The Republican party no longer reflects our values

To The Daily Sun,

I was raised and voted many times as a Republican. More recently, I voted for John McCain for president some years back, as I’m sure most Republicans also did. But the demise of the Republican Party to which I had ascribed began for me early-on in the last presidential election when Trump berated John McCain as not being a hero. After days and days, turning into weeks, then months, then years and years of incarceration and torture in service to our country, Trump had the audacity to say he wasn’t a hero. The downhill slide of Republican values has only gotten worse and worse ever since.

If you are a Republican and agree with me that John McCain is an incredible hero and that you supported his doctrine and election when he ran for president, then you have to ask yourself if your values have changed to agree with the Trump doctrine rather than McCain’s. You can’t have it both ways. Have you changed by agreeing with military dodger Trump, and supporting his actions and rhetoric just because he has that “Republican” label, rather than your gut feeling of knowing that your Republican Party no longer emulates your values? Doing horrendous irreparable harm to CHILDREN reaching out in tears as their distraught parents are taken away is now a Republican value? Where is the Republican outrage?

On the news the other night, it was reported that a large group of Republicans are not seeking reelection, either due to retirement or to disagreements with the principles put forth by President Trump. There was a statement recently that, if you don’t speak out, you are part of the problem. Those officials who disagreed with Trump and didn’t speak out are the problem.

Is there not one person or group that has the guts and integrity as TRUE Republicans to speak out against the rhetoric, the lies, and so many negative actions of the Trump administration and bring the Republican Party back to the values of McCain and Reagan? If not, count me out.

I welcome and respect Hunter Taylor as a fellow independent and commiserate with him that the present Republican Party no longer reflects our values. It is time for a change. The Republican Party has lost its way. Come on, Republicans! You’re better than that!

Everett McLaughlin

Gilford