Leaving was never really an option. I stand by the blog’s tagline even now. There is no map to consult. Faced with choices A, B, C, and D, I’ve dropped the pencil, gotten up from the desk, and walked out. Leaving was never really option. Now I’ve done it anyway.
It has been heartening to read the messages of support. Nevertheless, this is a frustrating defeat. My personal effort to temper to party’s extremes, perhaps poorly conceived or even foolish from the outset, is now an official failure. There’s nothing left to accomplish here and no path to follow. Whatever comes next must be staked from the wilderness.
There have been achievements. Practice has turned me into a reasonably good short form writer. It may not have done the party any good, but those habits have lead to some quality communications at work. Seven years of constant research and writing have taught me a great deal. I’ve had opportunities to meet some fantastic people. And thanks to the outlet provided by the blog (which was my wife’s idea to start with), my wife doesn’t have to sit through endless political harangues.
Most of all, this blog has produced a unique little ecosystem. In the world of social media the term “comments section” has become a byword for bedlam. What you, the readers and commenters of this blog, have built here is the most remarkable achievement of these past seven years. I’ve been fascinated by what I’ve learned from the brilliant people who have made this space a home. You’ve tended this modest corner of the Internet, cultivated it, and shaped something impressive in a most unlikely environment.
Whatever comes next it should be informed by what failed and build on what worked at GOPLifer. There’s no sense in retaining a space under that title as anything other than an archive, but it will take time to make a transition. I’ve got a pretty intense day job to which I’m deeply committed. I have a very tolerant and supportive family who needs to see me on occasion. And I don’t have a clear plan yet. So the blog will be maintained for the coming months and I will be updating it.
Yesterday I took an important step, purchasing the domain name politicalorphans.com. It may not stick, but it feels right.
After a few days this wave of attention should pass and we’ll be back to the normal routine on the blog. We’ll all figure out what’s next as we go along. Leaving the party may have cut off some avenues of expression, but I won’t stop trying.
When I posted my resignation letter, Willie Nelson’s benediction seemed like a placid, conciliatory way out. It was not, however, the song that was playing in my head. Let me leave you with the anthem that won’t let me sleep.
Chris Ladd is a Texan living in the Chicago area. He has been involved in grassroots Republican politics for most of his life. He was a Republican precinct committeeman in suburban Chicago until he resigned from the party and his position after the 2016 Republican Convention. He can be reached at gopliferchicago at gmail dot com.
GOPLifer 
Welcome to the wilderness. You’re going to be here for a fair bit.
I use to be a regular in FrumForum, and all I can say is it took you long enough.
I actually remember your screen-name. Welcome. Yea, I held out for a long time. David’s still on that boat (more or less). I’m far from the last holdout.
David seems to still find something worth fighting for, even though his head was one of the first into the basket. I suppose hope dies at its own pace for everyone so maybe he’s just not there yet. Maybe he’s right to go in that direction; I don’t know the quickest route to end this descent into madness but I suspect it’s not possible. It just has to run its course.
Best of luck in your new endeavor.
@indy: I honestly couldn’t say whether Frum’s just being intentionally ignorant, still officially being a part of the Republican Party, or whether he still hasn’t come to terms with what led the GOP to this sordid point. To each to their own, I suppose. He’ll come to it on his own sooner or later, as you say.
I have long liked to say that I used to be “center right” but they moved the center on me. But still I remained with the party I was raised in, believing that people were good, and kind, and that the government didn’t need to spend all its time, energy and money trying to keep people from screwing each other.
Even before Trump burst onto the scene, I felt a bit like my party left me. I’ve watched this year in slow motion, seeing nothing left of the party of morals and that I thought I belonged to. And as a fellow Illinoisan, I have felt first-hand the effects of what happens when a businessman used to getting his way holds a government hostage.
I haven’t officially changed my party affiliation yet, but I think I’m going to very soon. I can’t be part of this anymore. It’s just more than I can bear.
Check your state’s rules about changing party affiliation so that you don’t get caught at the polls..
I’m in Illinois, where we have open primaries. The only problem I could imagine would be about signing petitions for potential candidates– one can only sign a petition if you voted in that candidate’s party’s primary last. Aside from that, we don’t have a lot of issues that I know of.
Hillary Clinton has tried to play seizures CLOSER LOOK In-front of camera
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rvJZwjzc0eI
Meaningless, meadul hassan. Give it a rest. Participate like an adult capable of clear expression.
What Bobo said. Act like an adult or go to your room and let the adults talk.
Not a coincidence that Trump is against raising the minimum wage- got to hire those trolls dirt cheap!
Lol pretty lazy troll job. Is there ANYone on Trumps payroll who isn’t incompetent?
Teddy Cruz is getting some backlash:
‘Kellyanne Conway, who was the president of a pro-Cruz super PAC and now is an adviser to Mr. Trump, said the statement reflects the Mercers’ feelings about defeating Mrs. Clinton in the fall and “how grievously piqued they were to watch Ted’s convention stunt on Wednesday night.”
Ms. Conway added, “They supported Ted because they thought he was a man of his word who, like them, would place love of country over personal feelings or political ambition.” ‘
All the anguish over the broken pledge interests me. I do believe that in the vast majority of cases you should keep your word (and you should also be extremely selective in the pledges you do chose to make). But every rule has its exceptions. When is breaking your word the more ethical option? Anyone who has watched “Game of Thrones” and/or read the books it is based on is familiar with the rather complex and fascinating character of Jaime Lannister. For those who haven’t, Jamie is a knight who is a member of the Kingsguard and took a very sacred oath to protect the King, no matter what. One of the Kings he guarded turned out to be insane and evil and during a rebellion he ordered the equivalent of a nuclear strike on the capital city- to basically burn thousands and thousands of innocent people to death with magical fire. Jaime broke his oath and killed the mad King, preventing that (but forever tarnishing his reputation). Not that I’m implying that Ted Cruz has even a fraction of the honor of a Jaime Lannister (Ted did the right thing for mostly self-serving reasons), but I think there are rare occasions when it is better to break an oath than keep it. If you think Trump as President would be bad for our republic, your duty is clear. No matter what pledges you made.
For the life of me, I can’t see being a supporter of either Cruz or Trump, so I’m having a little difficulty working up any sense of disappointment about Cruz’ self-serving grandstanding at the GOP convention. Supporters of either of these men frankly deserve what they get/got. I don’t/won’t.
I’ve been thoroughly amusing by it 1mime. But now the Dems need to stop being stupid in that area. They had better deal decisively with the fallout of that e-mail hack. IIRC Wasserman-Schulz is no longer DNC head, and she’s yanked from the convention speakers list, but I think another head or ten ought to roll.
I agree, Fly. It’s so frustrating. Just when it seemed everything was auguring well for the Convention, we get the Wasserman-Schultz drama. What was she thinking? She shouldn’t be allowed to get anywhere near the podium. Apparently Donna Brazile will be taking over the position.
Wasserman Schultz should have been changed out years ago. Part of the problem within the Democratic Party heirarchy is that it is not open to new participation. This is never healthy for the organization they “serve”…because it ultimately compromises independence. I’m glad she’s gone and hope it doesn’t roil the convention any more than it has already. They’ll just have to deal with it. Donna Brazille is a quality interim replacement.
My real question is why do oaths taken to Grover Norquist and to the RNC trump the oaths they took when they took office?
Cruz may have done it for political reasons but he was right. It just means that his political instincts are better than Paul Ryan’s.
I have spoken about the Grover Norquist charade for a long time. All I can say is that those who comply with him lack the moral courage to hold their office. As for Cruz – his address was pure politics and pure Ted Cruz self-aggrandizement. He is a dangerous man and I would like nothing better than to put he and Donald Trump in a dark, padded, locked room and let them have at each other. Neither of these men deserves to even be a candidate. Trump may really want to be “king”, but Cruz wants to be “god”. The latter alarms me more.
Best, most thoughtful, well-reasoned, constructive and sincere conservative writing. Been reading for years. Often read back to back with Coulter columns, which deliver nothing but ignorant, illogical, destructive, though insincere (money-making) Trumped up outrage to remind myself that not all Republican are haters.
http://talkingpointsmemo.com/edblog/trump-putin-yes-it-s-really-a-thing
Over the last year there has been a recurrent refrain about the seeming bromance between Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin. More seriously, but relatedly, many believe Trump is an admirer and would-be emulator of Putin’s increasingly autocratic and illiberal rule. But there’s quite a bit more to the story. At a minimum, Trump appears to have a deep financial dependence on Russian money from persons close to Putin. And this is matched to a conspicuous solicitousness to Russian foreign policy interests where they come into conflict with US policies which go back decades through administrations of both parties. There is also something between a non-trivial and a substantial amount of evidence suggesting Putin-backed financial support for Trump or a non-tacit alliance between the two men.
If someone could find a few smoking guns in that one- do your job press!
Hope journalists do their job and really dig into their relationship.
Trump needs to get the exact same level of scrutiny that Hillary got. Fair is fair.
No kidding! Let’s see – if they start today, that gives them a little over 3 months to catch up with the 30+ years they’ve been scrutinizing Hillary. Gotta start sometime….Think it will happen? Are our media so bound to ratings that they will abdicate any professional responsibility for equal treatment for exposing both candidates weaknesses?
Is the press even looking? Or, are they so fixated on H that trump is getting a pass on serious conflicts of interest? Where’s the outrage for the fact that he hasn’t released his income tax returns, or the lawsuits about Trump U., or him cheating on wifes #1 & 2 while pandering to the right wing religious group, or the shakedown of contractors at his projects, or, or, or……
Can you imagine the ppl (and there are several here in this blog as if late) who support Trump because they somehow think hes going to be good the the issues they think are important, which he clearly gives no shits about?
This guy had absolutely ZERO input on the platform because he could not care less about it…..except he dispatched his goons to strong arm them to remove a plank about sending military assistance to Ukraine against Russia.
It boggles the mind.
Couldn’t make Putin unhappy, now could he?
Well I will say this, at least the Republican party nominee has been an excellent muse for the visually artistic. The following image currently available in the scrum of the internet might now be considered one of the more lighthearted examples: )
Hot hot hot.
https://scontent-iad3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/12933012_261144720887783_5928795403493885265_n.jpg?oh=1c01aa59d17f99287686c4df80c35bea&oe=57EB4D28
Sums it up nicely
http://www.vox.com/2016/7/22/12247432/republican-convention-trump
It’s a shame that I only found you through your letter of resignation post and that I arrived here, at this blog, only to learn of its end. I am one of the strangers; not one of the family. But I will look for your politicalorphans.com because in that resignation letter, whether it was your intention or not, you spoke to and for a far broader group of people.
Catch up with Ladd’s posts by reading through his archives. You’re in for a treat. He will be posting under the PoliticalOrphans.com moniker so you’ll have the chance to become a member of “his” family. It’s civil, intelligent, and wicked funny occasionally. You will also learn a great deal as all who post there make an effort to support their opinions/beliefs with solid argument and interesting links to various sources. It will broaden you.
My first time seeing your blog that I know of was reading this article and your resignation.
My first comment was on your resignation post.
As someone who writes a theology/volunteer blog I am not expert in politics but I wish you incredibly well no matter what you pursue in the future.
I think with a sharp intellect like yours and a great writing ability to boot you’ll do great things 🙂
Just make sure you put those talents to use making the world a better place!
– The Smiling Pilgrim
I’m so glad somebody has checked in with how Jeb! has been doing, I was so worried he would be forgotten.
http://www.theonion.com/article/low-energy-jeb-whispers-jeb-bush-sitting-alone-dar-53298
Mime, regarding Kaine, the more I hear about/see this guy, the more I think he’s a great pick. Shame on me for making up my mind without being fully informed 🙂
In an age of Grumpiness, boring is the new cool.
*Trumpiness
Damn autocorrect.
I also really like Kaine. Hopefully he can run for president in 2024, when Clinton’s second term is up (if everything goes how most expect it to anyways).
I have done some missionary work for a few weeks in a poor country. The fact he spent a year doing that tells me a ton about his character and toughness.
Let us hope that the ratings driven media will take a break from purile reporting and try to offer something beautiful to its audience. How rare is it to have a politician who has Kaine’s background. Celebrate that! Heck, emulate that – clone it!
Also, Mr. Kaine’s Spanish is EXCELLENT. It’s the perfect antidote against Mr. Trump, and a healing balm, for the Hispanic community.
And, “nice” is so rare. I think this will come out as they campaign. After all, the man must know how to campaign and do a good enough job at it to have won the offices he’s held. The contrast between Pence (rigid, narrow faith) and Kaine (embracing, kind faith – actually practiced) will come out.
Kaine also has some major civil rights cred- he once litigated for people who were facing housing discrimination. Unlike Trump, he has an actual record of public service.
Hi Chris
I don’t think you need to change your “name” – you have not left the GOP it has left you!
I think you should hang onto the GOPLifer – and start referring to the GOP as the “Usurpers”
Duncan, I totally agree. I remember the “real” Republican Party of my youth–the party of President Eisenhower, of Governor Theodore McKelden, and I marvel at the fact that Chris seems to remember them so clearly even though his age belies that possibility, and Brown v. Board is something he learned, not something he lived.
I think the name Rino is used backwards today. I think the angry, irrational, monochromatic denialists–denying science, denying diversity, denying responsibility, denying the legitimacy of alternative opinions–those are today’s “Republicans in name only.”
So Chris, I’m writing this reply to agree with Duncan, but it’s meant for you too. Remember who the Rinos are, and don’t let the fact that you are not one of them cause you to strike your colors. Because they are the Rinos, and you really are (still) GOPLifer. And the Real Republicans will still need flags to rally ’round in the coming years.
Dear Lifer (and friends),
I am a 66 year old white male, and a Democratic Party Lifer.
No snark or spiking the ball here. I sincerely respect your agonizing choice and (to paraphrase “one of ours”) I feel your pain.
The process you describe, and the conclusion you reach is extremely difficult, but tempered with integrity.
Though our views on many things surely differ, I respect you for holding true to yourself, and wish you well in your quest for the next right place to stand.
Back to the political grind, Trump rolling out his new strategy to finally get the female vote.
Maybe lacking a bit?
On recently fired sexual harasser Roger Ailes:
“Chuck Dodd asked Trump about the allegations against Ailes, and the candidate replied, “Well I don’t want to comment. But he’s been a friend of mine for a really long time. And I can tell you that some of the women who are complaining, I know how much he’s helped them. ”
Jesus Christ. Can you imagine the tone deafness and flat out slap in the face to call women who have been put through, by all accounts, some pretty shocking harassment for such a large and professional corporate entity. In Trumps mind, its disloyal ofnthese women to speak up. They should just be happy they have jobs, and quietly submit to their male superiors unwanted sexual advances.
This guy is such a tremendous friend to women. Very, very good friend . The BEST friend. The women love him.
That follows his campaign manager saying on camera that women would vote for Trump because they are concerned about their husbands’ paychecks. Chris Matthews (doing the interview) was so stunned he just responded by asking if he (Manafort) was aware of what he just said on live TV.
The degree of delusion here just astonishes me. However, I work and socialize with people who have analytical minds, so I need these periodic reminders that there are people, far too many people, out there who can’t be troubled to think.
I had not heard that! In this day and age when women are also breadwinners (even if they get paid less for doing the same job)!
Man, that ought to be a great ad. But, there are so many opportunities….how to choose?
Another thought about Manafort’s veiled threat about their husband’s paychecks….If ever there was an ad that spoke directly to women – especially younger women – a class that H needs to mobilize in her behalf, this is it.
“I’ve got a pretty intense day job to which I’m deeply committed. I have a very tolerant and supportive family who needs to see me on occasion.”
I don’t know if this is the right time to ask but how do you manage to stay on top of the news so well when you’re so busy? Do you spend at least an hour a day reading from several specific news sites you have bookmarked? Do you just watch a lot of TV news from certain channels? Do you just browse alot from all kinds of sites without any sort of plan of which ones to read? Do you subscribe to any papers? I’m curious if you have any “tips” on how to stay so well-informed because while I’m not surprised when professional pundits can do it since that’s their full-time job how does someone with less free time do it?
I suppose politicalorphans.com isn’t a bad name. I would’ve gone with fortherepublic.com or even arepublicifyoucankeepit.com… Maybe that last one is too long.
Regardless, I’ll be sure to keep track of where the spirit of this blog takes you. I look forward to much reading and discussions after the healing that must occur first.
I’d take some time and just log off for a month. Go spend time with your family. Learn German. Call your grandma. Take a walk.
We’ll be here when you return.
And whatever you do, Lifer, throw away that drill that you used in the dead of winter to drill holes for signs!
Nah you always want to hang on to a tool if you can, you never know when you’re going to need it. Accumulate enough of them you’ll have one on hand for many (though never all) situations.
That was a joke, Griffin. I wouldn’t want Lifer to turn into the “equalizer” in HD (-;
Oh my bad on missing the joke haha.
Interesting thought though, Lifer as a badass vigilante… nope, can’t even picture it haha no offense Chris.
I doubt Denzel Washington fears any competition on his “equalizer” role (-;
Great movie, though. So well thought out.
That’s the second time someone commented on my “obtuse humor”….guess I’ll have to work on being: funny more often, or, offer a “tell”.
I found the deadpan funny, but Germans do have a reputation when it comes to comedy.
I’ll have to work harder on my “humor” skills, EJ. Too many smart people are missing my below the radar satire…..so, practice, practice!
Yes it was probably funny it’s just my fault for not knowing virtually anything about the Equalizer beyond him murdering the entire Russian Mafia with a nail gun, something I think we can all relate to.
I’m a big Denzel Washington fan…dark humor and his movies *always* are so well designed. I love cleverness…And, of course, the “good guy” always wins. There is that (-;
Of all the internet corners I frequent, this is where I consider my “home port” so to speak. I have no doubt all the regulars will follow you to any new domain Chris. Looking forward to your posts as we move towards to November.
Chris, you don’t need a party to be a great writer, to have integrity, or to act on your ethics. Your voice counts as evidenced by all the support you have here and in your personal life. I look forward to reading your thoughts going forward.
Chris, in saddened to see that you’ve left this GOP. I hope you’ll continue to inform our democratic conversation by your insights. While I may a oppose your suggested solutions to our problems, I will be forever grateful for your input, given in a mutually respectful and substantive fashion. This is the kind of democratic political process that we all can be proud of and share in.
Sincerely,
Mike Largent
I love the concept of ‘Political Orphans’. That term not only deals with the many increasingly unaffiliated and disaffected voters, but extends to my experience of this year, where it feels even friends and loved ones have deviated so far off course of meaningful dialog as to make me feel orphaned and isolated from the public discourse.
If there’s an opportunity to moderate and continue a political discourse that one finds in your comment sections, it’s a great opportunity to take. It’s difficult, because politics upset people because they risk livelihoods, but I think cultivating a community is a very good idea for pushing forward.
You know Formdib, just as Lifer didn’t leave the Republican Party, it left him, so did your “friends” leave you. I’ll bet your beliefs and positions haven’t changed one iota. Theirs have. Consider that and feel good about where You are.
Beliefs and positions should change with new information and evolving needs.
Values, necessarily, follow, requiring regular and consistent self reflection and self criticism to ensure you are living your values and prioritizing the ones that matter.
It’s principles that shouldn’t change, or having had changed only added values to become stronger and better.
I can’t say that my friends are unprincipled people, but what I can say is that they’re lacking the self-reflection and self-criticism aspect to fully consider whether their positions and beliefs fully follow from their values and that their values fully follow from their principles.
Good distinction, formdib. Principles should be static.
Please keep me on your list. I will continue to follow your thoughts. It’s important to keep a dialogue going.
George Takei’s attempt to avoid repeating history:
http://www.vox.com/2016/7/23/12260198/george-takei-trump-japanese-internment
Check out this lame-ass attempt at rebuttal:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BZKTI9Hwh5s
Of course he’s a truther!!!
Including a laugh track doesn’t make you funny.
I still can’t get used to idea of the internet and social media being totally public. What seems like a private letter from Lifer to his party boss, which he then shared with us on his blog, a seemingly small, private group, is suddenly “news,” and it attracts a slew of “strangers,” with both good and bad will, including this video you posted that made me cringe that I couldn’t get past the first minute, and I feel that Lifer’s sincere words and thoughts are now being thrown all over the internet and treated with disrespect. I know that publicity comes with both positive and negative consequences, but still, I find the whole public aspect of the internet disconcerting.
You have to be amused by a would-be policy expert who promises to “vet the shit out out” someone. And the truther paranoia isn’t terribly credible. And the fake stand-up nightclub routine as a way to convey an argument…with a laugh track…thanks. We’ll be in touch.
What a dumbass
Dumbass calls out Chris for not “mentioning a single thing about a single Donald Trump policy”. It’s kind of hard to do a lot of critiquing on policies that either completely change at a moment’s notice or have practically ZERO DETAILS about how they would be implemented. Nevertheless dumbass could have looked further into the blog and found plenty of critiquing of what was there to be critiqued. Also lack of character matters, and Trump has one of the biggest character deficients I’ve ever seen in someone not yet convicted of any serious felonies.
YouTube allows so many morons to pontificate.
What? An idiot on YouTube?! That’s impossible! I get all my newz from the tube because they wouldn’t let just ANYONE post whatever they want, all of those people are more than qualified and well-read TRUTH-SEEKERS who arent afraid of informing the public of the reptilian jews who lord over us from their UFO’s! The fact you would all doubt them is sooooo sad… WAKE UP SHEEPLE!!!
Jet fuel can’t melt Ron Paul!!
Steel Beams for president 2016!!!!!%^*$&!!
In Mike Judge’s “Office Space”, there’s a character called Michael Bolton. When asked if he wants to change his name, he replies “why should I change? He’s the one that sucks.”
By the same metric, I don’t see why you should have to change your blog name. You’re not the one that sucks.
Yes! That’s exactly how I feel about the party right now.
Bravo for your integrity and courage.
Good luck Lifer I will definitely continue to follow your work. I think you made the right decision stepping out of the party at this moment. You don’t want to have to explain to people how you were an active Republican during the Trump nomination ten years from now. I imagine that could get the same reaction as saying you voted for the American Independent Party today.
Chris,
My first experience of your writing, intellect and wisdom was your column about the 2014 elections via the Houston Chronicle website. I was hooked because I remembered what it was like to be a young conservative in Houston in the ’60s-’70s. You had to be on your toes, civil in discourse (most of the time), but always smart and grounded in the facts. I thought, this guy reminds me of what reasonable Republicans used to be like. For multiple reasons, I now am a California Democrat who (likely) will never vote for a Republican again. I say likely because, at 64, it’s not likely the GOP will morph into a sane movement in my lifetime. I have seen the damage it’s done to the country and to public discourse and I just can’t find a reason to be a part of it. But what I mean to say here is, as an occasional follower, I don’t think you’ve failed. You’ve given people food for thought and created a place where liberals/progressives and conservatives/libertarians might find common ground to talk about the fate the nation and the world. If you thought you could beat back the 24/7 manipulative vitriol and outright lies of Fox News, then yes, you were unrealistic to think that. But we must always speak truth to power in the place and time and circumstances we find ourselves. It’s frustrating that sometimes we have to resort to “Well, it’s about process,” but that’s where this blog may be today. But perhaps not tomorrow. We await your next adventure. Thanks, Nick
Hi, Chris –
I’m a former GOPer. I was a lifelong member of the party, until 2010, when the new GOP majority seemed to lose its mind and all sense of a commitment to governance. It was not pleasant walking away.
I have been following you for quite some time now, cheering you on in your quest to make the GOP a party of responsibility and good governance. Your articles have constantly given me hope, knowing there were thoughtful, responsible folks still at work in the party. I’ve shared those (and your book) widely, especially among friends who also served in the military with me, then became disillusioned with the party that we all grew up serving.
I’m sorry to see you have your hopes for the party compromised, but I thank you for the work you’ve done and look forward to following your next chapter.
Respectfully –
John Belt jwbelt@gmail.com
>
The song that has been playing in my head since last night as I read all the posts of support and good will:
I feel it in my fingers
I feel it in my toes
Love is all around me
And so the feeling grows
I will follow you to your new domain. Please note here when it happens, as my RSS bookmark points to “goplifer.com” for now, still. Thanks for confirming I’m not the only one who thinks this way. Thanks twice for continuing to engage past the point I did (1992, and again, damn you Pat Buchanan). Thanks three times for attracting the sane & rational to your comments section.
I’m very pleased to read that the blog will continue. It truly is a small oasis of civil political discourse, and I enjoy learning new things and looking at issues from others’ perspectives. In some ways we have become sort of a family.
Chris, your resignation letter has blown up. It has been posted on my Facebook feed about five times (and none by me, because they beat me to it), all with comments about how admirable the ideas you expressed are, for either party, really. Maybe you should hire an agent!
I look forward to more of your insightful writing, at whatever URL you choose to use.
Yeah, it’s 9:50 pm and I’m just reading 1:37 posts….And I’ve been working at it all day as I could. I must say I am disappointed by most (not all) of the comments by those who are Trump supporters. Unsurprisingly, they are very superficial in their justification. Oh, well, I guess I’m really not surprised. Maybe I’ll have a gin and tonic, too (-; just cuz
Been there, done that, mime (meaning the G&T, not the reading of Trump supporter comments).
I, too, was a lifelong Republican. My grandfather was the Registrar of Republicans in the town where I grew up. My mother pushed me in a stroller as she went door-to-door in new neighborhoods to register voters. I did, however, leave the party earlier than you. When I moved to Baltimore – where Democrats reigned at the time – I became on so that I could vote in a primary where my vote might make a difference. Since moving to North Carolina I have been registered as an Independent (which allows me to vote in either primary – I voted in he Republican primary here earlier this year – a vote simply against both Trump and Cruz, thereby trying to make the tiniest bit of a difference). Thank you for your words and your rationality – you have written much of what I have thought. Keep on keepin’ on.
This little “Lifer ecosystem” is a direct result of the quality of the posts which attracted a group of people who prefer to employ intellectual dialogue to rants, and who generally appreciate the effort involved in the depth of your writing. I agree that it is a special group – the kind of people one hopes one day to have a chance to meet. A family of sorts bonded by interest, intellect, and the desire for an America that embraces all people. Even those whose views are conservative I think will agree with that statement. What you’ve done is show us the way, the consequences of taking the wrong fork in the road, and what “could be” if our destination is something bigger than ourselves.
That’s what you’ve created, Chris, and you can be very proud. Your archives will survive you and they will help form a bridge between good people of different ideologies. In the end, we all really want the same thing: fairness, opportunity, and acceptance.
Firing up the grill this afternoon 1mime, what’s your poison. I will cook you some fresh vegetables right out of my garden.
Not that I’m inviting myself, but are you icing down a cooler of beer Tex?
I’d like to order a swordfish steak with grilled mushrooms and onions, please.
I can supply array of beers from these shores. Whether it be Czech pilsner, German lager or British ale, the Old World does some good beer and I’m happy to share it with my New Word friends.
I have a few very good cookie recipes!
Cookies and beer? I have died and gone to purgatory. Yes RoR , ice cold beer and the grill going. This blog is what America is about, the best aspects, well done Mr Ladd. (Golf clap).
Okay I’ll bring a smoked ham and brisket.. Ej, you bring the beer and I’ll whip up a big batch of margaritas.
Iced down for hours watermelon.
I’m sorry, Tex, I missed my BBQ invite! Email overload…..How about some fresh corn in the shucks. MMMMM good!
I, too, was impressed (almost stunned) by the civility and intelligence of GOPLifer’s comments. As someone who would never, ever consider voting for a Republican, I have found your blog so very thought-provoking. You are an admirable and articulate man, Chris, and I hope you continue to challenge those of us all along the political spectrum.
Your blog has been a home and haven for many of us political orphans Chris. I know I speak for many of the old timer on this blog, you move and we go with you. As a former Republican I feel your pain but you did the right thing.
Just having found you and your blog right here in Illinois, I will keep listening and maybe conversing. It is time for those of us who treasure ‘worthy opponents’ in this weird party system to talk with one another. You may be launching a whole new way to stand up and show up and bridge the imagined divides.
I have learned much here. The Politics Of Crazy is on my end table along with some of my other favorite books. Peace be the journey Chris.
I have not commented before, but have been following your posts for many months. I wanted to say “thank you” for all the thoughtful work you have done, and I look forward to seeing whatever direction your posts take in the future. I am a long-time liberal who finds your ideas well-conceived and thought-provoking. I can well understand your feeling that the “Trump Train” is headed over that cliff, and I’m glad you are not going off it with the rest of the sheep!
Listening to Hillary introduce Tim Kaine, and oh is she ripping the Trumpster a new one. She’s really hammering him on the “I alone can fix this” attitude.
Looking forward to the next epic Twitter taunt. Can Donny make 8th grade level?
Kaine’s talking right now about his litigation against practices like redlining. His history is certainly a contrast to that of Trump.
If the trend of optimism beating pessimism in politics continues, then Trump is in trouble. That was a very optimistic and uplifting set of speeches given by team Dem. They didn’t spare Trump, but they didn’t neglect to lay out reasons to vote for them. I don’t think you could get a starker contrast to Trump’s American Apocalypse speech Thursday night. Kaine impressed me.
Poor Trump, he’s worn his fingers down to just little nubs with his Twitter taunts. The man seethes with hatred, I think he’s mentally ill.
I was very impressed with Kaine’s speech and it was clear that Hillary was thrilled with his performance. And it was so refreshing to hear an optimistic address after all the negativity and hatred that the Republicans served up last week.
The optimism needs to carry over to the convention. Like the debates up to this point, a principled, peaceful inclusive convention with emphasis on policy, real policy to show the contrast of the two parties. Anyone with a right mind could tell the difference between the parties just by watching the debates.
Now, now, Fly. He’s got little fingers….he’s typing as fast as he can ………
Sounds like you have a good plan. I still think you shouldn’t quite yet permanently give up on the Republican party, as it’s possible there will be an attempt at recovery if Trump loses. Look at Jeff Flake and John Kasich as a examples of opposition to Trump within the party. Flake, after an obviously joking excuse for not showing up in Cleveland, has tweeted support for Hillary’s VP pick. Kasich, after explicitly refusing to endorse, has said Trump may lose Ohio. There are still people who may say “it’s time for a change” in 2017.
That said, I’d really like discussing how to make our political system more inclusive. The problem we have is that first-past-the-post balance-of-powers strongly favors a 2-party system, and so in recent history alternate views have to work within the primary system. The increasing dogmatism of the two parties (primarily the Republican, but the Democrats are starting to catch up) makes it increasingly hard for alternative views to find a voice. One disagreement with doctrine and you’re a *INO from the other side.
One thing that’s helping a *little* out here in California is the jungle primaries. Jungle primaries amplify internal party disagreements, and allow non-party members to actually influence the outcome in single-party controlled areas, because they get to vote between two members of the dominant party (as opposed to voting for a candidate doomed to lose) The atmosphere hasn’t changed much but the governance seems genuinely better since that passed.
Don’t forget Sasse. He has certainly impressed me even if he’s pretty green.
California is doing good work. Keep us posted Fair Economist. There are isolated “good” things happening in other states as well. They need more exposure and validation so that they can be replicated (independent voting district commissions vs gerrymandering). I for one am very interested in efforts to make it easier to vote and there are states using technology and other means to achieve that. It’s hard to make change happen but it is slowly coming. However, I am convinced that if the voters of our nation send an affirmative message to the Republican Party by voting Trump as President, we will digress decades.
I’m very glad to hear this. By all means, take your time, live your life out in the real world, and figure out the next steps. You couldn’t help save the GOP from itself, at least not this time, but you communicate good ideas that need to be discussed and tinkered with and ultimately tested out. I think there will be opportunities for you to help pick up the pieces in the future.
You are very right about the atmosphere here. I lurk many places, but I’m selective with where I choose to comment. I linked your last post to one of those places, and sure enough there was a remark about the intelligent life in the comments section. We can all be proud of that.
Also thanks to your wife for suggesting the blog.
A quote from JFK: “Sometimes party loyalty demands too much.” So true. It should never demand that you give up your dignity and integrity, or violate your conscience. It should never demand that you not speak up if you see something wrong, or follow blindly over the cliff. It is a means, not the ends.
Excellent blog, terrific posts and congrats on bringing much-needed critical thinking to a party that seems to vilify such pursuits. Don’t quit; press conservative thinkers to reconsider tired biases, come into the new world of 21st century America and attract rather than repel people of patriotic goodwill.
Ryan Gierach 323) 309-1192 historian, journo, thinker
I love the new name! It fits like a glove. Chris I can’t truly explain what a relief it has been to find a writer who can accurately express my thoughts and values for me when sometimes I haven’t been able to fully quantify them myself. Being an intellectual outsider in this hyper-partisan game is lonely. This site has been a comfortable and thought-provoking place for me. Thanks!
Your blog has been the best political commentary on the web–the opinion of someone who has not voted Republican above the county level in 15 years.
With 25% of Americans, me included, disliking both Clinton and Trump, there are a lot of political orphans in this country right now.
Please keep posting when you can!
Thank you for your courage. We can disagree on policy, but we cannot disagree on facts. A voice of reason such as yours has no place in what used to be the party of Lincoln and Ike.
I like political orphans And I liked the closing of the resignation letter Showed it to my boss (Charlie Swift, of Hamdan v Rumsfeld) and he quoted his mom from Goldwater days: I didn’t leave the party, the party left me.
Christina A. Jump
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Christina, your Charles Swift is quite a guy.
For anyone not familiar, it’s worth taking a few minutes to read up on the case prior to reading this document–The transcript of Swift’s testimony to the Senate Judiciary Committee regarding recommended methods for trying detainees:
http://fas.org/irp/congress/2006_hr/071106swift.html
Well thought out, well documented. Very impressive.
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That is one of the most impressive examples of truth to power I’ve ever read. Thank you for posting that link. I hope that’s required reading for all law students. Charlie Smith, you are a great American.
“The trouble with fighting for human freedom is that one spends most of one’s time defending scoundrels. For it is against scoundrels that oppressive laws are first aimed, and oppression must be stopped at the beginning if it is to be stopped at all.”
H. L. Mencken
US editor (1880 – 1956)
This is what Trump and his fearful law&order crowd don’t get. The treatment of the worst of the worst is a critical indicator. If criminals and suspected terrorists get due process, the honest citizen can rest easier.
To his everlasting credit, Pres. Obama has tried (unsuccessfully) to close Guantanamo Bay Prison for his entire tenure. Republicans have blocked him on each attempt. It begs the question….what are they afraid of? That more heinous revelations will be revealed like those in the petition of Charles Smith?
$&@% autocorrect. Swift.
Brings to mind the outstanding movie on the same subject, “A Few Good Men”.
Your one of this liberals favorite conservatives.
If you haven’t already done so, buy Chris’s book http://amzn.to/2ak5cxJ and review it on Amazon.