Some of the most distressed observers of our national plunge into the very unAmerican, neo-fascist nightmare we’re experiencing are the political strategists who spent years working to elect Republicans. A number of them are now “Never Trumpers” who are wrestling with hard questions: how much of GOP rhetoric was simply PR? What was it in the GOP incentive structure that took the party down this disastrous path? What were the danger signals they failed to see?
One of those Never Trumpers is Stuart Stevens, and a while back, he wrote an essay in the Bulwark in which he tried to trace how the “law and order party had become the party of Jeffrey Epstein.” As he began,
Let me begin with a question that a lot of us are asking ourselves. How did we get here? How is it that right now, as we speak, there are American citizens that haven’t been charged with a crime, much less convicted, sitting in a concentration camp in Florida while one of the most notorious, evil, child sex traffickers of our time has cut some sweetheart deal so that she has been transferred from a prison in Florida to a Club Fed in Texas?
Stevens noted that Maxwell’s transfer violated clear Prison Bureau guidelines, and questioned how America had gotten to so lawless a place. “How did it happen? Well, the easy answer is that we elected Donald Trump. But that’s really a cop-out because it’s not just Donald Trump.”
When Trump first started to dominate the Republican Party, many of my Bush-era Republican friends talked about how Donald Trump had hijacked our party. This never made sense to me. The hijacker on the plane is not popular with the passengers. No one is thanking the hijacker for the chance to go to Cuba instead of grandma’s house. But Donald Trump quickly became the most popular figure in the Republican Party by a wide margin.
That, of course, is the question all sane Americans are constantly asking ourselves–especially those (like yours truly) who spent years in the Republican Party, assuming that the party’s political rhetoric accurately reflected its political and philosophical beliefs. As Stevens glumly concludes, “Trump didn’t hijack the Party, he revealed it.”
It’s hard to disagree with that conclusion; as Stevens writes, “People don’t abandon deeply held beliefs in a matter of months… What the party called ‘bedrock principles’ turned out to be nothing more than marketing slogans.”
As Stevens probes the reason for the GOP’s enthusiastic embrace of Trump, he comes to the same conclusion I did. It all goes back to America’s original sin: racism. He points to the telling homogeneity of today’s Republican Party.
Race is the original sin of the modern Republican Party. This isn’t new to the Trump era. In 1956, Eisenhower got 39% of the Black vote. In 1964, Barry Goldwater opposed the Civil Rights Act and received 7% of the Black vote. In 2020, Trump got 12% of the Black vote, a number he improved to 13% in 2024. That’s a six-point increase in 60 years.
In the Bush 43 years, in what seems like a long time ago in a galaxy far away, the party admitted it had failed to attract Black voters and took responsibility for the failure. In 2005, the Chairman of the Republican Party, Ken Melman, gave a speech at the NAACP convention apologizing for the Southern Strategy, which leveraged white racist anger to maximize Republican votes. Does it mean anything that you apologized? I think it does. It’s an acknowledgement that what had happened is wrong and that the party had to endeavor to earn more Black support.
That all ended in 2016 with Donald Trump’s openly racist campaign.
Today’s parties have sorted themselves into White Nationalists versus everyone else.
As Stevens notes, the homogeneity of the Republican Party makes it much easier to message to core voters than it is to message to the far more diverse Democratic Party. And Stevens ties that observation to the fecklessness of Congressional Republicans, pointing out that a “party that spends 60 years relying on candidates who can win by maximizing white voters inevitably draws a different kind of candidate than a party that requires appealing to a more diverse electorate.” That observation goes a long way toward explaining the current Republican politicians who exhibit “a North Korean-style supplication to their leader.”
It’s hard to discount Stevens’ “insider analysis.”
His essay answers the persistent question–why on earth would anyone vote for a pathetic, delusional ignoramus in possession of not a single redeeming human quality? That answer is depressingly simple. For far too many voters, primal hatreds overcome humanity and rational self-interest.
But who knew there were so many of them?
Thanks for the perfect quote to sum up the popularity of Trump, especially in the south…
“ As Stevens notes, the homogeneity of the Republican Party makes it much easier to message to core voters than it is to message to the far more diverse Democratic Party. And Stevens ties that observation to the fecklessness of Congressional Republicans, pointing out that a “party that spends 60 years relying on candidates who can win by maximizing white voters inevitably draws a different kind of candidate than a party that requires appealing to a more diverse electorate.” That observation goes a long way toward explaining the current Republican politicians who exhibit “a North Korean-style supplication to their leader.”
It’s hard to discount Stevens’ “insider analysis.”
Sadly, racism “trumps” democracy, decency and inclusion in America.
When we lost SCOTUS to full immunity to Trump, we lost America to our own home-grown terrorists. There is no way to impeach them all and that is the only legal way to end the control they now have over this nation. Charlie Kirk, unknown to millions of Americans on both sides, is now a national hero; Speaker Johnson wants a statue of him erected in D.C. and Republicans are blaming the TV adult cartoon “South Park” for his murder. Is there an analysis for this current insanity?
“But who knew there were so many of them?”
What in the name of God can possibly be next on their agenda?
Joann Green. Next on their agenda is whatever they want because if they say it is in the name of God, they get the support of all the faux Christians who pay no attention to the teachings of Jesus.
is this Donald Trump‘s Reichstag moment?
Good question, JoAnn. But it won’t be pretty. Charlie Kirk was a hate monger and another of the permission givers to the haters. The size of his audience reflects the deep-seated hatred for the “other”. Kirk even said that the price of preserving the 2nd Amendment was going to be a few lives. Karma is a bitch. The orange hairball wants to award this screeching idiot the Presidential Medal of Freedom. Sure. Of course. The other divisive voice that Trump loved was Rush Limbaugh. He got his PMOF too. Everything Trump touches cheapens it.
I remember reading about the time when G. H. W. Bush was chairman of the GOP. He enlisted heretofore unknown rabble rousers as political “analysts” Karl Rove and Lee Atwater. Why? Because they won their elections. Bush was raised by a family of martinets that saw winning at all cost as the only strategy. This is when the rhetoric changed. Add in Newt Gingrich and you have the existing final chapter of this horror show.
Too bad those 82 million non-voters didn’t read their history nor understand what they were doing when they stayed home. This isn’t going to end well especially when Trump declares martial law and suspends next year’s election. Keep your kevlar handy.
Thank you Sheila. Just want to add a plug for “The Bulwark”. As a left-leaning centrist 9 years ago, their right-leaning but Never-Trump podcasts and articles kept me sane-ish through Trump’s first term. A fine group of folks with great insights, who often disagree (respectfully), and regularly have great guests. They are a treasure, and their work is important. Check them out.
WHERE IS TRUMP?
Did anyone else see the picture on Facebook with the entire right side of his face sagging drastically down to his neck? Vance suddenly changed his plans to represent Trump at the Charlie Kirk situation, Trump was to throw out that first ball and did not. He hasn’t been taking over the air waves ranting about the killing of his suddenly heroic Charlie Kirk, have you seen him praising Charlie before his murder? WHERE IS HE? My outsider analysis is there is something rotten in D.C.
Just askin’
Thank you for this, Sheila. And so many good comments on this sad, but true, analysis. Joann, your question is one I have been trying not to ask, as I need to get up each day, plaster a smile on my face, and tend to this thing called life. But it is really a question we must ask if we are to somehow turn this around. Vernon, you’ve given us a new mantra; “everything trump touches cheapens it.” Thank you for that. It pretty much sums him up. Allow me to share the following with you. It’s a text exchange with a family member in the south. Her-“Did you hear about the big fight at a Walmart there? I think it was mostly black people.” Me-“No. Why?” Her-“Well, I guess it was pretty bad.” Me-“What happened? Were people killed?” Her-“well no. Just a fight.” Me-(after looking and not finding anything AT ALL about it from my usual news feeds) “I can’t find anything on it. Just curious. Where did you hear about it and why are you telling me?” At this point, I had a pretty good idea where, and was very suspicious of her source. “On Fox News Facebook.” And there it is. They just keep stirring the pot, and often. Keeping people on guard and angry (angry why?) at “the other.” Creating fear where there is none. My brother once told me that we aren’t a racist country because we put Obama in the White House. Keep dreaming, bro.
Since my above comments, apparently Trump was seen at the game and suddenly news break from Trump who said he was notified Charlie’s killer has been arrested. Just as he was the one who announced Charlie’s death he is the one who is announcing the killer has been arrested. I still say there is something rotten in D.C. and find is curious that Trump is the one announcing these headline news breaks; has the media been denied their right to break news and why is Trump not on camera to make the announcements.
My comments could be caused by decades of watching “Law and Order”, my rampant paranoia or the fact that I’m wishing Trump would stroke out. Bear with me; I’m old and the only thing I have found good about being 88 years old is that it is far too late for early onset Alzheimer’s for me.
JoAnn,
Trump disappeared for Labor Day Weekend, and I captured some great memes from X since people were cheering on his apparent death. There have been lots of rumors about Trump since. There are also plenty of rumors about Vance readying himself to take over, one way or another.
I saw a short clip of an interview yesterday with Thomas Massie, one of the few Republicans challenging Trump over the Epstein files. It’s all part of the game at this point because the CIA and Mossad will never allow all the files to be shared with the public.
Massie said that Republicans were scared of Trump’s political machine. If they disobey or stray from Trump’s demands, they will face a primary challenge from a Trump-endorsed candidate. Since they want a long career, soaking up donor cash, they will follow Trump all the way to Hell if he commands it so.
Speaking of donors, if you want to assess what happened to the Republican Party, you can’t ignore the donor class (oligarchy). It went from the Chamber and Country Club millionaires/billionaires to the Kochs’ dark network. These Libertarians are free market reformers. The Chamber folks went underground to hide within Koch’s elaborate think tanks and nonprofits.
Look at all the anti-trust lawsuits that have been dropped in Trump’s first year. Look at what Musk’s X has become. What about Fox News and the anger it generates against Democrats.
Meanwhile, the feckless Democratic National Party has become the party of Wall Street. Schumer and Jeffries are both lame leaders and should pass the baton, but they won’t. Now is the time for Democrats to toss in all their chips and push progressive policies for the people, but they can’t because of their donors.
To me, the bottom line is corruption, corruption, and corruption. A bribe is now a legal donation, and corporations are people. What could go wrong has gone wrong…
I never listened to or read Charlie Kirk, like most of the ultra right voices. I have the opinion that even Nazis have the right to free speech. But if they use that right to incite fear and hate, they should be accountable. Same for Kirk. He was assassinated not for exercising his first amendment rights but for how he used that right to divide and undermine our system of governance. No, he is not a great American or deserving of flags at half-staff or a medal of freedom, but the far right never misses an opportunity to spin a story. That’s the sad part.
One of my hobbies is studying AI. I don’t think that there is any doubt that neural network technology is the natural progression of a stream of inventions that have taken place over my entire lifetime, from transistors to integrated circuits to personal computers to the World Wide Web. All of that came about as other technologies enabled human senses to see smaller and smaller details about the Universe that created us.
Today, that stream of inventiveness has led to the possibility of a fully informed brain, one that surpasses the knowledge of any individual human, in fact as knowledgeable as all humans jointly are.
If brainpower made us the dominant species of life, we have created our replacement, and it’s not life.
Will it save us or replace us? It comes at a point in spacetime that seems to be the point at which we are no longer capable of managing our own affairs. We are out of our control. We can never stop knowing what we have learned. We know how to evolve into a more stable place.
Hold my beer, life, says the machine species.
Thank you, Sheila. Sadly, you have written well, and described what has happened. You and Heather Cox Richardson stand up for what America was/is meant to be. The world is watching and can see that Trump and his followers do not care for what the architects of America strode for so long ago. Power and money are all that matter. Our poor children and grandchildren, it’s a heartbreak.
I got trumped out of a job interview. guess i should hold my tail between my legs when asked. nope. anyway. i have a CDL, every friggin endorcement, except school bus, (im not going there) theres the Haz Mat ,a TWIC card, military clearence to hail thier non leathal stuff,both which DHS and FBI gleefully examine my past,present, and probably now my future.(sorry no social media) 47years over the road,and local stuff. never a chargeable accident, and never a DUI,(not bad for a past loadie eh?) i applied for a haz mat job here in NoDak, they are desprite for my tallent and my 10 year former job letter on my performance and personal attention to detail. this job has a banner in its shop area, trump,no more BS or some shit like that. boss nice, friendly and very interested in getting some much needed qualified help.
the job interview, with his office mouse(wife) and shes very educated and aritculate. went to a low level about today and the job market etc. we would up on the end with trump. my own view, yea, wasnt according to her needs,over my view,and like i said, i dont keep my tail between my legs. anyway, the most memerable question I asked her. who would you rather baby sit your grandkids, trump or OBama? she said gleefully with a big smile, trump of course i dont let people like OBama. end of interview. no they didnt call me back. and well, Fk EM. they still need drivers and im happily workin for a good ol boy who voted trump, but im workin on him.,,
best wishes..
Someone shared a screen shot with me that was very frightening. Taken while on a job where the owners were ranting about the latest murder of a celebrity (note: he never was elected to any office). The screen shot depicted the victim’s face with text superimposed that essentially was a call to arms of those militant ultra-right followers, swearing revenge, glorifying the victim as a national hero, holding the Democrats fully responsible, enthusiastically celebrating the name change of Dept. of Defense to the Dept. of War. They expect it to mean it would now allow the military to be used on those in this country that they hate. It stated that “the Democratic Party is dead.”
These owners were not billionaires or even millionaires, but also were not about to volunteer for recruitment into that new war department.
The person sharing the screen shot was appalled, astonished that at the vitriol and blood lust on full display, with no evidence to back up their opinions, but every intention of making the Democrats pay in kind for the killing.
How to deal with these paper tigers, how to respond to the viciousness and lies, how to have any respect for them as fellow travelers in our communities begs the question; is it even possible to do any of those things?
Something is rotten, and this is not Denmark!
Yes, it has been nothing but P.R. for decades maybe all the way back to Lincoln’s assassination. That Johnson was more of a dirtbag than our Johnson. Law and order, family values, financially conservative:BS!!!!!! Corruption Inc. is more like it.
The republican party was a more pliable party for the libertine capitalists to manipulate since it was so homogenous with its dug in conservative values. Republicans always seemed more interested in money matters and herded together to protect their investments and power to maintain their status. Now the citizenry is growing (it was reported that last election that Hispanic voters outnumbered black voters) Magas show their disregard for American laws and Bill of Rights.
With all the confusion and stirring up of resentments and violence among Americans, behind the scenes were being robbed blind by the Maga hierarchy and loosing world power to notable enemies.