At a ripe 161 years old, what’s the future for a Republican Party in disarray and adrift?  Despite a talented field of presidential candidates, Congressional Republicans are ineffective, members are at odds with leadership, and the struggle for the soul of the GOP drags on.

The Republican Party had noble beginnings founded in 1854 in a schoolhouse in Ripon, Wisconsin by committed abolitionists.  Their primary purpose was to fight the expansion of slavery; their platform was “freedom and equal opportunity for all.”

The young party was aggressively principled and robust.  The first Republican National Convention was just 2 years later in Philadelphia.  In 1860, the only six year old party elected the first Republican President, Abraham Lincoln.  Such an auspicious start boded well for a strong vibrant long lasting party.

So, where did the vision and vigor go?  The decline really started when Theodore Roosevelt infected Republicans with progressivism.  The notion that the power of big government can do all things wondrous planted the seed to trust man over God; the federal government is your keeper.

Recounting a century slide is a book not a column, so fast forward to this century.  The conservative mantra of limited government has been lost.  George W. Bush doubled the size of government to progressives’ pleasure; then Barack Obama stoked the spending spree even more!

Grassroots conservatives were aghast, so in an amazing unprecedented backlash Tea Parties sprouted everywhere and gave Republicans the House in 2010 with a mission to stop the Obamacare juggernaut.  Republicans failed fearing bad press from a possible government shutdown.

The GOP again tacked left in 2012, so disgruntled conservatives stayed home.  Romney got two million less votes than McCain.  Obama helped the GOP again flinging open the borders and inviting in all manner of invaders.  Again, grassroots conservatives rallied to give Republicans the Senate in 2014 to STOP illegal immigration.

And . . . , nothing.  Aside from a handful led by Senator Jeff Sessions, Obama’s illegal immigration remains funded and untouched.  Sadly, the GOP establishment wants to compete with Democrats in identity politics for new illegal voters as opposed to defending the borders and integrity of a once great nation.

In a bizarre dichotomy, the GOP is at war with its conservative base.  Contrast with Democrats.  Democrats cater to their rabid leftist base.  They promise them more socialism, more government, and cheer when they boo God – Democrats will deliver man’s utopia. 

The GOP establishment detests their conservative base.  They constantly scold them that only moderates can win, they swear big government can be conservative, and always promise conservative reforms after the NEXT election.

Democrats worship their leaders.  They literally consider Obama the messiah; he is pure and without fault.  Harry Reid or Nancy Pelosi could defecate on their chamber’s floor and Democrats would praise their audacity and marvel at their artistic creativity.

Rank and file Republicans disdain their leaders at best with open contempt from the Conservative base.  Boehner and McConnell regularly fight conservatives more fiercely than Democrats, so the GOP base has been clamoring for a coup.  They seem to have one with Boehner’s mysterious resignation or is it an engineered transition to another elite? 

Paul Ryan is disturbingly comfortable with illegal immigration.  And, why would the GOP select a Democrat endorsed speaker to the chagrin of conservatives?

These contrary purposes and apparent abandonment and even abhorrence of conservatism reveal a party that is dismantling its foundational principles of Constitutional limited government preferring to compete with Democrats on the coloring of big government.

This path will lead to a weak fading imitation of the Democrat Party; the GOP will be ripe to be supplanted by another upstart party.  Will the GOP choose rebirth or requiem?

“But they did not obey or incline their ear, but walked in their own counsels and the stubbornness of their evil hearts, and went backward and not forward.”  Jeremiah 7:24

Pete Riehm is the host of Common Sense Radio heard 8pm every Thursday on FMTalk106.5 or streaming at fmtalk1065.com.  Email him at peteriehm@bellsouth.net.