George W. Bush just laid a major smackdown on Trumpism
The 43rd president of the United States -- and the last Republican to hold the office before  Donald Trump  -- didn't mention the 45th president by name in his speech at the George W. Bush Institute. But  Trump  -- and  his  views -- were ever-present in the former President's address.
The two speeches  taken together  amount to a verbal lapel-shaking by Bush and McCain of the Republican Party they have led over the past two decades. "Wake up!" Bush and McCain are saying to their party. "What  Trump  represents is neither Republican nor conservative.  It  is  Trump . Which is fine for  Trump  but far less fine for the medium-to-long-term health of the Grand Old Party."
There will be some who question Bush's motives. ( Trump   via Twitter  may be one of them.) After all   Trump  savaged "low-energy" Jeb Bush during the 2016 campaign. And the Bush family is literally one of the cornerstones of the Republican political establishment. Of course they don't like that someone like  Trump  is overthrowing them -- and their failed policies and political tactics!
That belief  which can be traced in a relatively solid line from the first president to the 43rd  was broken with  Trump 's victory.  Trump  painted a picture of a grim and failing country  one in which the only true path forward was to start focusing more on ourselves and a whole lot less on the rest of the world.
 Trump 's policy priorities -- a travel ban  building a wall along the southern border  repeal and replacement of Obamacare  pulling out of the Paris climate accords -- all function as a different notes in that same chord. The American Dream is almost dead.  Only Trump  can revive  it  -- with a singular focus on looking out for number one again.
It's easy to paint Trumpism as solely a rejection of Obama's presidency. But to do so would be to ignore the degree to which  Trump  has sought to undo Bush's focus on on free trade agreements as a way to guard against global protectionism  his belief in the need for comprehensive immigration reform as consistent with the founding ideals of the country and his unwillingness to paint Islam with the broad brush of terrorism.
Those are powerful words. The question is whether  Trump  -- or the Republican Party  he  is remaking in  his  image -- are listening.
The 43rd president of the United States -- and the last Republican to hold the office before  [TGT] -- didn't mention the 45th president by name in his speech at the George W. Bush Institute. But  Trump  -- and  his  views -- were ever-present in the former President's address.
The two speeches  taken together  amount to a verbal lapel-shaking by Bush and McCain of the Republican Party they have led over the past two decades. "Wake up!" Bush and McCain are saying to their party. "What   [TGT] represents is neither Republican nor conservative.   [TGT]   is   [TGT]  . Which is fine for   [TGT]   but far less fine for the medium-to-long-term health of the Grand Old Party."
There will be some who question Bush's motives. ( Trump   via Twitter  may be one of them.) After all    [TGT] savaged "low-energy" Jeb Bush during the 2016 campaign. And the Bush family is literally one of the cornerstones of the Republican political establishment. Of course they don't like that someone like   [TGT] is overthrowing them -- and their failed policies and political tactics!
That belief  which can be traced in a relatively solid line from the first president to the 43rd  was broken with  Trump 's victory.   [TGT] painted a picture of a grim and failing country  one in which the only true path forward was to start focusing more on ourselves and a whole lot less on the rest of the world.
  [TGT]  's policy priorities -- a travel ban  building a wall along the southern border  repeal and replacement of Obamacare  pulling out of the Paris climate accords -- all function as a different notes in that same chord. The American Dream is almost dead.   [TGT] can revive   [TGT]   -- with a singular focus on looking out for number one again.
It's easy to paint Trumpism as solely a rejection of Obama's presidency. But to do so would be to ignore the degree to which   [TGT]   has sought to undo Bush's focus on on free trade agreements as a way to guard against global protectionism  his belief in the need for comprehensive immigration reform as consistent with the founding ideals of the country and his unwillingness to paint Islam with the broad brush of terrorism.
Those are powerful words. The question is whether  Trump  -- or the Republican Party  he  is remaking in  his  image -- are listening.