I have no idea whether it was Bush or Rove or Bush/Rove who made that fatal decision. Unfortunately it is fully within the character of both men to have made that decision. Rove demonstrated time and again in his politics. Bush demonstrated time and again in his Christian character, for example, his rehabilitation of the Kennedys and the Clintons served not his party but our adversaries but was fully in keeping with George Bush's conception of Christian principles.
Whoever is ultimately responsible, it is unquestionable that the damage both to the Republican brand and to the American image abroad has been incalculable. Perhaps, like the rest of the establishment Republicans in Washington who have been so intimidated by the media that they simply will not lift their heads above the parapet, the fault lies with a culture in academia and in the media which will not tolerate aggressive conservatism. Rare indeed is a man of Ted Cruz's quality who will knowingly take on the establishment and the media in the cause of conservatism as Cruz did in the fight over Obamacare.
Until we get Republican leaders who will at least defend themselves, conservatism will never be able to stop the centrifugal forces pushing the Republic over the brink.
