Letter: Can republic survive today’s choices?

My earliest recollection of a presidential election was the 1952 Eisenhower-Stevenson contest. Both parties offered individuals with long, honorable service to America, men of integrity, who respected our institutions, each other and the American experience. There was not a hint of corruption. They were servants to their country. Both were worthy of the office they sought.

Today the current Republican front-runner is a blustering, insult machine who has yet to offer practical solutions to our problems and who has demonstrated no knowledge of, or interest in, Constitutional governance. A party that has been unable to capture the presidency in two successive elections seems intent on losing again and probably should if the leader retains his position. But then the opposition may bail it out.

The Democrats present a more woeful picture. It’s a party in decline having suffered two successive disasters in congressional contests. It holds only 19 governorships, while Republicans control both legislative houses in 31 of 49 states (Nebraska has a unicameral, non partisan legislature). It offers but two choices: a newcomer to its ranks who is a lifelong socialist; or an alternative with the odor of corruption, a reputation for dishonesty and a candidate for indictment.

At the conclusion of the Constitutional Convention, Franklin was asked what kind of government had been designed. His response, “A republic, if you can keep it.” The nation of Washington, Lincoln, Truman and Reagan left to Trump, Clinton and Sanders. So goes the republic.

This story was originally published March 10, 2016 at 7:00 PM with the headline "Letter: Can republic survive today’s choices?."