Voters, wake-up time is here. The Republican Party that we once knew no longer exists. The party holds only a wisp of nostalgia for the values it once held: family strength, moral high ground, fiscal responsibility and keeping America strong in the face of our adversaries.

Now let’s look at the deconstruction of this party. First value: Family. Now it’s OK to break up families because they are immigrants, take away after-school programs, and give tax breaks to the rich, not working families.

Second value: Sense of right and wrong. Republicans politicians have outnumbered Democrats in violating the sanctity of marriage, and sexually harassed those not as powerful as them.

Third value: Fiscal responsibility. Not really. The Republican Party supports President Donald Trump in giving tax breaks to the rich, and in establishing trade policies that alientate our trade partners so goods will be more expensive.

And the ultimate insult to capitalism is getting rid of free trade as we know it. This is a fundamental idea, and Republicans are blowing it out of the water with their lack of a spine to speak against this.

Fourth value: Making America strong. Can you imagine a U.S. president actually believing Russian President Vladimir Putin instead of the American agencies that keep America safe, strong and special? Trump has even gone so far as to share sensitive intelligence information with our adversaries. Talk about being sold to the most corrupt bidder, Putin.

So let’s be frank for a minute and reflect on the dissembling of a political party: the Republicans. We now wait to see which Republican politician will be the leader to shift the party back to its senses.

Jackie Fournier

Mount Vernon