Although the Republican Party has not truly represented a single value that it originally founded itself on in years, Donald Trump has helped to highlight how far the party and its voters have strayed into unrecognizable territory.
BREAKING: Michael London, Former GOP leader in Connecticut is resigning from the Republican Party Because of Trump
HE SAID THIS
“I blame President Trump for turning the Grand Old Party into a lame, extreme right-wing group of people unwilling or unable to see the truth.,”
— PoliticsVideoChannel (@politvidchannel) September 1, 2018
Michael London, a member of the Trumbull Republican town committee in Connecticut, wrote an op-ed in The Hartford Courant detailing why and then announced his resignation from the Republican Party in pure bridge-burning glory.
Half of me wants to congratulate Michael London for doing the right thing, but the other half wonders what took so long. The access Hollywood tapes, mocking a disabled reporter, Mexican rapist comments, McCain not a hero, insulting the the Khan family… it’s been out there 🤔😞 https://t.co/zK7Hr4rNTb
— Dave Plave (@daveplave) September 1, 2018
London wrote:
‘Trump is simply the worst president our country has had — ever. He is encouraging increased pollution and disavowing the need to halt climate change. He is taking credit for a strong economy when it was the previous president (like him or not) who set the current strong economy in motion. He has separated immigrant mothers and children. He has, more likely than not, supported (or participated in) collusion with an enemy.’
‘He is almost dictatorial and he has severely hurt our standing in the international community. People around the globe are laughing at us. His patriotism is really egotism…I can no longer ignore Trump’s lies and his verbal and physical abuse of women. Imagine the average man calling a woman a “dog” in his workplace and watch how quickly he is fired.’
Dear Michael London, I applaud your decision to finally say enough is enough. I wish more of your party supporting trump would show the courage to stand up and do what’s best for our country and realize what was once a political party you could take pride in is no longer.?? https://t.co/L2Nu7JmxcS
— Char (@hurricanechar3d) September 1, 2018
London also pointed to Trump’s campaign finance violations in payoffs to porn stars and Playboy bunnies, his cruel family separation policies, his verbal attacks on women, and his tax cuts for only the very wealthy as reasons for his defection.
The longtime Republican admitted that the experience of supporting the Republican Party under Trump has been painful, but leaving was nearly equally so.
‘Disavowing my party is no easy thing. I have made many friends over the years in the Republican Party. I am saddened by the fact that many will be more than offended by what I am saying. My decision was made after considerable soul-searching.
‘But I can’t take it any more. Trump does not represent true Republican values. He does not represent my values. I am leaving the Republican Party and, for the time being, will remain unaffiliated.’
Trump did not cause that. He merely reaped the benefits of groundwork the GOP has been doing since Nixon’s day. Groundwork Michael London presumably supported as long as the racism was dog whistles rather than audible. https://t.co/Cx3bIott7c
— CJ Lemire (@cjlemire) September 1, 2018
While many will decry London’s sentiments as too little, too late, it’s not likely that this will be the last Republican to finally, at long last, reach the limits of what they’ll accept in search of partisan control.
Featured image via Flickr by Gage Skidmore under a Creative Commons license
