http://www.huffingtonpost.com/james-zogby/the-gop-reaping-what-it-s_b_7917072.html?ncid=txtlnkusaolp00000592&ref=yfp
The 2016 Republican presidential contest has barely begun and it has already grown alternately tiresome and old or just downright scary. As a Democrat, I might be pleased, but as an American, I am deeply troubled. I just want it to end.
A part of the GOP problem is the plague of too many candidates, 17 at last count, with many of them competing for headlines by making outrageous statements targeting Hispanics, Muslims, President Obama, Hillary Clinton, or each other.
They apparently feel the need to do so not only because Donald Trump -- being the master of outrage -- continues to draw the most media attention, but because, as Trump's poll numbers demonstrate, a significant body of Republican voters feed off of the anger and insult that is being dished out.
Instead of a serious policy debate, we are forced to endure a campaign based on xenophobia, personality attacks, and crude taunts.
In the past week, alone: Trump continued his rant against "illegals"; Ted Cruz called his party's legislative leader "a liar" on the floor of the Senate; Scott Walker was slightly more refined accusing his party's leaders of making "false promises"; Mike Huckabee charged that with the Iran deal, Obama was marching Israelis into the ovens; and Marco Rubio criticized Trump saying that America didn't need another president with "no class", because we already have a president with "no class".
Now there are, to be sure, thoughtful candidates on the Republican side who have ideas worth examining. But the policies they are proposing have been drowned out by the excessive news coverage given to the demeaning verbal antics of their erstwhile challengers.
While the media can be blamed for covering the candidates' bad behavior and Fox can be faulted for creating this "reality show-like" competition for "who can say the nastiest things," the core problem lies with the base of what has become today's Republican Party.
short and sweet boo hoo they still haven't figured out that circular firing squads are not the way to go but in the immortal words of Pres., "please proceed gop" paraphrased.
