Republican Party Leaves Eisenhower Republicans Behind

Ron in Portland with Bill in DC

It seemed to start when Senator James M. Jeffords of Vermont, defected in 2001 and became an independent. Last week John Eisenhower, the son of President Dwight David Eisenhower, announced he was no longer a Republican and was endorsing John Kerry. Some, like blogger Jazz Shaw at Running Scared, are still fighting to reclaim the name Republican for Eisenhower Republicans. Now, Senator Lincoln Chafee of Rhode Island has announced that while he is not ready to change parties he will not be voting for George W. Bush.

"I literally was close to falling off my chair," Mr. Chafee said, recounting the vice president's proposals for steep tax cuts, missile defense programs and abandoning the Kyoto environmental accords. "It was no room for discussion. I said, 'Well, you're going to need us; it's a 50-50 Senate, you're going to need us moderates.' He said, 'Well, we need everybody.' ''

For Mr. Chafee, who was a prep school buddy of the president's brother Jeb and whose father, the late Senator John Chafee, was close to the first President Bush, that day was the beginning of an estrangement with the president, whom he had worked to elect. In the months since, he has opposed Mr. Bush on everything from tax cuts to gay marriage and the war in Iraq. Now, this life-long Republican has concluded that he cannot cast his ballot for the leader of his party.

As a life long Independent I wish Jazz and Mr. Chafee luck. I would like to have more than one option when I go to the polls and no Mr. Nader, that's not you.