Layoffs, Budgets, and Republicans

My father was a life-long Republican.  He claimed that he was almost 20 before he knew that "Goddamndemocrat" wasn't one word.  He worried about me.  He was afraid that generations of supporting the Republican party was dissipating in our family, and, as the patriarch, he needed to fix that.  I stayed with my parents the week after Andrew was born.  When we left for home he cradled my week-old baby and said, "Wait! I don't have much time!" And into my baby's ear he whispered, "Republican, Republican, Republican."

Then came John Engler.  Gradually, the life long Republican, the person who voted for Goldwater, the person who donated regularly to the Grand Old Party, was having misgivings.  My dad would say to me, "All my life I have been a conservative.  I don't know who these asses are."  He thought that the Republican party, and most particularly, John Engler was out to dismantle public education.  And it greatly troubled him.  His daughter and son-in-law taught in public schools.  His parents were immigrants.  His father came to the United States as a teenager speaking no English.  He attended Detroit Western High School.  He earned an civil engineering degree from the University of Michigan (class of 26e). 

My dad knew that public school provided opportunities for my grandfather. He believed that public education was the linchpin of democracy.  Public education provided equal opportunities to all kids--no matter what race or social class.  And he thought that John Engler was setting up a system for the haves and have-nots.  He thought that the Republican plan was to decimate public education so that all that would be left would be the children who lived in abject poverty in dysfunctional families.  He thought the Republicans were abandoning the children who needed the most help.  So, when the Republican party called for money, he said that he would not contribute until the agenda to destroy public schools changed.  He asked to be taken off the calling list.  When the calls didn't stop he said, "Don't call me again until that fat fuck is out of office." 

My dad died in 1998.  What would he think about his daughter and son-in-law being laid off after 36 years of teaching?  What would he think about taking money from the school budget to balance the state budget?  What would he think about his Republican Party now?