slatten49 Loc: Lake Whitney, Texas

07/25/2016 02:30 pm 14:30:21 | Updated 19 hours ago

Chris Ladd, Former Republican Precinct Committeeman, Illinois

DENNIS VAN TINE/STAR MAX/IPX

Last week, I resigned my position in the York Township Republican Committeemen’s Organization. Below is the letter I sent to the chairman explaining my decision.
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Chairman Cuzzone:

We come together in political parties to magnify our influence. An organized representative institution can give weight to our will in ways we could not accomplish on our own. Working with others gives us power, but at the cost of constant, calculated compromise. No two people will agree on everything. There is no moral purity in politics.

If compromise is the key to healthy politics, how does one respond when compromise descends into complicity? To preserve a sense of our personal moral accountability we must each define boundaries. For those boundaries to have meaning we must have the courage to protect them, even when the cost is high.

Almost 30 years ago as a teenager in Texas, I attended my first county Republican convention. As a college student I met a young Rick Perry, fresh from his conversion to the GOP, as he was launching his first campaign for statewide office. Through Associated Republicans of Texas, I contributed and volunteered for business-friendly Republican state and local candidates.

From his fairy-tale wall to his schoolyard bullying and his flirtation with violent racists, Donald Trump offers America a singular narrative: a tale of cowards.

Here in DuPage County, I’ve been a precinct committeeman since 2006. Door to door I’ve canvased my precinct in support of our candidates. Trudging through snow, using a drill to break the frozen ground, I posted signs for candidates on whom I pinned my hopes for better government. Among Illinois Republicans I found an organization that seemed to embody my hopes for the party nationally. Pragmatic, sensible and focused on solid government, it seemed like a GOP Jurassic Park, where the sensible, reliable Republicans of old still roamed the landscape.

At the national level, the delusions necessary to sustain our Cold War coalition were becoming dangerous long before Donald Trump arrived. From tax policy to climate change, we have found ourselves less at odds with philosophical rivals than with the fundamentals of math, science and objective reality.

The Iraq War, the financial meltdown, the utter failure of supply-side theory, climate denial, and our strange pursuit of theocratic legislation have all been troubling. Yet it seemed that America’s party of commerce, trade, and pragmatism might still have time to sober up. Remaining engaged in the party implied a contribution to that renaissance, an investment in hope. Donald Trump has put an end to that hope.

From his fairy-tale wall to his schoolyard bullying and his flirtation with violent racists, Donald Trump offers America a singular narrative: a tale of cowards. Fearful people, convinced of our inadequacy, trembling before a world alight with imaginary threats, crave a demagogue. Neither party has ever elevated to this level a more toxic figure, one that calls forth the darkest elements of our national character.

With three decades invested in the Republican Party, there is a powerful temptation to shrug and soldier on. Despite the bold rhetoric, we all know Trump will lose. Why throw away a great personal investment over one bad nominee? Trump is not merely a poor candidate, but an indictment of our character. Preserving a party is not a morally defensible goal if that party has lost its legitimacy.

Preserving a party is not a morally defensible goal if that party has lost its legitimacy.

Watching Ronald Reagan as a boy, I recall how bold it was for him to declare ‘morning again’ in America. In a country menaced by communism and burdened by a struggling economy, the audacity of Reagan’s optimism inspired a generation.

Fast-forward to our present leadership and the nature of our dilemma is clear. I watched Paul Ryan speak at Donald Trump’s convention the way a young child watches his father march off to prison. Thousands of Republican figures that loathe Donald Trump, understand the danger he represents, and privately hope he loses, are publicly declaring their support for him. In Illinois our local and state GOP organizations, faced with a choice, have decided on complicity.

Our leaders’ compromise preserves their personal capital at our collective cost. Their refusal to dissent robs all Republicans of moral cover. Evasion and cowardice has prevailed over conscience. We are now, and shall indefinitely remain, the Party of Donald Trump.
I will not contribute my name, my work or my character to an utterly indefensible cause. No sensible adult demands moral purity from a political party, but conscience is meaningless without constraints. A party willing to lend its collective capital to Donald Trump has entered a compromise beyond any credible threshold of legitimacy. There is no redemption in being one of the “good Nazis.”

I hereby resign my position as a York Township Republican committeeman. My 30-year tenure as a Republican is over.

Sincerely, Chris Ladd

Postscript: Needless to say, the response to the letter has been stunning and overwhelming. I want to express my gratitude to the people who have shared so many kind thoughts. It was my intention to reply to each of the emails I’ve received, but I was snowed under by late last night and they keep piling up. Some of the warmest regards have come from right here in suburban Chicago. When I posted this letter I was prepared to face some anger here at home from fellow Republicans. Nothing of the kind has materialized. The only official response from the local GOP so far has been support, for which I am immensely grateful. It gives me hope. We may all come out of this debacle in better condition.
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BTW, I will not be voting for either Trump or Clinton....slatten49

PoppaGringo Loc: Muslim City, Mexifornia, B.R.

That is OK. Enough illegals will be voting for Hillary to compensate for your Webb vote. But then, a Webb vote is a Hillary vote.

Ricko Loc: Florida

Slatten49-for whom you vote is your choice. However, a non vote for Trump is a vote for Hillary. Democrats outnumber Republicans . So you are indirectly voting for one of them. Good Luck America !!!

Ricko Loc: Florida

Chis Ladd-thank you for your service to the party for the past 30 years. Regretfully, your decision could well enhance Hillary's chances of winning. With all of his faults, Trump is a better option than Hillary. I must admit that Trump was not my first choice but the man beat 16 qualified candidates to get where he is. He is not politically correct and has not yet learned that his choice of words have a tremendous effect on the populace. Since it is his first time seeking a political office, he is not apt to tell us what we want to hear as most professional politicians do. He is not part of the establishment and maybe that is exactly what we need to start cleaning up government. I believe our republican representatives in government have let us down and the citizenry is not willing to accept business as usual. That is the primary reason Trump is resonating with the populace. Do not forget, that Trump will surround himself with the best qualified people available so this will not be a solo flight. Conversely, Hillary is a continuation of Obama and a liberal SCOTUS for decades to come. Also, she has been wrong on every major foreign policy endeavor which she undertook while Sec. of State. With that in mind, I believe Trump is worth the risk. Once again, thank you on behalf of the Republican Party. Good Luck America !!!

slatten49 Loc: Lake Whitney, Texas

One could not coerce my voting for Trump if they threatened me by putting a gun to my head. IMO, he is a self-aggrandizing coward and demagogue...one who taps in on cultured soft spots to achieve power and wealth, etc. Having said that, I will admit to knowing and respecting many who will be voting for him for reasons I absolutely cannot fathom.* In this country, one is not required to explain their rationale. In any event, I would not ask it of them.

*I could almost accept as "the alternative to Clinton," but I see them equally as bad...in different ways.

slatten49 Loc: Lake Whitney, Texas

This, from a more gifted pair of writers than I:

Donald Trump as Angry Adolescent

Nancy LeTourneau; December 11, 2015

As a family therapist, I occasionally worked with adolescents who struggled because they were at a point where they were ready to mature past their parent’s level of development. For whatever reason, some people simply fail to grow up.

That is essentially how Mark Bowden describes Donald Trump based on an interview he did with him for Playboy magazine back in 1996. Here are a couple of the pertinent excerpts:

"Trump struck me as adolescent, hilariously ostentatious, arbitrary, unkind, profane, dishonest, loudly opinionated, and consistently wrong. He remains the most vain man I have ever met. And he was trying to make a good impression. Trump remains the only person I have ever written about who tried to bribe me.

He has no coherent political philosophy, so comparisons with Fascist leaders miss the mark. He just reacts. Trump lives in a fantasy of perfection, with himself as its animating force…

Apart from the comical ego, the errors, and the self-serving bluster, what you get from Trump are commonplace ideas pronounced as received wisdom…The ideas that pop into his head are the same ones that occur to any teenager angry about terror attacks. They appeal to anyone who can’t be bothered to think them through—can’t be bothered to ask not just the moral questions but the all-important practical one: Will doing this makes things better or worse? When you believe in your own genius, you don’t question your own flashes of inspiration."

Yep, that pretty well describes a lot of 13 year-olds I’ve met over the years.

Perhaps it is the “recovering therapist” in me talking, but I think that describes The Donald better than anything I’ve read about him so far.

It also explains why every time I’ve read/heard someone take a thoughtful approach to discussing Trump’s outburst-of-the-moment by diving into why they are not feasible, practical, constitutional, etc., my first reaction is to roll my eyes and move on. To do otherwise assumes that he has actually given them serious thought. He obviously hasn’t.

Personally, it’s hard for me to even imagine having a parent like that. But for anyone to suggest that he should be the leader of the free world is completely preposterous.
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Nancy LeTourneau is a contributing writer for the Washington Monthly

mongo Loc: TEXAS

I noticed you referred to putting a gun to your head, but not reduced calorie intake due to smaller portions. For a Marine, that could be a game changer!

SEMPER FI

PeterS

Nice post. The problem is, this guy sounded like an 'establishment' supporter and would have been rejected by todays conservatives anyway. It's nice to find there are still some republicans who have some character--it's just too bad they've been rendered irrelevant because they still believe what their party once stood for...

PeterS

Oh, not only that but we Democrats like to vote early and vote often. You guys simply don't stand a chance....

slatten49 Loc: Lake Whitney, Texas

There is a limit to my willingness to sacrifice, Mongo. "Reduced calories due to smaller portions " That sends a shiver down my spine.

SEMPER FI

P.S. Read my last thread before leaving for a while, "Draft-dodger Donald Trump said sleeping around was 'my personal Viet Nam." I hope you'll understand my reasons for posting it.

Radiance3

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Chris Ladd must create his own political party then. While democrats has not yet captured the majority forever. Very soon, they will be able to do that. The fact that Hillary Clinton will give amnesty to the 11 to 12 million illegal aliens, and increase Muslims in the US by 550%. That will give democrats forever edge in always winning the election. Only one party system will survive that is the Democrat Party. Then with one party, our country becomes under dictatorship. It will become a party called Democrat -Socialist Party of the US. Is this where you belong Slatten?

SalMarDib Loc: Fly over country

Wow! The Donald got a lot of votes in the primary election process. He won. What does that say about the Republican Party. Why are there no mainstream party people with greater appeal to the rank and file? If this truly represents the mood of the party whose fault is it? Sure, he is arrogant and says things without a filter. But you have to admit he has more going for him than the other "also ran's." He is successful. I would like to think he will bring that success to Washington. He is not a criminal like the Democrat running. He's not really a politician. The country on the whole blames politicians for the mess we are in. Electing a non-politician, successful businessman, get the job done kind of guy seems logical.

saltwind 78 Loc: Murrells Inlet, South Carolina

Sal, I just can't agree with you. I'm voting for Hillary. I don't believe a word of this Hillary is a crook stuff. She has been under intense investigation since Moby Dick was a minnow. Nine investigations, by the Republican Congress, no charges, an FBI investigation, no charges. It seems clear to me that the GOP has had a campaign of slander and liable against the Clintons since the election of Bill. It is true that Bill was a sexual predator. It is also true that he was one of the few Presidents in modern American history that brought us both peace and prosperity. Personally, I believe that those sexual problems concerning his infidelity were more of a marital problem than a state issue.
Be that it may, I really hate the Republican statement that Hillary was a enabler. Who would say such a thing. That is just another example of the depths of what the Republicans have done to American politics. The Donald may have reached a lot of bitter blue collar workers that support him, because he reflects that anger. Trump is a candidate that should really worry you. He has attacked ethnic, religious and even gays in his ramblings. He proposes that we cozy up to Putin by, dropping support for our NATO allies. He has stated that Japan and South Korea should develop nuclear arms and defend themselves. The man is clearly not a serious candidate. Can you imagine what this country would be like if he becomes the President. Right now, I would have to say that Donald Trump is the worst problem facing this country. I am not one of these conspiracy theory guys. I could not say that about any Presidential candidate in my lifetime, with the exception of Richard Nixon. It would be hard for me to think of a worse politician.

Randy131 Loc: Florida

GOOD RIDDANCE!!! People like you have not only compromised our morals, but also our principles and philosophies, and you do nothing but capitulate to the opponents of our morals, principles, and philosophies, the Democrats, and the proof is where we now find our country's culture and society (moral-less in Biblical teachings), far from what it was just a short 30 years ago, as you've allowed our 'Bill of Rights' to be decimated by your continuous compromises and capitulations, that has now made it irrelevant, and it is being assailed daily by those you have so graciously compromised and capitulated to. You, and people like you, are the reason Donald trump has won the way he has, for he is a disagreeable and crass ego-maniac, but at least he stands up for what he believes, and does what he says and promises, just the opposite of politicians like you, who promise one thing, and when you always fail to deliver on your promises, claim that politics is about compromise, but we never see the Democrats compromise on anything, just get the likes of you to capitulate, as they give you nothing but bread crumbs to try to keep your constituents happy, but we are tired of being played the fool for people like you, and now will accept the disagreeable and crass ego-maniac to accomplish what we've been promised, but have never received from the likes of you. It is easy to see why Donald Trump has received more primary votes than any Republican in the history of the US, and now the rats are leaving the sinking ship of constant and continuous compromises and capitulations, and good riddance to them all. I dislike Donald Trump, but am sane enough to know that he will be a hundred thousand times better President than Hillary Clinton, or the likes of people like you. If Hillary Clinton becomes President, this country will be destroyed long before we'll ever see the 'US Supreme Court' returned to the conservative side, where the 'US Constitution' will be protected, supported, and obeyed, and the 'Bill of Rights' that Obama, Hillary Clinton, and all the Democrats violate on a daily basis, will be destroyed and made irrelevant under the rule of the federal government. This is what people like you have given us through you never ending compromises and capitulations on everything we patriotic Christian conservatives hold dear, especially our religious freedoms, which do not exist under Obama, and will not exist under Hillary Clinton, and if she becomes President, probably will never exist again. The only thing that I regret from what you have said is that it has taken you too long to do what you've now promised, for you've brought destruction and decay to our morals, principles, and philosophies through your continuous playing the politics of compromise and capitulation, for which the Democrats never do, but only proclaim that elections have consequences, and do whatever they want, with your agreement. Your just too stupid to realize that GOD does not accept compromises, you either do as He proclaims, or you disobey Him.

saltwind 78 Loc: Murrells Inlet, South Carolina

Randy, What part of the Constitutional Amendments have been compromised by the Democrats? You still have the right to say whatever is on your mind, you have the right to attend any church you want, or none at all. You have every right that is in the US Constitution. What moral principles of yours are being violated by the US government ? I can't think of any.
Some of the things I've heard from Trumps mouth, not only violate real principles of the American nation, but clearly compels me to vote for Mrs. Clinton. Trump certainly is no conservative. He is no liberal either. He violates principles of both ideologies. He is part populist, part reactionary. He is a Trumpets. He is all mouth. He expresses himself with language that no President has used since Truman, but Truman was a President of high morality. Trump is not. At present he is facing two lawsuits for rape. His business deals have included some that have made millions for him, but nothing for construction workers and contractors. He has been sued so many times that there ought to be a special court, just for him. THE TRUMP FEDERAL AND STATE COURT FOR LAW CASSES INVOLVING TRUMP.