A permanent minority party

U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions missed an opportunity to act the statesman. No surprise.

Instead of encouraging a gathering of young conservatives in their chant, “lock her up,” as Donald Trump often cries in reference to Hillary Clinton, he might have suggested it was time to put aside their politics of the campaign of 2016 and its aftermath, in an effort to begin to unify the country.

Hillary Clinton has been investigated more than any other public figure in my lifetime, yet never indicted; she won more popular votes for president than any other candidate except Barack Obama; she will never again be a candidate for president. Yet, she and President Obama remain obsessions among Republicans bent on their destruction in memory and reputation. Why? The Republican Party has willfully chosen to be a minority party; it does not seek to appeal to new constituencies. It relies on mechanisms to entrench in power a shrinking minority of Americans. It relies on mechanisms like the Electoral College, gerrymandering of districts within the states, contriving voter registration requirements and procedures to deny the franchise to constituencies not expected to vote Republican, adopting strict restriction on immigrants fleeing abuse in fear they will not become Republican voters as they become eligible to citizenship.

But, worst of all, is the spiteful, hateful rhetoric which undermines national unity, brings upon us scorn and fear of our allies, and furthers the aims of Russian President Putin and others who wish ill of the USA. Daniel C. Hudson Ridgefield