ATLANTIC: GOP is no longer a party of Ideas, but a party of Idolators

[CousinIT]

Authors are Reed Galen, John Weaver and Rick Wilson, all of The Lincoln Project

https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2020/02/right-still-makes-might/607132/

. . .Today, the United States faces a different threat, and as in Lincoln’s day, it is a threat not from abroad, but from within. The Republican Party, which some of us still hope to reform and which others have left, no longer deals in principle, morality, or the pursuit of the common welfare. It is no longer a party driven by a commitment to the rule of law, the preservation of individual liberty, or adherence to the Constitution.

The GOP now exists to further the personal desires and wealth of one man. We now see friends and former colleagues celebrate its new form. It is no longer a party of ideas, but a party of idolaters. It is a dark mirror of the authoritarian regimes we once fought.

In the past several decades, America has experienced a steady dilution of the power, competence, and value of our institutions, and the near collapse of what we once called political discourse. Public trust in government, business, religious institutions, and our faith in the idea of America is strained to the breaking point. As Lincoln understood on the eve of the Civil War, we need a clarion call to hold the line against a tyranny from within.

If donald trump wins a second term, the consequences will be dark—and it does no one any good to deny them. The month following his Senate acquittal has given us a preview of what lies ahead. Even his friends and fans now understand what Trump might do with untrammeled power in a second term.

Yoni Appelbaum: How America ends

Since taking office, this president, despite his radical, reckless, and corrupt actions, his constant stream of unpresidential words and deeds, has faced no substantive sanction, official or otherwise. A reelection will embolden him and his allies in ways Americans should fear.

Much of America feels helpless to confront a president who treats the rule of law as a joke, who weaponizes the federal government against his political and personal opponents, and who engages in corrupt acts for his personal benefit.. . .

[Wabbajack_]

1. "Reform it"?

When was the last time they were the good guys? 1864?

[DFW]

2. Theodore Roosevelt

When the Republicans stopped thinking of Teddy Roosevelt as their greatest 20th century president and substituted Ronald Reagan, that is when they abandoned the eagle as the national symbol, and substituted the cuckoo bird.

[rickyhall]

4. That's very good.

[kentuck]

8. Good analogy!

[DFW]

14. Best I could think of on the spur of the moment, anyway! n/t

[Perseus]

10. Is that your own quote? Excellent!

I send the "QUOTE OF THE DAY" to a bunch of friends (some republican who must be sick of my quotes), and with your permission I would like to send that one.

[DFW]

13. Go right ahead

I didn't really intend it as a quote. More like a rather mundane observation.

[bronxiteforever]

3. Kick and recommend.

[Xipe Totec]

5. They Worship El Mamon. nt

[RobertDevereaux]

6. This toxic party must be taken down . .. and swiftly.

[Martin Eden]

7. Our greatest threats are from within

This is the most important election in my lifetime of 62 years.

[Perseus]

9. To me, this is the saddest line "Much of America feels helpless to confront a president who..."

Where are the brave men and women of the Military? Where are the brave men and women of the intelligence agencies? We know there are no brave men and women from the GOP in Congress and the Senate, so that is not a question and it is actually what the article is about, but it worries me more that the military is so quiet, so willing to work with the creature, that should worry us all. Why are the people who leave the administration also so quiet? The cowardice is to a very high level, are these people able to sleep from guilt and fear? And I am talking about Kelly, Mattis, Tillerson, Bolton, etc. They know how corrupt the creature is, what is holding them to come forward?

Bolton is like the pet of the bully in school, when the bully is bothering the little kids he feels brave, but once the bully takes off, the pet runs after him with his fears and insecurities intact.

[B Stieg]

11. And look at what they've chosen to worship!

Sheesh.

[Perseus]

12. I differ with some of the author's assessment of the republican party.

The one thing I differ with the assessment of the republican party by the author is that I am not sure the republican party ever stood for morality, or that its members have had any principles (of course there is always the exception to the rule), or cared about the common welfare, or any of the good attributes the author claims they had. If we look to our modern history, the republican party has always been lacking in morals, its members have been wrapping themselves on the flag and religion while bringing atrocities to the USA population via bills that only benefit the very rich, have brought so much destruction to the World through its mindless wars, for no other reason than to please the military and its industrial complex, so no, the republican party has always been the the enemy within.

[DFW]

16. I would submit the following:

“To announce that there must be no criticism of the President, or that we are to stand by the President, right or wrong, is not only unpatriotic and servile, but is morally treasonable to the American public.”

--Republican president Theodore Roosevelt

Read what the National Park Service (who pretty much owes its existence to Teddy Roosevelt) says about him:


"Conservation increasingly became one of Roosevelt's main concerns. After becoming president in 1901, Roosevelt used his authority to protect wildlife and public lands by creating the United States Forest Service (USFS) and establishing 150 national forests, 51 federal bird reserves, 4 national game preserves, 5 national parks, and 18 national monuments by enabling the 1906 American Antiquities Act. During his presidency,Theodore Roosevelt protected approximately 230 million acres of public land."

More here: https://www.nps.gov/thro/learn/historyculture/theodore-roosevelt-and-conservation.htm

Different eras produce different types of people of superficially similar affiliation. Theodore Roosevelt and Donald Trump are both Republicans like Vivaldi and Mussolini were both Italians.

[Perseus]

15. We cannot loose sight that the goal is 1st to defeat trump, and 1st to defeat GOP senators as well

We have to clean Washington from the pestilence of the GOP.