2016 Postmortem
Related: About this forumThe GOP Death Spiral
The GOP Death Spiralby D.R. TuckerOctober 9, 2016 4:30 PM POLITICAL ANIMAL BLOG
The Republican Party will not be able to reform in the aftermath of a Trump loss because it cannot reform. It structurally cannot change, because the views of its base will not change. It is entirely possible that in 2020, the partys revanchist base will support a candidate even more racist, even more misogynist, even more vile than Trump.
The illusion that the United States will have two non-dysfunctional political parties in the near future should have been destroyed by the POLITICO/Morning Consult poll showing that the vast majority of GOP voters simply do not care about Trumps, shall we say, gripping remarks from 2005.
Its tough for non-reactionary Americans to face the reality that many Republicans tacitly support Trumps vicious views. Yet, the rational mind must conclude that the GOP is indeed the Party of Trump, and that this reality will not change even if hes conquered by Clinton.
Will the Republican Party ever reform and become an inclusive, rational, policy-based party? It might happen one day. The sun might rise in the West one day, too.
underpants
(182,826 posts)Last edited Mon Oct 10, 2016, 09:28 AM - Edit history (1)
1. As has been described elsewhere, this is the last battle of the Civil War. The last stand of Old white male dominance.
2. They let their marketing dept. (media) take over their party. Candidates have a simple checklist of litmus tests that must be completely followed and they have to say exactly the Right same words. Then new media jumped in and created even crazier words that aren't required yet but are passable with a portion of the party.
workinclasszero
(28,270 posts)1. I can see this for sure.
and
2. You are right. In the republican party you have to say certain code words to be an acceptable candidate. You have to pay lip service to the groups that run the show.
You can be a pu$$y grabbing filthy rich barbarian who hasn't paid taxes in 20 years and is a mole for Russia, just say the right words and the GOP is all good with you.
C_U_L8R
(45,003 posts)Now Trump will drag the whole party down as he fails.
Hillary could have very easily delivered a death blow to Trump last night
but having him around, ineffective but still holding on, will be so much
more rewarding up and down the ballot on election day.
BSdetect
(8,998 posts)I think she could have made some very telling retorts to his monstrous jibes.
She's far too nice.
LakeVermilion
(1,041 posts)I'm guessing that there are more funerals for white Republicans than diverse Democrats. Further, more Democrats are born everyday than Republicans. At a certain point gerrymandering can't help. The Republican brand has peaked. Better yet, the Koch Brothers and Grover Norquist have done nothing ensure that young Americans feel a part of the prosperity for some. Their time is done too!
Younger Americans accept diversity. They embrace it. We are all better off for it. The future is bright!
workinclasszero
(28,270 posts)The hate filled old white party is marching to the graveyard in a steady stream now.
I can only hope their hate dies with them.
ibegurpard
(16,685 posts)Currently controls both houses of Congress and the majority of state legislatures and governorships. To crow about their demise in a presidential election year before people have even voted is short-sighted. We are looking at serious challenges on 2018 and need to be ready.
Bernardo de La Paz
(49,002 posts)The traditional GOP has been brow beaten into a corner since the days of Newt Gingrich.
Now they can't get rid of the Ts / Teas / tRumps any easy way.
They surrendered their party to extreme polarization and ignorance and bigotry. They can't get it back.
Their best option is to abandon the Ts en masse and form a new party. Not one of those existing joke and nutty Tea-like "Constitutional" or "Conservative" parties.
The best thing the Democrats can do with a broken GOP (aside from all the obvious things like SCOTUS) would be to put through a new hard-nosed Voting Rights Act, without sunset provisions.
The next thing would be to permanently put state districting in the hands of independent commissions, but that would mostly require winning state Legislatures. That is more likely with Republicans fractured up and down the line and it would be much easier to capture state Legislatures with a new national Voting Rights Act.