Mitt Romney has joined the Bushes’ sour grapes chorus. Same as Jeb this election cycle, Mr. Romney is obviously still smarting from 2012 — and his own failed presidential bid. Like the Bush Family — and his former RINO running mate (now House Speaker Paul Ryan) — Mr. Romney seems determined, for sheer spite, that Donald Trump should share his same loser’s fate.

Ironically, Mitt Romney is drawing from the same bag of Democrats’ dirty tricks used against him. Recall the false charge of not paying taxes (for more than a decade) was insanely parroted by current Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid. Yet, this Republican fop told Fox News: “I think we have good reason to believe that there’s a bombshell in Donald Trump’s taxes. I think there is something there.” Even if true — and the facts are presently unknown — isn’t that something the opposing party is supposed to disclose?

Astonishingly, this dope’s diatribe doesn’t end there. Mr. Romney has also accused the Republican presumptive nominee of naked discrimination: “Presidents have an impact on the nature of our nation, and trickle-down racism, trickle-down bigotry, trickle-down misogyny, all these things are extraordinarily dangerous to the heart and character of America.” This is unsubstantiated slime from a “fellow Republican” who states: “I wish everybody in the Republican Party had rejected Mr. Trump and chosen someone else.” That’s a contemptible attitude.

In retrospect, given Mitt Romney’s “character,” is it any wonder that 3 million conservatives (with instinctual cold feet) avoided voting for this weasel? More to the point: why does the GOP habitually eat their own? Democrats never publicly criticize each other. Furthermore, why is it that establishment Republicans completely ignore the will of the people who elect them? As a case and point is undermining Donald Trump, the voters 2016 standard bearer. Why have the Bushes and tag team Romney-Ryan betrayed the electorate?

For his part, Mr. Trump has not earned tepid primary victories, he’s achieved resounding ones. Among a field of 17 other impressive candidates, The Donald won 37 state contests, and a record-breaking 13.4 million votes. Finally, there’s a bulldog on the political landscape: a fervent defender of all good things American. Yet, these self-important, indulgent alley cats do nothing but spray and hiss at the loss of their own influence.

As a result, these loyal party (not people or country) apparatchiks are de facto Hillary supporters. A non-vote for Donald Trump is a vote for his corrupt insider opponent. No other reasonable conclusion is possible. The latest illustrative example of Republican misconduct: a backroom deal to dump Trump at the convention has been gleefully reported by The Washington Post. These entrenched elites are precisely what is wrong with our political system. That’s why an outsider like Donald Trump is so essential come election day in November.

David L. Hunter is an associate editor at Capitol Hill Outsider. He’s on Twitter and blogs at davidlhunter.blogspot.com. He is published in The Washington Post, The Washington Times, Patriot Post, FrontPage Mag, and extensively in Canada Free Press and American Thinker.