I will preface today’s post by stating that there was a time in my life when, if asked, I probably would have said I was a Republican – or at least my philosophies aligned more in that direction: “character counts, personal responsibility, strong on Russia, the national debt that actually mattered, immigration made American great, a big-tent party”.1 The quote is from a book I just finished, It Was All A Lie: How the Republican Party Became Donald Trump, by Stuart Stevens, a former Republican strategist. Many years ago, I began to realize that the Republican party and my belief system were no longer in alignment. This book just confirms much of what I already believed and have witnessed over the years as the Republican party has evolved into the party of Trump it is today.
Character counts: I remember when the Republican party was the party that always talked about ‘family values,’ which falls under the umbrella of ‘character counts.’ And we end up with a president who is on his third marriage, is known to have had affairs, paid hush money to a porn star, has been accused of sexual assault by over a dozen women, and bragged about being able to grab women by their genitals, and continuously belittles anyone who disagrees with him – ‘character counts’?
Personal responsibility: The Republican party is now led by a man who has made and continues to make a career out of not taking responsibility for anything. Instead of taking personal responsibility for anything, he and most of his minions, play the blame game. It is always someone else’s fault.
Strong on Russia: Conservatives by and large were the party known for hawkish views on our adversaries like Russia. And now we have confirmation that Russia interfered with the last election and is interfering in this election, allegations that Russia was paying bounties on American soldiers in Afghanistan, and that Russian mercenaries are operating in places like the Ukraine and Libya and yet where is the tough stance on Russia? In spite of Trump’s words, his actions show that he, backed by the Republican party, is doing little to confront Russia.
The national debt that actually mattered: Even before the pandemic hit, the national debt under the Republican party was going through the roof. All of those fiscal conservatives must have gotten lost in the woods. During Trumps’ real estate career, he used to brag about being ‘the king of debt’ and now he, with help from all of his Republican supporters, are doing the same thing to the US. Our children will pay for this.
Immigration made America great: We certainly know that is a joke given Trump’s frequent tirades and actions against immigrants. And, he does this with the full consent and support of the Republican party. Instead of embracing immigration as a source of strength, Trump and the Republican party have become true xenophobes.
Big tent party: Rather than a party that strives to expand and embrace a diversity of people, the party has become more like one of Trump’s exclusive gold clubs. In his clubs, it costs a lot of money to get in. In Trump’s Republican party the cost of admission is somewhat higher – you need to swear absolute loyalty and you need to be white. And the Republican party of today does not seem at all interested in trying to broaden that membership.
The Republican party that was once associated with conservative principles has become the party of white grievance and home to conspiracy theorists. The latest example being the winner of the Republican primary in Georgia, Marjorie Taylor Greene, an open supporter of QAnon, who Trump congratulated and called a ‘rising star’ in the Republican party. Really? If this is the future of the Republican party, it is truly a sad day in America – regardless of your politics.
Stevens writes, “Republicans are allowing Trump to equate conservatism with conspiracy, and the long-term success is predicated on stupidity becoming an airborne viral plague that will sweep the country like the walking dead. That seems like a bad bet for a political party, but one on which the truth-shredding, anti-fact Republicans are betting the future of a sane, respected center-right political party in America.”
When you look at the attendance at Trump rallies, the makeup of his cabinet and the large majority of his nominations, it is clear that Trump’s party, the Republican party, is a party that does not reflect the true demographics of America but is primarily a party of white voters. Somehow, a section of the white population in this country seems to be deathly afraid of losing their ‘majority’ in this country
After reading Stevens book, I am more convinced than ever that what ‘Make America Great’ really means is ‘Make and Keep America White’. So, for all of those who are afraid of the whites in America becoming a minority, I have news for you, regardless of what you do, biology will win. Short of a nationwide genocide (which I’m sure a number of white supremacists would prefer) the white population in this country will become a minority. So, there are two choices, you can either accept that fact and embrace it or you cannot.
Donald Trump and the Republican Party have made their choice which is why, rather than trying to broaden the base of the party to appeal to a greater demographic, they are pulling out all of the stops to try to control the vote – voter suppression; gerrymandering; this latest fiasco with the post office; trying to discredit the election even before it happens; and welcoming interference from foreign entities. The saddest part of all of this is simply the fact that many in the Republican party are either willing participants or just silent. “These people don’t hate America, but they are weak men and women who decided long ago their self-worth was determined by winning elections.”
I have read a number of books about Trump and this administration but this one was one of the most sobering. Much of my other reading was focused solely on Trump. This book, by a man who spent his career getting Republicans elected, sheds a very scary light on a political party whose sole goal these days is not to solve the huge problems facing this country, but to do everything possible to win elections and retain power.
“Donald Trump has served a useful purpose by exposing the deep flaws of a major American political party. Like a heavy truck driven over a bridge on the edge of collapse, Trump has made it impossible to ignore the long-developing fault lines and failures of the Republican Party. A party rooted in decency and values does not embrace the vicious hate that Donald Trump peddles as patriotism. But the Republican party did and does. This moment should signal a day of reckoning for the party and all who claim it as a political identity. Will it? I’m not hopeful. Better than most, I know the seductive lure of believing what you prefer to believe and ignoring the obvious truth.”
“What the Republican Party must realize is that it needs America more than America needs the party. And the America it needs is the one that is 320 million Americans and growing, a country of immigrants and less white every day: the real America, not the gauzy Shangri-La of suburban bliss that never existed. I’d like to say I believe the party I spent so many years fighting for could rise to the challenge. But that would be a lie, and there have been too many lies for too long.”
- It Was All A Lie; How The Republican Party Became Donald Trump, Stuart Stevens, 2020, Alfred A. Knopf
Well said. Another book worth reading.
Great analysis and editorial Mike – it’s tough to face!