It’s no secret that internal discord within the Republican ranks has been raging for awhile. The most recent internal struggle over the Terry Schiavo case, in reaction to the frighteningly real power exerted by the Christian Right, has made more than a few of the Republican faithful question not only the direction of the GOP but who should be trusted to dictate policy.
The GOP has reached a watershed moment, yet it may go unnoticed by most, since how many people read the Omaha World-Herald?
One almost has to truly appreciate the history and singular political power of Harold Anderson, the now retired publisher of the Omaha World-Herald, to understand what it means when Anderson states in the Op-Ed pages of his own paper:
I would think that I’m not the only Republican who feels the party’s leadership has engaged in an irresponsible and perhaps unprecedented effort to subvert the traditional separation of government powers. How to express our disapproval?
And, it gets better.
I’m going to the Douglas County Election Commissioner’s office on Monday to change my political registration from Republican to Independent, while continuing to feel sympathy for Terri Schiavo and her parents and believing that the most compassionate course is to free her from her sad existence, Republican Party politicians to the contrary notwithstanding.
Anderson also stated:
The majority of Americans are simply outgunned when it comes to anything like “equal time” in the debate and legal maneuvering.Representing the minority viewpoint are people with their hands on the levers of power – President Bush, House Speaker Dennis Hastert, House Majority Leader Tom DeLay (and isn’t he a fine one to be lecturing on the “moral” way to handle the Schiavo case) and Senate Majority Leader William Frist – holders of the most powerful positions in the U.S. Congress and all members of the Republican Party. What do members of the relatively silent majority do? How do they speak out?
For Republicans who consider their party a captive of the religious right on matters like medical research and right-to-die legislation and now legislative intrusion into the judicial system, there is a way to at least feel more comfortable with their political consciences.
That way is to leave a party whose leadership is currently attempting to leave behind in the dust of American constitutional history the principle of separation of powers that has served this country well for more than 200 years.
This is pretty serious stuff from a life long Republican who, for decades, has used his position as the publisher of Omaha’s only major daily newspaper to obediently promote the ideas and policies of the GOP.
It would appear that the Grand Ol’ Party is being torn apart from the Heartland outward.
We shall see.
The original Op-Ed is here. (Subscription Only) but may be viewed here as well. (The last paragraph, which is the first quote in this post, is missing.)
