Newsletter: Opinion: Doomsday for the Republican Party

Good morning. I'm Paul Thornton, The Times' letters editor, and it is Saturday, May 7, 2016. I did not celebrate Cinco de Mayo by eating a taco bowl, but let's talk about someone who did.

Donald Trump has all but officially captured the Republican Party's nomination for president. To mark the occasion (or tragedy, depending on your point of view), The Times' editorial board published something that reads like a cross between an unsympathetic eulogy for a major American political party and a rousing call to action:

Donald J. Trump is now what he has claimed to be for some time: the presumptive Republican nominee for president. His attainment of that status this week is a triumph for him and a tragedy for both his party and the country.

Trump's lopsided victory in Tuesday's Indiana primary, the latest in a string of double-digit wins, prompted Sen. Ted Cruz to suspend his campaign even before the final ballots were counted. On Wednesday Ohio Gov. John Kasich, the last, best hope of Republicans appalled by the bombastic businessman's ascent, announced that he too would leave the race. Kasich's departure deprives voters in the remaining Republican primaries — including California's on June 7 — of a meaningful choice.

Trump's imminent capture of the Republican nomination is a monumental and mind-boggling political achievement. Over the last several months, to the surprise and embarrassment of pundits and political professionals alike, this political novice has eliminated one prominent and better qualified opponent after another. The casualty list includes current and former governors — most notably Jeb Bush, the well-funded scion of a political dynasty — and two senators who were considered rising Republican stars: Texas' Cruz and Florida's Marco Rubio. ...

Trump's nomination may be a foregone conclusion, but prominent Republicans who recognize the threat he poses to their party aren't obliged to fall into line. They can strike profiles in courage by saying publicly what they believe in their hearts: "Never Trump."

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A few hours before John Kasich quit, the editorial board wrote this to Trump's opponents: "Never give up, #NeverTrump." You can't fault us for not trying. L.A. Times

Here's the real fear for many Republicans: Trump could actually win. Doyle McManus lays out the dilemma for party insiders: "If [Trump wins], conservatives who don't love their candidate will face four years of having to defend his policies and trying to tame his excesses. That's when their real troubles would begin." L.A. Times

Hillary Clinton spoke to The Times' editorial board, and she started right off by explaining her appeal to voters this way: "When I'm actually doing a job on behalf of people, people who elected me as in the case of the voters of New York — or in the country when I was secretary of State — I actually have quite high approval ratings." L.A. Times

California politics are like a playlist on endless repeat. Mexican flag-waving protesters, bilingual education, a cigarette tax hike, and another Clinton on the ballot: It's starting to feel like the '90s in the Golden State, writes Bill Whalen, a former speechwriter for Gov. Pete Wilson. Sacramento Bee

Think all housing in L.A.'s most exclusive neighborhoods is unaffordable? Think again. Real-estate data analyst Constantine A. Valhouli finds property in Beverly Hills that's asking for about $475 per square foot — less than the average in Eagle Rock. "Looking at the range behind the neighborhood averages can help buyers recognize that there are often some relative bargains even in some of Los Angeles' most affluent neighborhoods," Valhouli wrote. L.A. Times

Stop police from going treasure hunting? There ought to be a law. Rep. Darrell Issa recommends one that closes a federal loophole permitting local cops to confiscate cash and property so long as their departments keep only 80% of the proceeds. "The current system — which allows police to go treasure hunting, beefing up their budgets on the backs of innocent Americans — stands in stark contrast to constitutional principles of due process and property rights," Issa wrote. L.A. Times

Here's some practical advice from two college presidents: Don't follow your dreams. The heads of Northwestern University and Lewis & Clark College cite a commencement quip by Stephen Colbert as a way to encourage new graduates to broaden their horizons: "If we'd all stuck with our first dream, the world would be overrun with cowboys and princesses." L.A. Times

Send me feedback: paul.thornton@latimes.com