The Republican tide of the last 40 years has reached its high-water mark.  Trump’s antics and the GOP’s determination to rob 24 million people of their health insurance have ignited a progressive response every bit as passionate as the birth of the Tea Party.  The likelihood of the GOP losing control of Congress next year keeps growing.  All this should have the effect of causing the party to re-examine its politics.  That is what the party leadership needs to do: focus on policies.  Rep. Tupola’s focus on candidates is misguided.  Even if she finds good ones, to quote that great sage of the GOP, Sarah Palin, that would be like putting lipstick on a pig.  The local GOP has already produced great candidates such as Gil Riviere and Aaron Ling Johanson, and great young candidates, such as Beth Fukumoto.  They were all forced to quit because the party’s current ideology is so despicable.  Forgive me for being self-referential, but I’m going to re-post a comment I made last month…