Let’s face it, the Republican Party, the “Grand Old Party,” the “Party of Lincoln” has been destroyed from within by Donald Trump, and it can never return to the form it once had. Every principle the Party held dearly (believe it or not, Republicans did have them at one point) is gone.

●          “Family Values” – Gone with Trump and Kids in Cages

●          “Deficit Hawks” – Gone with Mr. “Debt is Good, but I will Eliminate the Deficit in 4 Years” Trump, who has ballooned the deficit to an extreme degree.  Of course, this “principle” may come back to Republicans living under a Democratic President.

●        Free Trade – Gone with Mr. “Trade Wars are Good and Easy to Win” Trump. That’s why he’s had to provide Tens of Billions of Dollars in bailouts to U.S. farmers, while railing against  supposed “socialism” by Democrats.

●          Limited Federal Government – Gone with Mr. “We’re Gonna Dominate the Streets in the Cities” Trump, who now wants to bigfoot state certification of election results.

●          Limiting the Imperial Presidency – Gone with Mr. “Article Two Gives the President Limitless Power – and That’s How it Has to Be” Trump. The supine, supercilious supplicancy of Republican legislators as Trump has trampled on Congressional prerogatives has been a sorry spectacle to behold. Even Senate advice and consent on Cabinet Secretaries has been honored in the breach, through excessive use of “Acting” puppets.

The irony is that Trump throws around the epithet RINO (Republican in Name Only) to describe any Republican who has the temerity to disagree with him, however mildly, on anything. But of course, based on historical principles, Trump, himself, is the ultimate RINO.