The 2024 election keeps barreling ahead with a Biden-Trump rematch seeming inevitable, even though 70% of Americans say they don’t want a repeat.
Read More...
I’m seven years old, attending my first political fundraiser. It’s for my Great Uncle, Nelson Rockefeller, who’s running for re-election as Governor of New York. The room is full of men, many holding cameras and microphones. Most of what is said is lost on me, but I know this a big deal and I can feel the vibrancy and excitement, like everyone is talking about something really important.
Read More...
There was a time not so long ago that the President of the United States was considered the leader of the free world. Now, amidst a perfect storm of a pandemic, the free fall of the US economy and massive civil unrest over police killings of blacks and racial inequality, we have a president who has proven time and time again that he possesses none of the leadership qualities that the office demands.
Read More...
As the final bitter notes of Torn in the USA, also known as the 2020 election, slowly fade, it’s already time for the band to start tuning up for the 2022 midterms. And while many called the November election the most important in the last half century, these midterms may come in a close second.
Read More...
What do you do when you find yourself in a long-term relationship that’s left you embittered and estranged? Go into counseling, decide to separate or just break it off altogether?
Read More...
First and foremost, congratulations on a hard-fought victory that has finally been confirmed. I know it was an exhausting struggle and you’re frustrated that even with your decisive win, much of the country still doesn’t believe it was legitimate. But you will be our 46th President and as you take office on January 20th, it marks the time for our country to begin moving forward from this dark chapter in American history. It will not be easy repairing the damage, but I am confident that you are committed to the task of healing our ideological fractures and addressing the most critical challenge
Read More...
I was once proud to call myself a loyal member of the Republican Party. But that was a time when the GOP stood for time-honored principles such as fiscal discipline, free trade, sensible immigration policy and a consistent, alliance-based foreign policy. I’d always considered myself a “practical Republican,” which over the last two decades gradually became an oxymoron in Washington and continues to reach unprecedented lows when it comes to pragmatism and commonsense. Thus, I voted for Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton and have cast my ballot for Joe Biden.
Read More...
With the national election less than three months away, and the polls continuing to show President Trump trailing Joe Biden by double figures, there’s an alternate scenario that seems unlikely, but not impossible. If Trump accepted the fact that he was going to lose in a landslide, would he consider withdrawing from the race or resigning from office rather than suffer a humiliating defeat?
Read More...
Since I live alone and am under a shelter in place order here in California, I end up talking to myself a bit more than usual. With that in mind, I decided to conduct an interview with my internal Devil’s Advocate. On one shoulder is a deeply estranged Republican (actually, as the GOP has completely abandoned its traditional principles, guess I’m now an official RINO) and the other, a transient Democrat, who knows even when the odds are in your favor, defeat can still be snatched from the jaws of victory.
Read More...
As an extremely estranged Republican, I’m looking ahead to the 2020 election with both cautious optimism and gnawing trepidation. Being a Never Trumper who voted for Hillary Clinton, I didn’t believe he would actually win the presidency and the following three years have turned out to exponentially worse than I ever imagined. And I’ve watched in dismay as the Republican Party has gradually become obsequious members of the Cult of Trump, without even a trace of spine or iota of courage. The fact is that the Party of Lincoln, Eisenhower and Reagan no longer adheres to any of its core principles,
Read More...
As the Democratic primary process continues to slog along with its surfeit of candidates, I have good news and bad news. The good news is that the 2020 election is less than a year away. The bad news is that the 2020 election is still a year away. The fact remains that unless Donald Trump is removed from office or decides not to run for re-election, he will occupy the Oval Office until January 20, 2021.
Read More...
The impeachment inquiry has left port and now, the turbulent voyage towards a constitutional crisis begins. Over the past two and half years, the question over impeaching Donald Trump has gradually transformed from “Could it possibly happen?” into “How does it actually work?” With the almost-daily new disclosures of improper foreign influence-peddling, including the latest news about Trump asking China for help, and a whistleblower crisis now steadily gathering momentum, this seemingly immovable object of a president has created what may be the irresistible force leading to his downfall.
Read More...
Over the past three years, I’ve spent an extensive amount of time and energy detailing why I disrespect and distrust Donald Trump and how I’m continually dismayed by his divisive words and dysfunctional deeds. But I’ve been saving my real vitriol for Mitch McConnell, whom I believe is the single worst thing to happen to American politics in a quarter of a century.
Read More...
When it comes to discussing the facts about climate change, you would think that this administration is literally living on another planet. We all know President Trump is capable of lies and mistruths on a daily basis, but even by those standards, he continues to display an astounding level of ignorance about the realities of global warming and changing weather patterns. Despite his claims of a genius level IQ, Trump clearly flunked basic science class, as evidenced by his recent policy statement.
Read More...
Looking ahead to the 2020 election, here’s a bold prediction. Donald Trump has no chance of winning a second term. Why am I willing to go out on this limb, given the unwavering loyalty of his base and with the economy doing so well? It’s very simple: I believe he will choose not to run again. What! you say. With his ego? Let me explain.
Read More...
When it comes to Democratic presidential candidates, the field is already so crowded that the real question is “who’s not running?” Imagine combining the Kentucky Derby, Belmont and Preakness in one race, with the Triple Crown being the 2020 presidential nomination.
Read More...
Let’s face it – 2018 was the year of Donald Trump. That’s not to be confused with the president nominating himself Man of the Year, but rather that our entire system of government has been dominated by Trump’s volatility, irrationality and narcissism. As we look back at the year and peer ahead into 2019, it’s impossible to ignore the impact his cult of personality has had and will continue to have on our nation.
Read More...
The 2018-midterm elections were clearly a referendum on Donald Trump. The president told everyone he was on the ballot, and according to network exit polls, two-thirds of voters agreed and said he was a big factor in how they voted – and the resulting “blue wave” was very real. So, the question for the red team is, what is going to be left of the Republican Party when the Trump era is over? As an estranged Republican, I have to ask – what if Trump doesn’t run or loses in 2020, where does that leave us?
Read More...
While the nation’s attention is rightfully focused on November 6th, the most pivotal midterm elections in recent history, I’d also like to peer ahead into the not-so-distant future.
Read More...
To The Once Esteemed Republican Party, With a heavy heart, I am announcing our formal separation. While we’d been a compatible couple for almost four decades, two years ago you began an affair with a philandering con man and then, moved in together. And even though his daily existence is total chaos and he may be in trouble with the law, you continue to stand by him. Based on your actions and inaction, you’ve left me with no choice but to step away from this crumbling relationship.
Read More...
I have been a proud member of the Republican Party for all of my adult life. But the GOP’s divisiveness, dysfunction and lack of conscience, along with the continuing chaos generated by an administration that seems to simply govern by going from one crisis to another, has made that relationship untenable. I believe a true patriot will ultimately choose his country over party and the time has come, for me, to take that stand.
Read More...
Let’s say you’re a serious football fan and have rooted for your favorite team most of your adult life. They’re heading to the conference finals again, two years after suffering a shocking loss in the Super Bowl to an underdog led by an inexperienced, erratic quarterback. While still reeling from that upset, you’re confident that the tide has turned.
Read More...
This year, the politics of the possible seems more like politics of the impossible. But as a practical Republican and stubborn optimist — not an easy feat in the current climate — I figure a little wishful thinking can’t hurt. To be clear, I’m not some old-fashioned RINO fantasizing here. My premise is that our two-party system was designed for reasonable negotiation and compromise, and to move past today’s dysfunctional stalemate we need to redefine that fundamental concept, even on the most basic issues.
Read More...
Since I founded Practically Republican in 2014 – and particularly since the 2016 campaign – I have seen the conversations on our Facebook page and Twitter feed become increasingly vitriolic, with civil debate becoming more like civil war. While there are still people trying to engage rather than enrage, they are becoming more of a minority as personal attacks replace the exchange of ideas. When people don’t really have a lot to say or can’t offer a good counter-argument, the easiest thing to do is to get angry and abusive and that’s when Facebook and Twitter become antisocial media platforms.
Read More...
As Mark Zuckerberg rightfully squirms in his seat over the Facebook user-data breach by Cambridge Analytica, millions of people are asking themselves, “Should I delete my Facebook account?”
Read More...
Our system of government is based on the concept of compromise, a process that requires three key elements: open communication, good faith negotiation and each side making concessions to solve problems for the common good. These fundamentals have gradually eroded from national politics, replaced by growing animosity, accusation and obstinacy. As both Democrats and Republicans in Congress can’t even agree to disagree, the level of political discourse across much of America has sunken to new levels of resentment, hostility and even hatred.
Read More...
As a life-long Republican, I have rarely found myself in the position of offering the Democratic Party advice on national campaign strategy. But as the Republican Congress continues refusing to exercise oversight by challenging this administration’s moral bankruptcy and misguided policies, I now believe that the only thing that might bring the GOP to its senses is a Democratic wave in the 2018 election. That doesn’t make me a RINO, just a pragmatist because the harsh truth is that we may have to lose in the midterms order for our government to start working again.
Read More...
Last week’s Conservative Political Action Conference, or CPAC, highlighted one of the harshest truths about the state of today’s Republican Party. There is little to no room for traditional conservative principles in the current Trumpified GOP.
Read More...
As a registered Republican, small-business owner, philanthropist and member of the 1 percent, I have something to say about the new GOP tax law: It’s 360 degrees of wrong, and I don’t want it and I don’t need it.
Read More...
Based on the divisiveness, dysfunction and deceit of the first nine months of the Trump presidency, my Great Uncle Nelson must be rolling over in his grave on a rotisserie. And as a disillusioned Republican who looks in dismay at the current state of the party, I’ve been roasting right beside him on the spit.
Read More...
This past week’s news has been rightfully dominated by the ongoing natural disaster in Houston. My heart goes out to those whose lives have been upended by this crisis.
Read More...
I love going to the movies. As the lights go down and I sink into my seat, entertainment becomes an escape, a place to lose myself for a few hours in fun, fantasy and drama. Those diversions are especially precious after reading the latest news out of Washington, which is like watching a horror picture that never ends.
Read More...
What a mess. Party loyalty has its limits – and it may be time for me to throw in the towel. In all my years as a loyal Republican, I have never felt more humiliated or helpless about where the party stands on policy, legislation and comportment.
Read More...
For the GOP faithful, it was yet another chapter in a sad story. The DBO (Dead Before Arrival) American Health Care Act once again confirmed to the American public that if there is one major consistency in Republican policy over the last four decades, it’s transferring money from the middle class to the very wealthy. Despite the false promises from Trump of Nottingham, our party is playing the role of Robin Hood-in-reverse, taking from the poor to give to the rich, while undermining a working class of not-so-merry men.
Read More...
For some people in our nation’s capital, being skewered on Saturday Night Live might be a badge of recognition and courage. But in White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer’s case, imitation is not the sincerest form of flattery. It’s ferocious satire that not only makes him look like an emotional train wreck, but also gets under his boss’s skin (not that that’s too difficult a task) to boot.
Read More...
There is nothing like a trip to our nation’s capitol to get a reality check. A few weeks ago, I was in Washington for a conference: A Meeting to Construct the Peace After the War. It was sponsored by the No Labels Foundation, an organization which positions itself as a voice for the “New Center,” the tens of millions of Americans who feel abandoned by both the Democratic and Republican Parties. No Labels also supports the bipartisan Problem Solvers Caucus in Congress, whose 80-plus members have called for a National Strategic Agenda that addresses job creation, Social Security and Medicare...
Read More...
In politics, hindsight isn’t always 20/20. In July of 2015, I began writing this column for The Huffington Post, advancing ideas and strategies as a pragmatic Republican. Like many pollsters and pundits, I was surprised by Donald Trump’s stunning victory over Hillary Clinton, although not totally shocked, having seen Michael Moore the week before the election explain why Democrats didn’t have a clue about Rust Belt voters. To better understand the outcome, I went back to review my thinking about Trump over the course of the campaign, to make more sense of this watershed moment in American...
Read More...
I’m standing on Pennsylvania Avenue watching Donald Trump’s Inauguration Parade. As he waves to the crowd, I try to shout, but my voice is drowned out by the screaming masses around me. I struggle to speak, but things start spinning and then I’m falling.
Read More...
The frenzied media build-up and record-setting audience for the initial Presidential Debate between Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton brought back memories of the first Muhammad Ali vs. Joe Frazier match in 1971 that was billed as The Fight of the Century. It had the entire country buzzing with excitement and anticipation, although in boxing terms, Trump/Clinton I was hardly an epic battle. Trump did have Clinton on the defensive early on, but from that point on, she dominated the action.
Read More...
As a fifth-generation Rockefeller, I was raised on the practical standards of what used to be known as Rockefeller Republicanism and later, Reagan Republicanism. One of the guiding principles of this political philosophy was to reach across the aisle to make progress on issues that would best serve the American people. We were above all a problem-solving party that was fiscally disciplined, fully accountable, less inflexible on social issues, and willing to compromise in order to get things done. I’m sad to say that the commonsensical “party of the people,” of which I was once proud to be a me
Read More...
Few things make me more suspicious than when a politician says, “trust me” or “that’s the honest truth.” In the 2016 presidential campaign, fact not only seems stranger than fiction; it often feels like a stranger.
Read More...
Forget the Democratic Convention, I’ve already made up my mind. I’m a lifelong Republican and I don’t like or trust Hillary Clinton. But I am voting for her.
Read More...
Over the past year, we’ve heard a lot about “feeling the Bern.” But there’s been another hot spot smoldering since late last summer that has somehow defied full ignition.
Read More...
If necessity is the mother of invention, when it comes to national politics, young people will need to be Patriarchs and Matriarchs 2.0.
Read More...
Sometimes, the more things change, the more they don’t stay the same. To sum up this current election cycle for the Republican Party in four words, “all bets are off.” With the vacuum that’s been created by the GOP’s implosion and internecine wars, it appears that no matter who wins the nomination, it’s going to be a fractured party. And while no one knows exactly what’s going to transpire in the months ahead, this rupture isn’t a question of “if,” it’s a matter of “how.”
Read More...
I love sports with a passion and follow many teams here in the Bay Area and around the country. I’m also a political junkie, and since my uniform reads Practically Republican, I focus less on individual stats than I do on the success of the team — in this case Team USA.
Read More...
Many of us who grew up in New York City have a personal bond with the NY Times, as it’s so much a part of the culture and heartbeat of the city. And being a news junkie, I believe one of the silver linings in the dark cloud of the Trump administration is that it’s forced the paper to be even more on top of its game in its political analysis and investigative reporting.
Read More...