Debate!

Last night’s Republican Debate in Houston Texas [CNN] was lengthy exercise in self-destruction. As both Cruz and Rubio ganged up on Trump, I began to reflect on images that preceded and occurred during the VietNam War. In 1963, when a Buddhist Monk committed suicide by fire, in protest against the CIA-backed Catholic Ngo Dinh Diem, that was the beginning of the end of our potential success in that war.

Self-Immolation of the Republican Party by hostile verbiage cast by three candidates amounted to much fury signifying the end of any rational discussion. These insults and counter-insults, vehemently thrown to, by, and against all of these three candidates portended, for me, the end of a party that counted Teddy Roosevelt, Dwight Eisenhower and Bush Sr amidst its spokesmen. Once civility is gone in any discourse then emotions flare up and desperation fuels an unintended consequence of self-destruction.

Nothing could have saved last night’s debate except John Kasich, Governor from Ohio, who vainly tried to emerge above the fray to explain the details of one or another program. However, his moment of sanity was lost within the active barbarism fueled by Wolf Blitzer, Anderson Cooper, and the rest of the CNN panelists cum Agitation Propagandists for the evening.

Perhaps a more comical image of last night spectacle would mimic John Belushi screaming Food Fight in the satirical movie, “Animal House”! There is no doubt in my mind had there been bottles, cans or food remnants, the Three Non-Amigos would have been at each other respective throats. Pretense of leadership fell by the wayside as each of those candidates screamed above the other’s denials and ex cathedra comments “Trumped” facts and figures.

I could only tolerate so much until I switched to Turner Movie Classics [TMC] to absorb a moment’s respite from the CNN venom, as I watched the Normandy invasion by the allied forces in the movie, “The Longest Day”. When a debate performance transforms into a feeding frenzy a la “Hunger Games”, then it is time to ask oneself what use are these debates when, in reality, they become platform for self-immolation?

I have no one to blame except the staunch mainstream Republicans who, out of extreme desperation, ordered their Romulus and Remusto to devour, once and for all, Donald Trump. Was Donald innocent of any blame? No! Did either Cruz or Rubio further their own paltry gains? I think not.

So who won that night?

The Democrats?  

Not really! It  was a warning to all that emotions and ideas must be titrated with common sense and decency.

Then who won?

The American people who watched the primordial instincts of a party hell bent on destroying its own, at whatever price.The American public, both Democrats and Republicans, have long understood that their respective representatives on both sides of the aisle could never serve we, the people, because they were too busy attacking each other in Washington DC at our expense.

It’s time for us to expand our parties and create some new ones that truly represent major concerns like the economy; education reform; and national security.

The only emotions I have left after last night are:
Regret, Sorrow and Pity!

That is no way to select a POTUS!