LETTER TO THE EDITOR: GOP needs to reset itself

What is desperately needed in this country is a resetting of the historical traditions of the Republican Party. What started as Lincoln’s party of emancipation and Teddy Roosevelt’s party of progressive reform has morphed into this ugly party of totalitarianism, vengeance and fascism.

The Republican Party has been the party that has had the most political scandal and embarrassment of any party in American history: Credit Mobilier, the Whiskey Ring, the Native American Frauds, Teapot Dome, economic and political policies that started the Great Depression, corporate plot to overthrow FDR, McCarthyism, Watergate, Iran Contra, and now Trumpism. For some reason historically, the party has been vulnerable to this sort of extremism.

If the party can embrace again the goals that made many people want to join it in the first place, (my parents and grandparents included), it will again attract many Americans. It needs moderation. Most people in this country live in the middle politically, socially and economically: either moderate, moderate right or moderate left.

What we are seeing now in the Republican Party is fanaticism, racism, anarchy, calls for retribution, falsehoods, deception and false patriotism.

Moderates, take back your party now before it is too late. Barry Goldwater was wrong; extremism in the defense of liberty is a vice, and moderation in the pursuit of justice is a virtue.

Aristeo Flores

Rio Rancho