Where do Republicans go from here?

[Sun_Worshiper]

There is a battle for the soul of the Republican party.

On one side, are traditional Republicans like Ben Sasse* who have rejected QAnon and other idiotic conspiracy theories, in favor of institutionalism and conservative principles. On the other side, are folks like Greene at the extreme end and Cruz at the slightly less extreme (but still extreme) end, who worship Trump, spend their days gin up the base with conspiracies and grievances for political gain, and have apparently decided that democracy isn't such a good system after all.

There are a lot of Republicans in Congress on the crazy side, but many of these people would presumably be very happy to turn in their tin foil hats if they thought doing so was politically sensible. However, the party base seems to largely have embraced Trumpism in all of its looniest forms -- but maybe they are malleable (it was only eight years ago that Romney was the Presidential nominee).

Problems is, that both of these strategies seem to have failed electorally, at least on the national level: McCain lost, Romney lost, Trump won by a hair in 2016, but lost in 2020, with House and Senate going as well. Overall, the Republicans have won the popular vote once since 1992.  So do the Republicans embrace one of these electorally questionable strategies or can they forge a new path?

* https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2021/01/conspiracy-theories-will-doom-republican-party/617707/

[Ruralguy]

The odd thing is that lately, there's very little political sensibility involved on the Trumpist side. One example: Arizona.  For a couple of years now they have embraced the "spar with McCain's ghost" strategy. Even after that lost them two senate seats *and* the state in the last Presidential election for the first time in decades, they decided to double down an censure Cindy McCain.

I dunno, maybe they were never sensible, but now it seems that all political calculation is out the window other than doubling down on the "base," which now is not much more than making excuses for a terroristic insurrection.

[mamselle]

I continue to suspect that Trump has a J.Edgar.Hoover-like file on every single one of the Repubs and that only a few--like Romney--are 'clean' enough to be safe in opposing him.

It's the only logical thing I can come up with that explains the level of idiocy in--even now, for example--wanting him censured, but not doing it themselves in the Senate.

Until he's institutionalized or pops his clogs, that threat is not going away, and skews all other options.

M.

[spork]

No place but down?

The degree of culpability among Republicans elected or appointed to federal positions is astounding:

https://www.nytimes.com/2021/01/31/us/trump-election-lie.html

[Parasaurolophus]

'Away' would be nice.

[nebo113]

I continue to suspect that Trump has a J.Edgar.Hoover-like file on every single one of the Repubs and that only a few--like Romney--are 'clean' enough to be safe in opposing him.

It's the only logical thing I can come up with that explains the level of idiocy in--even now, for example--wanting him censured, but not doing it themselves in the Senate.

Until he's institutionalized or pops his clogs, that threat is not going away, and skews all other options.

M.

General consensus in South Carolina is the Lindsey is vulnerable to blackmail.  As for the others:  They will do anything for power.

[writingprof]

I continue to suspect that Trump has a J.Edgar.Hoover-like file on every single one of the Repubs and that only a few--like Romney--are 'clean' enough to be safe in opposing him.

It's the only logical thing I can come up with that explains the level of idiocy in--even now, for example--wanting him censured, but not doing it themselves in the Senate.

Until he's institutionalized or pops his clogs, that threat is not going away, and skews all other options.

M.

General consensus in South Carolina is the Lindsey is vulnerable to blackmail.  As for the others:  They will do anything for power.

I think the cat's out of the bag where Miss Lindsey is concerned. (Yes, that's how he's known to a certain kind of South Carolina voter. Sue me.) My own guess is that the issue is not blackmail but the nomination system. Trump supporters are a majority of Republican voters in nearly every state or district. Thus, opposing him is an easy way to get "primaried."

But let's not pretend that this is purely a Republican phenomenon. AOC regularly threatens to send her minions to "primary" Democrats who don't toe the line (e.g., support policies that are markedly to the left of that which is broadly popular or passable). How I miss the smoke-filled room!

[mahagonny]

They get a lot of help from the democrats, who, by choosing the weak-willed Joe Biden, are letting the noisiest and most demanding of the left to impose their agenda on the party. All of which insures that the trumpets will be back, fortified, with one candidate or another. Trump, Kim Klacik, Trumps Jr. or someone. Because, as Bill Maher has pointed out, many Americans look at this anything-goes platform and quietly decide 'these people are nuts.'

Gingrich:        https://www.foxnews.com/opinion/newt-gingrich-joe-biden-trumpism-asset-elites

Maher:       https://etcanada.com/news/680198/bill-maher-says-cancel-culture-has-become-so-crazy-that-were-going-to-have-to-cancel-god/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SgrZAPUvKyA

[apl68]

'Away' would be nice.

Then the United States will have only a single national-level political party.  A one-party system is not good for democracy in the long term.

[marshwiggle]

'Away' would be nice.

Then the United States will have only a single national-level political party.  A one-party system is not good for democracy in the long term.

I'm kind of curious what the people who think it was morally wrong to vote Republican think should have happened in November. Should everyone have simply voted for Biden? Should everyone who would have voted Republican just have stayed home? 

[Parasaurolophus]

'Away' would be nice.

Then the United States will have only a single national-level political party.  A one-party system is not good for democracy in the long term.

Nah. They could (and should) be replaced by something else.

[ciao_yall]

'Away' would be nice.

Then the United States will have only a single national-level political party.  A one-party system is not good for democracy in the long term.

Nah. They could (and should) be replaced by something else.

I live in a solidly blue state and our political world is divided now by two sub-parties: Moderates and Progressives. Human nature is such that they always take sides.

In other news, the big divide is that Republicans in Washington are completely isolated from the voters in their states. Americans support the stimulus or want it bigger; want gun control; public health care; etc etc etc. But a few donors are holding a few Senators by the short hairs.

I'm putting this on the Democrats as well. Get rid of the filibuster and get stuff done - stop blaming the R's! Unless, of course, the same donors are pushing the same agendas on both and all of this is just kabuki?

[ciao_yall]

I think the cat's out of the bag where Miss Lindsey is concerned. (Yes, that's how he's known to a certain kind of South Carolina voter. Sue me.) My own guess is that the issue is not blackmail but the nomination system. Trump supporters are a majority of Republican voters in nearly every state or district. Thus, opposing him is an easy way to get "primaried."

LOL, a friend of mine posted that he started to look for Lady Gaga's handle and when he entered #ladyg..., Lindsey Graham's name popped up first.

[mamselle]

This is at least the second article I've seen on a Republican Senator who voted for removal to be censured in their state...

So, they're devouring their own, now....

   https://www.politico.com/news/2021/02/15/richard-burr-north-carolina-censure-469027

What's happened to voting your conscience?

Oh...

M.
   

[Sun_Worshiper]

Republicans have a few branches: (1) Traditional Rs, (2) authoritarians, (3) conspiracy idiots. Putting aside that two of these branches actively tried to overturn democracy after Trump lost the election, the problem for Republicans is that neither Trump-style lunacy or Romney-style appear to be good strategies electorally.

So where does the party go from here, and how does the party get its activist base to come back to earth? Given the answers to this thread so far, it seems like nobody here has much of a clue (I don't know either).