Republican voters in rebellion

This announcement comes as non-politicians — Donald Trump, Ben Carson and Carly Fiorina — continue to make headway in the Republican primary at the expense of the political class.

Jeb Bush was a good conservative governor in the very important swing state of Florida, but the re-election of a family dynasty would seem somewhat at odds with our country’s founding and history. The fact that there are 16 Republicans, among them so many successful conservative governors and senators — Scott Walker, John Kasich, Bobby Jindal and Ted Cruz, to name a few — is proof that the Republican party does not and should not rely on another Bush.

Moreover, despite the availability of Bush, good Republican governors and the relentless Texas senator, primary-voting Republicans are overwhelmingly opting for the non-politicians. Unlike President Obama, these are accomplished professionals with true experience in the real world who appear to understand that our constitutional republican system grants only limited powers to a national government to perform tasks that each state alone could not accomplish.

In looking outside the permanent ruling class, the voters are looking to persons who know how to solve problems, and who do not wish to join a permanent ruling class. They perceive that these non-politicians can bring fresh ideas, and are uninfected by the crony capitalists, bundlers and lobbyists who seem to control the nation’s legislative, regulatory and nomination processes.

Many Republicans are also fed up with the lack of backbone and principle governing the congressional leadership. They want someone who is willing to fight for what is right instead of what is seen as benefiting the party. The Republican Congressional leadership’s positions on two major issues demonstrate the reason for such angst.

First, Senate leaders were content to stage a show-vote in the Senate to disapprove of President Obama’s nuclear agreement with Iran. Rather than following Sen. Cruz’s lead and forcing a vote that would treat the agreement as a treaty requiring two-thirds vote for ratification, they were content to make the Democrats own the deal, hoping for a political payoff when Iran expectedly violates it. In the meantime, Iran will be handed up to $150 billion dollars, through the lifting of sanctions, to subsidize its nefarious nuclear and terrorist activities.

Second, the leadership is shying away from a fight to defund Planned Parenthood for its callous disregard of human life in literally cutting up babies and selling their parts. They are so concerned that Republicans will be blamed for a government shutdown that they are willing to accept taxpayer support for such a grave injustice.

Trump, Fiorina and Carson have no experience in government. Dr. Carson has a concise retort to such assertions: “Look where Washington, with a combined 9,000 years of ‘political experience,’ has gotten us.” Dr. Carson literally held the lives of his patients in his hands. Carly Fiorina risked losing her position as head of Hewlett Packard in order to do what was right to benefit the company. The fate of many jobs is dependent on Donald Trump’s business decisions.

Many Republican voters would like to give a chance to someone accustomed to solving problems in the working world, where decisions have real consequences. These voters have concluded that we could be no worse off, and would likely be much better off, with one of these “non-experienced” candidates.

With Washington Republicans’ ruling class continuing to send signals of its arrogance and lack of principle, the time may have come when those who always bear the brunt of the elite’s wrong choices will look past the expected media blitz financed by a privileged few. In that case even Bush’s $100 million will not thwart the aspirations of a people starving for fresh, concerned, competent and principled leadership.

Richard Maggi is an attorney and writer in New Jersey. Thinking of submitting an op-ed to the Washington Examiner? Be sure to read our guidelines on submissions.