The Party Of Trump
The way things are going, they might as well just go ahead and rename the Republican Party the "Party of Trump." It'd certainly be more honest, that's for sure. Not only has Donald Trump successfully co-opted the party from within, he is now also in charge of who is allowed to stay. If you're in Trump's good graces, then you are a true Republican (and a patriot to boot). If you are not, then you are shunned and booed and excluded. There is no "big tent" to the party anymore -- it's a small tent (and getting smaller) and the tent is wholly owned by Trump, Inc.
Plenty of people -- President Joe Biden among them -- expected some sort of magical return to normalcy after Trump's forced exit (both from public office and from social media). They figured most Republican politicians would sort of come out of their daze, shake themselves vigorously, and return to garden-variety conservatism. The party would reunite in opposition to a Democratic president, and by the next election cycle almost all of the Trumpian fervor (or fever) would have melted away.
They were wrong. This has not happened. In fact, the opposite has happened. The remaining "never-Trumpers" and those who were aghast at Trump inspiring and egging on a direct attack on American democracy and our elections have now been both ostracized and silenced. Or "cancelled," perhaps. They're about to be put out to pasture, in one way or another. And it doesn't matter how prominent they are, their former political heft now means very little.
The daughter of a former Republican vice president is about to get thrown out of her House leadership position. She has a near-perfect conservative rating (for her votes in Congress) but this does not matter. She dares to tell the truth -- that the election was not in fact stolen, and that to say so is the Big Lie -- therefore she must be banished to the wilderness.
A Republican senator who won the party's nomination to be president was booed this weekend at his home state's Republican Party meeting. Mitt Romney is also the son of a man who ran for president as a Republican. None of that matters.
A former vice-presidential candidate, Paul Ryan, not only stands silently by instead of saying anything about the direction of his party, but he is handsomely profiting off stoking the right's rage, as a board member of Fox News. He knows Trump is good for ratings, so all his conservative principles have taken a back seat, apparently.
Previous high rank or membership in a GOP political dynasty mean nothing any more to the Republican base. All they want to hear is how much any given politician praises their Dear Leader. Nothing else matters.
The party itself doesn't even have a platform, or any ideological compass left at all. They are adrift on the shifting sea of Trump's rage. Whatever Trump is against, the GOP is also against. Whatever he's for, they're eagerly for too (even if just yesterday they were all against it, because Trump was too). They are totally reactionary. Whatever Democrats are for, they are against. Doesn't matter what. Whatever Joe Biden wants to accomplish must be stopped because (choose any or all of the following): it is socialism, it will remove all freedom forever, it is not infrastructure, it is a crisis, it is a hoax, it is elitist, it does not cut the taxes of businesses and millionaires, or it is from the "extreme far left" (even though 65 percent of the public supports it). That's the only guiding principle that remains. Republicans have no positive agenda at all. Maybe "finish building the wall," but that's really about it for even making suggestions as to what America should do at this point.
The Republican Party is ideologically bankrupt. Their only yardstick for measuring anything these days is whether Trump approves of it at the moment. Where does that leave people like Mitt Romney and Liz Cheney? On the outside of the tent looking in. Just like Donald Trump never managed to pivot to suddenly acting presidential, there was no grand reawakening of Republicans after he left the White House. It just isn't going to happen.
Instead, they are a party now using purity tests and loyalty oaths against each other. They gleefully purge anyone insufficiently laudatory and worshipful towards Trump, as they routinely try to outdo each other in their professions of fealty and adoration.
Some have talked of forming a third party, sort of a "Non-Radical Republican Party." Or an anti-Trump party. But the barriers our two-party system raise for doing this are incredibly high. Even if such a party formed, and even if it attracted a handful of senators and a smattering of House members, their only power would be in denying Republicans votes -- or a congressional majority. And that's if such an effort was truly successful. Most third parties never achieve even that.
Staying within the ranks of the Republicans and trying to reform the party from within now seems like a fool's errand. The party is in no mood to be reformed, and there are more Trump voters than there are traditional conservative anti-Trump voters in the ranks. Anyone not bowing down low enough to the Dear Leader will face a primary in their next election. A few might survive as independents by running in a three-way race, but they will still be outside the tent looking in even if they pull off this rare feat (Senator Lisa Murkowski has already done so once, proving it can be done, but it is a very tough road to take and usually ends in either failure or the election of a Democrat since the right splits their vote).
The Republican Party itself was born of such a schism, when they formed in opposition to the Whig Party. The GOP won that struggle, and the Whigs ceased to exist. Maybe that name would be a good one to rally around, if a third party does appear. The Whig Party itself was formed in opposition to one man -- the name itself is actually a political joke, because the Whigs in England were an anti-royalty party. Andrew Jackson (another outsider president popular with the masses) was called a king (by his detractors) for his imperial remaking of the American political system. So the party that sprang up to oppose him called themselves Whigs. Their party's name itself was a protest against Jackson's supposed imperialism.
Now, one man is running the Republican Party as an absolute monarch. He rules alone, and his word controls everything. He sets the direction the rest of them head toward, he decides what is good and what is evil, and nobody dares contradict him in the tiniest way. If that's not an absolute monarch, I don't know what would be. Some of his most fervent followers truly believe Donald Trump has some sort of divine destiny, and to contradict him would be like contradicting God. This is not an overstatement -- this is actual fact.
How can people like Romney and Cheney fight against that level of devotion? They can't, as they are swiftly discovering. They will be cast out if they do. Republican politicians without their built-in power base see this and know they would simply not survive such an onslaught. So they redouble their efforts to praise Trump instead, in self-preservation.
Nobody knows how all of this is going to end, of course. With Trump, one just never knows. But what should be crystal clear to all by now is that there simply is no Republican Party left anymore that is worthy of that historic name. There is no party of Lincoln, or of Teddy Roosevelt, or of Ronald Reagan. There is only a cult of adoration for one man. Dare to say anything that contradicts this worship, and the retaliation is swift and unrelenting. Nothing remains but the Trump Party, and the sooner people like Joe Biden and Joe Manchin fully realize this, the better.
-- Chris Weigant
Follow Chris on Twitter: @ChrisWeigant
Plenty of people -- President Joe Biden among them -- expected some sort of magical return to normalcy after Trump's forced exit (both from public office and from social media). They figured most Republican politicians would sort of come out of their daze, shake themselves vigorously, and return to garden-variety conservatism
Chris, I'm just wondering how it is that you know that Biden expected a magical return to normalcy?
I mean, some people may have thought that but, Biden ain't one of them.
what did biden think?
Nice.
That was kind of my point.
Although, anyone who knows Biden well, knows that he has more and better political chops than all of us here at CW.com put together.
I should think that would be obvious by now ...
CW: Plenty of people -- President Joe Biden among them -- expected some sort of magical return to normalcy after Trump's forced exit (both from public office and from social media). They figured most Republican politicians would sort of come out of their daze, shake themselves vigorously, and return to garden-variety conservatism.
I'm going to be generous today and let y'all all in on a little secret. Ahem. Here is the really big (not a) secret:
Not to in any way imply that I know what goes on in the far reaches of Joe Biden's mind, but I would wager quite a stack of Benjamins that old Joe was fairly certain that Donald Trump was a stench that was going to linger for a loooooooooooong time. It is likely that Joe would also know that the truth would be a lousy answer on which to campaign to replace Benedict Donald.
Remember that Joe was Vice President when a member of Donald Trump's campaign resigned immediately from said campaign but not before he informed Biden personally about Michael Flynn's shenanigans and what he had witnessed at a meeting of some members of the Trump campaign he attended.
It would be misguided to perceive that Joe Biden is naive regarding the Trumpublicans based on Joe's public statements regarding the Trumpian slow coup, travelling circus, and veritable shit show.
So to recap: Good cop, bad cop. Coach and quarterback. I'm not some "reverse QAnon nut" who believes that the President is an all powerful avatar on a mission to rid the world of the pure evil *laughs*, but Joe isn't quite as naive as he's being portrayed either. :)
Excellent essay, if a little feverish - reflecting, I suppose the fevered nature of its subject.
I had to laugh at one point. You wrote, "Some of his most fervent followers truly believe Donald Trump has some sort of divine destiny, and to contradict him would be like contradicting God. This is not an overstatement -- this is actual fact."
Could you rewrite that, to make it just a tiny bit clearer what "This" refers to, in the second sentence?
Kick,
It would be misguided to perceive that Joe Biden is naive.
Absolutely, positively, unequivocally!
And, yet, around here that seems to happen on a near daily basis, surprisingly.
John,
Could you rewrite that, to make it just a tiny bit clearer what "This" refers to, in the second sentence?
Ha!
Plenty of people -- President Joe Biden among them -- expected some sort of magical return to normalcy after Trump's forced exit (both from public office and from social media).
I don't think Joe truly believed that Trump Derangement Syndrome* was going to subside. Rather, he took the prudent political course of,
1- at least creating the space within Republicanism for non-Trumpanzies to reclaim the party. The fact that it hasn't makes,
2- the Repug insanity all the more apparent to the 60% of non-Trumpanzies in the electorate.
*Let us heretofore identify TDS as the deranged cult of personality that it is. It's not a Democratic thang it's a Republican thang
Just like Donald Trump never managed to pivot to suddenly acting presidential, there was no grand reawakening of Republicans after he left the White House. It just isn't going to happen.
Truer words were never spoken!
Yeppers, I am continuously amazed at how Joe's administration has worked out. I'm still a Bernie Bro, but...
Who'da thunk that Joe would start out as though he was a Stealth Bernie. Kudos, Elizabeth, you were right!
I never saw this coming...and I pray it never stops, at least until after Kamala's two terms in office 2028 - 2036.
Caddy,
I never saw this coming...and I pray it never stops, at least until after Kamala's two terms in office 2028 - 2036.
Very nice!
Yeah, I knew you'd catch my drift, Miss Canada. BTW I just saw this on Facebook -- Trumpism being refered to as
Cult 45.
Hehehehehehehehehe.
MtnCaddy-
Trumpanzies - a perfect metaphor.
Piss on the front row of spectators.
Front row spectators recoil back.
Back row of spectators rushes forward to see what the fuss is about.
Piss on the back row.
The Arizona “recount” is cheerfully sailing into Federal illegality. A whole lot of Trumpy Dumb Fucks are going to wish they were never born.
you keep thinking that.
"You can't make butter with a toothpick"
-Robin Williams, live at the met
I think Chris is giving Trump more 'credit than he deserves. Quite a few people recognized Trump for the world-class asshole he is before he ever ran, but they were not sufficiently vocal about pointing it out. And surely, a lot more have come to the realization as time sent on. We'll just have to hope they are more numerous (and become more vocal) than it might currently appear.
Knew it, Squeaky Wheel got his grease.
Had to employ my 'Michale mouse-wheel' for the first time in oodles.
Asked and answered why the US is still using water-wing democracy. The US still has two-dimensional thinking in its political life. A healthy three-party system would wipe out hyper-partisanism 'us v them-ism' in a stroke. 'Us v they-ism' is much more pleasant. I am aware it's a slippery slope when you judge others by your baked in set of values, but hey, here we are.
I'm curious, when Putin dictates his terms (as that's all that's left to do for this war to conclude, the US lost, btw) who gets to sign the humiliating concord? Trump's an obvious choice if you think Benedict Arnold got a bad rap? I don't think Biden deserves that ignominious task, well a little, if we estimate his four-year hiatus, into the equation, and the monumental disaster that ensued when Trump took office. Maybe the entire GQP caucus should be forever shamed with this task, but then we get back the 'Benedict paradox', can a fifth column be considered for a role in the national life of a defeated nation? lots to consider, but at the end of the day, this is still an American matter... I'm curious how this matter will be resolved.
Don't let the grass grow, Putin is massing men and machines on the Ukrainian border, if, rather when he's done knocking seven shades of shit out of them, he'll be in no mood for compromise.
Chop-chop.
;/
LL&P
(1)
"I mean, some people may have thought that but, Biden ain't one of them."
Cool. Every word in that sentence was wrong.
Biden, by his own admission, did think that the GQP would return to normalcy. Asked this question a few days ago, he said he'd hoped they would have been further along in the process. (Which is why I lampooned the five stages of grief in a previous thread, as Biden is familiar with that process and while I watched his reaction, one would easily be forgiven if one concluded the five stages were on his mind.)
I know I'm a pedant, but CW was (infuriatingly) right to word it the way he did.
koodos, CW.
LL&P
I'm already getting excited about the CW Sunday Night Music Festival and Dance Party!
Let me now if you have a theme in mind or would just like to go free form again ...
how about songs, themes and bands that contain honorifics? e.g. mr., mrs., ms., dr., captain.
and yes don, everyone is a troll except you.
don't ask why, try some pie.
Joshua,
I don't think I know many tunes containing "honorifics".
Got any other ideas? And, will you be there with me?
Don't want to be alone again.
oh come on liz, use your imagination!
mrs. robinson
mr. tambourine man
doctor feelgood
blame it on canuck for giving me the idea.
i mean there was even a band named mr. mister. anything by them would do. or mr. big, mr. bungle, mr. children, miss crazy, mr. hyde, ms. dynamite, the list goes on
And here I thought you people were into music! ;)
anything by Queen (kind of obvious)
Miss Amanda Jones
Mean Mr. Mustard
Lady Madonna
Mr. Bad Guy
Mr. Blue Sky
Good Golly Miss Molly
Mr. Sandman
No More Mr. Nice Guy
Mr. Lonely
Mr. Tambourine Man
Mister Mister
Mr. Bojangles
Miss Sun
Mr. Roboto
Lawdy Miss Clawdy
Mister Big Stuff
Miss Independent
Right off the top of my head, though.
dr. dre, dr. dog, dr. hook and the medicine show... andneed i mention SIR elton john?
I simply can't imagine why Being for the Benefit of Mr. Kite Bungy-jumps to mind, but then I spend more than my fare* share behind the door by choice.
LL&P
[42] James T Canuck
Alrighty then. The guy who posted the link to the live camera on Abbey Road is unaware of the songs contained on one of the greatest albums ever recorded.
Good to know! ;)
Yes, I'm totally aware you're aware. I's teasing you. :)
Mr. Blue Sky
Psychedelic version
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Hallelujah and Amen...
Cool segue into FNTP.
Being beholden to things beyond our capability to understand is a waste of time. Best to cut our losses and keep riding down the razor blade of life unawares.
LL&P
(43) I'm gratified that you remember that, honestly.
Seems 42 really was the answer after all.
Mr. Adams would be pleased indeed.
LL&P
here's one with honorifics in the artist AND the song:
https://youtu.be/w8KRBcfajfQ
(although admittedly the latter probably isn't intended as one)
@kick [45],
good choice!
nypoet22
48
here's one with honorifics in the artist AND the song
A 2-fer! Impressive. :)
Okay, okay, okay! Just bE THERE!
I'll play a Jackson Browne tune!