Dozens of officials from ex-President George W. Bush’s administration say that the GOP’s fealty to former President Donald Trump, even after he incited the deadly Capitol siege, is driving them away from the party, according to Reuters.
Let them wander in the wilderness, the Democrats do not need to lean to the right.
You know it’s bad when Bush people are calling it crazy.
Waiting for John Yoo to say it’s torture being a registered Republican these days.
Pithy, vacuous declarations are cheap.
My question is, where are they going? I seriously doubt they are gonna start voting D. Are they just abstaining?
Until there is another “conservative” option, I don’t believe these folks. If an option arises, I think a number of them will truly jump ship. But I also don’t believe that option is the “Libertarian” party.
How do we get to the viable choice? If all of these influential, jaded former pols/administrators/donors put in the work to create that option, it can succeed. But until that option exists - and is “marketed” as a truly “conservative” option to all the disaffected R’s out there - then the “cult of Trump” will continue to thrive.
Time will tell. There certainly is a groundswell of angst among a significant portion of Republican voters. It can happen, but I don’t know it will.
Indeed
This has been the Republican platform for years
The only thing different is the Trumpers say the quiet parts out loud
Perhaps the Lincoln Project will at some point declare itself the Lincoln Party. However it happens and whatever factions result, I say please proceed.
The Democratic Party can easily encompass the Republican’s traditional values. As the traditional R’fers drop out or declare themselves independents, they worry that the internal bifurcation of Trump supporters and battymax Trump supporters will allow President Biden to move forward with the Democratic agenda, as if that were a bad thing. The moving on folks probably do not want to be associated with giving a pass on the impeachment vote to a violent coup conspirator and organizer.
The second impeachment was the last straw.
How sad is it that the Trump Maladministration made me long for the days of the Cheney/Bush Maladministration? I’ve not forgotten that Cheney is evil, or Dubya was dumber than a box of rocks, it’s just that if I am allowed to choose my evil I’ll take an evil that isn’t actively trying to overthrow even the pretense of the rule of law.
Yes, that’s what needs to happen. There are enough people with enough influence and money that they could create a viable alternative. And there are enough non-cultists to actually get in under that tent and make it work.
Of course, without the cult members they aren’t likely to win many elections. The smart play would be to shift slightly left and try to appeal to the more “conservative” Democrat voters, “blue dogs” and such. I do believe a third party could cobble together a significant enough constituency to be effective.
It would be a lot of work, and it would take a reckoning that you simply can’t go on the way you have - a divorce basically. Is there enough of a sense of betrayal, enough resolve, and enough moral stamina to carry it out?
In the long run a new Republican party could - would - redefine the entire political landscape. But the long run is far off, and the immediate rewards would be few.
Even some Republicans are capable of shame.
Dozens, eh?
A two party system is viable only as long as both are sane. The QAnoners hate the Bush/Cheney wing more than they hate the Dems. After all, MTG is probably not the only 9/11 truther in that sect.
So what?
Too little, too late. Let 'em starve in the wilderness like their silence did to refugees.
I’m not entirely sure that it will thrive. It will exist, but it will shrink. And remember the Bannon line – peel off 3-5 percent of GOP voters and the Republicans can keep losing elections.
The best thing that can happen in America today is for Greene and Bobert to stay right where they are. They can’t do a damn thing but bring shame on the GOP. They can’t advance a thing as Pelosi will deny it nor are they smart enough or capable of doing so. There’s not an original idea in the two. Both used the “posing with guns” option to win over the rednecks. All they can do is damage the GOP so let them stay.
I speak from personal experience when I say that even the most poorly-treated can eventually be so injured they understand what’s happening and take just such action. Even if it doesn’t always happen.