With all the talk of party unity, there still stands a stark disconnect between many planks in the 2012 Republican party platform, and the views of the party's 2016 presidential nominee, Donald Trump.
During Sound Ideas, Illinois State University Professor of Politics and Government, Tom McClure talked about these differences. McClure is leading a contingent made up mostly of students attending the Republican National Convention in Cleveland.
"First and foremost would be social issues. Trump is more socially-moderate than what the platform says, " said McClure. "The platform is against any form of abortion, whereas Trump would allow abortion in the cases of incest, rape and the health of the mother. As far as gay marriage is concerned, it appears Trump is not against gay marriage, whereas the platform is against it," he added. McClure also cited social security reform, pointing out the GOP stance recently has been a movement toward privatization. Trump has said he doesn't want to change social security.
"With regard to free trade, Trump's certainly 180 degrees from where the Republican party was four years ago, but I think the GOP as a whole has shifted and they've changed their platform this year," said McClure.
Also interviewed was Austin Bertschy, a junior political science major from Peoria. Bertschy worked with the office of Congressman Darin LaHood of Dunlap to secure credentials allowing the ISU group to witness the Trump coronation first-hand.
"This was a significant help to all of us and gave the students an enhanced experience, which we'll be able to write about in our papers," said Bertschy. When asked if he intended to vote for Trump in November, Bertschy responded much as LaHood has during the days leading up to the convention. Bertschy, who is president of the College Republicans at ISU, said it's always been his intention to support the nominee of the party, and that's what he'll do.
