Great Republicans of yore wouldn't recognize their party

In his speech to the NAACP last week, President Bush lamented that the Republican Party was out of sync with African-American voters. Little wonder about that, Mr. President.

It is easily explained. The Republicans in high office have been the consistent barriers to legislation in Congress to aid African-Americans, especially the poor in urban areas. Bush won only 11 percent of the black vote in 2004, even less in 2000.

Give Bush some credit for coming into the lion's den after stiffing the civil rights organization for five years. It was a long time coming, as he admitted to a crowd of doubters.

For the most part, Republicans today have lost their link to GOP presidential greats?Abraham Lincoln, Theodore Roosevelt, and Dwight Eisenhower. Question: Would GOP voters today identify with the strong views of those leaders?

• The Great Emancipator freed the slaves. Most Republicans today come up short on issues involvingcivil rights and human rights.
• Roosevelt was a champion of the environment. He deplored damage to the natural beauty of America's West. Today, Republicans have little hesitation about selling off public land for private use and drilling for oil in the pristine reserve of Alaska. Teddy's view would be out of date now.
• Before he left office in 1961, Eisenhower warned against the domination of the military-industrial complex. As a five-star general, he deserved our attention on that important subject. However, Republicans today seem to love every new weapons system, and military contractors are heavy contributors to party coffers. Halliburton comes to mind. Ike's words would be falling on deaf ears in 2006.

Where are Republicans today to fit the mold of Abe, Teddy, and Ike?

I don't see many.