A Failed Republican Party

The Republican Party has collectively failed the American people. By design, and with malice aforethought, it has advanced the rights, benefits, and wealth of corporate America and the wealthy at the expense of the rest of the country. Under the slogan of “Making America Great Again,” its leader has forgotten that America includes a great number of individuals who are not like him. He has prioritized his own personal wealth and financial well-being above all others. In doing so, he has made America great only for a narrow group of wealthy people and businesses.

Tariffs and the Cost to Workers

Tariffs have been imposed, mostly through illegal acts, under the misguided idea that they will bring back manufacturing jobs. Instead, manufacturing job numbers are plunging, down 75,000 to 100,000, as raw materials and components necessary for existing manufacturing have become more expensive and made American goods less competitive. Companies have been forced to freeze hiring, raise consumer prices, defer construction, and push damage downstream onto other blue-collar jobs in transportation and warehousing.

Foreign Policy and Economic Fallout

The war in Iran was foolishly started against the advice of presidential experts, as the president listened only to himself and to advisors whose jobs depend on agreeing with his whims. The result has been a weakening of the American military, an assault on the national debt, a depletion of defense supplies, a shattering of global reputation, the loss of many allies, and a 20% reduction in world oil supplies. That last consequence has raised gas prices, creating a ripple effect across consumer prices. Once again, the American consumer takes it on the chin.

Homeland Security Expansion and Waste

We now have a poorly trained federal force entering our cities and towns to enforce the will of the president. While this agency has a Homeland Security mandate beyond ERO, or Enforcement and Removal Operations, its recent 120% expansion was justified for that purpose. Its pre-2025 budget was less than $10 billion, but the president’s Big Beautiful Bill Act increased that budget to almost $30 billion.

Much of that ICE budget has been corrupted and wasted on real estate, facilities, and equipment that may never be used. Much of this spending occurred through emergency no-bid contracts. In one instance alone, $464 million was spent on an emergency no-bid contract to purchase a fleet of 10 used aircraft. Seven Boeing 737 jets were purchased and parked on a tarmac in Louisiana. The same emergency no-bid deal also included three luxury business Gulfstream-type jets incapable of transporting immigrants.

It should also be noted that Dr. William Walters, chairman of Daedalus Aviation and recipient of the no-bid contracts, was a campaign donor to Kristi Noem, who initiated the purchase. In a separate no-bid deal with another Walters company, nearly $700 million was spent.

Political Accountability

The Republican Party has stood idly by while this president ignored policies and procedures designed to protect the public trust and public treasure. It has allowed gross extravagance to flourish while services are cut, medical care becomes more expensive, grocery prices rise, gas prices climb, and the people who brought him to the dance are crushed by the consequences. The Republican Party must accept blame for his actions because it has enabled them.

That's my opinion, your mileage may vary, and objects in the mirror are closer than they appear.