How Trump changed (exposed) the Republican Party
Image source: Donald Trump, the President and Leader of the Republican Party, Declares He’s a Nationalist, Code Word for KKK
In the early days of the Age of Trump, and even before then, various political analysts and opinion columnists wondered how the Republican Party would change ideologically. They speculated Trump could change the party like Ronald Regan did with his victory in the 1980s, that the Republicans would become an economically nationalist, anti-immigrant party as envisioned by former White House Chief Strategist Steve Bannon. But on those issues, the party remains divided, either politely criticizing the former US President or staying silent. The central tenants of American Conservatism have not changed, but the way they take part in the political process has, and often to destructive effect.
“The GOP is best understood as an insurgency that carried the seeds of its own corruption from the start.” -The Corruption of the Republican Party, The Atlantic
From Goldwater and more prominently under Regan until now, the GOP has increasingly grown more unprincipled. They have engaged in everything from disregarding legislative norms to now supporting and even offering legal aid to defend the outgoing President’s claims that the election was stolen from him because of voter fraud with no evidence. Republicans in key senate races during the 2018 midterms called in to question the legitimacy of election results when they lost. At the state level, they’ve passed stringent voting laws to disenfranchise those who would vote for the Democrats. Others have gone to gerrymandering to retain majority legislative control without the proportion of seats they have necessarily reflecting the public vote.
But the Republican Party isn’t the only one at blame here, the various think tanks, non-profits, and media organizations aligned with the Republicans, especially those like The Daily Wire, Prager University, Turning Point USA, Young Americas Foundation, Hannity, Tucker Carlson Tonight, so on and so fourth share equal if not more responsibility. They have repeatedly mischaracterized the policies and rhetoric of those they disagreed with politically. They employed straw men attacks on policies they disagree with. And it’s likely because what they believe do not poll well with the majority of the American public. If they tried to make a genuine argument for their positions, people would easily find what they’re saying as archaic or insane garbage.
The Republican Party and organized American Conservative movement have always held to the ideals of limited government, minimal financial regulation and taxation, gun ownership, and defence of “so called” pro-life and family values. These values have been reinforced; financially aided by the organized Christian Right, service industry and resource extraction corporations, corporate executives, wealthy families, and many others. It’s all because of a system where big money can influence politics with almost no limit. Progressives rightfully call it an oligarchy, but it’s becoming in principle and indirect practice, a kleptocracy. In exchange for lobbying the Republican Party they get polices passed that benefit their ideals or increase their profits, profits that rightfully belong to but have been denied from the American people. This is done through the rollback of regulations, exploitation of tax loopholes, cuts to the social safety net, depression of wages etc.
Because of this grossly disproportionate financing and political backing, the Republicans and moderate Democrats have had no need to listen the issues affecting the everyday lives of ordinary people living in their constituencies, but it’s especially true with the Republican Party.
But it’s only under Trump’s presidency that the Republican’s have adopted his political methods for staying in power. As they saw how the President continued to defend himself against allegations of collusion with Russia during his 2016 campaign, the GOP’s most ideologically fundamentalist factions in Congress came to mostly defend the actions of President Trump. Groups like the Republican Study Committee, Liberty Caucus, and Freedom Caucus, groups that were the most virulent in championing “so-called” small-government, lower taxes, minimal regulations, and family values, were the same groups who’s majority of members became supporters and even outright loyalists to the President. Many of the things the President did in his own personal life and political leadership would easily contradict these values. These organized factions make up of the majority of Republican representation in the House of Representatives and a sizeable amount in the Senate through the now inactive Tea Party Caucus. It’s also these same factions whose efforts have led to the Republican Party shifting more towards from the center-right to the solid right-wing and even far-right in some aspects.
Even the highest rungs of party leadership in the Republican National Committee and State Committees have become more openly supportive of the President; going as far as to try to vote to bind their delegates to his 2020 campaign and stop any primary opposition to him. It was even more clear when the voted not to adopt a new platform at this party convention but instead to support his presidential platform as theirs as well. Ronna Romney McDanniel is mostly to blame for this as she is the chair of the RNC and thus leader of the GOP outside President Trump. What’s worse is that she is openly endorsed his claims of electoral fraud and has aided him in his legal action.
With recent reports Trump could run again in 2024 for the Presidency, with an official announcement as early as January, after Joe Biden is sworn in, there’s a very plausible chance the GOP will forego another primary and possibly unilaterally nominate Trump again. Other reports say the outgoing President is considering staring an online streaming service to compete with FOX News.
Whatever happens in January onward could be anyone’s guess, but it’s become increasingly clear that Trump’s authoritarian tactics made the GOP feel like, because they have a President who is willing to do it, it’s completely okay for them to do the same. The President and the party may not agree on policy, but the GOP has an ally and at times a puppet who will help them realize their ideals, regardless if the majority approve or not.
Going forward, it will become increasingly clear to anyone who watches the patterns of how Republicans have played politics in the 21st century and will continue to do so that the GOP has never been a normal conservative party in a democratic system.
