It’s hard to imagine, but I’m about to agree with Donald Trump. He has gone after Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell as he has many others who dared criticize him and failed to show unwavering loyalty. In a blistering attack on McConnell, Trump called him, “a dour, sullen, and unsmiling political hack”. Trump called on Republicans in the senate to replace McConnell. Trump’s description fits. McConnell years of supporting and enabling Trump’s madness will haunt him forever. He’s gone from the powerful position of controlling the senate and giving Trump what he wanted to a pathetic, disingenuous loser. Just look at his behavior on this second impeachment trial. First he said all senators should vote their conscience, indicating he had an open mind on the case. He then delayed the start of the trial. He then voted not to have the trial at all because of the lame argument that impeaching a president who had already left office was unconstitutional. Most constitutional experts disagree. He then voted to acquit Trump. And finally, he stood on the senate floor and said, “There is no question, none, that President Trump is practically and morally responsible for provoking the events of the day.”
On McConnell’s watch, Republicans first elected Trump. Since then they lost the White House, and the senate. They even lost Republican strongholds like Georgia and Arizona. The party is now in a brewing civil war and its future as a functioning right of center political party is in serious doubt. The hard core Trump supporters will never give up on him. If he ends up getting convicted of crimes in New York or Georgia, he will be seen as a martyr. McConnell has been cast aside as so many others have been who didn’t stay blindly loyal. Just ask Mike Pence. McConnell gave Trump what he wanted. Tax cuts for the rich, conservative Supreme Court justices, hundreds of conservative judges on federal benches around the country. He confirmed incompetent cabinet members. McConnell was just as much interested in his own power as Trump was in his. Now, it’s gone.
So what happens to the Republican Party? Does it move past Trump? He says he’s not going away and will support primary challenges to representatives and senators who he feels crossed him. Will Trump’s influence crumble under the weight of possible criminal trials and huge personal financial problems? Who are the leaders of the future of the party? The mini-Trumps, Cruz, Hawley, Rubio, DeSantis? The party will not change unless it’s forced to deal with the changing reality of the demographics of the country. In the next 20 years, minorities will outnumber the majority white population. Tom Friedman of the New York Times suggests the Democrats need. to give the Republicans something to fear. He recommends ending the filibuster, making Washington DC and Puerto Rico states, passing a new Voting Rights Acts that forbids voter suppression, and ending the Electoral College. These things would, in theory, force the Republican Party to realize they have to appeal to people besides angry white men.
The Republican Party will need new leaders and new ideas to return the country to reasonable political debate and help come up with solutions to problems that grow worse each day they are ignored. It’s no job for political hacks.
Well written again Michael. Time for a new party and god knows what that would look like but it needs to be one with a conscience. To survive the party would need better ideas, become more inclusive and ask themselves why they aren’t – a question they have a tough time asking or answering.
What happens with the Republican Party over the next two years will change politics. Question is, for better or worse?