The destruction of the Republican Party

Written By: - Date published: 8:30 am, March 5th, 2016 - 49 comments
Categories: International, us politics - Tags: , ,

Donald Trump inconvenient douche

The gift that keeps on giving, the American Presidential primaries has slipped into overdrive as if someone dumped a whole load of NOX into an overheated engine.

On the left Hillary Clinton won a points victory on super Tuesday by winning seven out of eleven states and a majority of delegates on offer. But Bernie Sanders has ignited the campaign in a way no one would have expected. The machine and the careerists may still win but at least Bernie has shown the deep unmet need for conviction politicians. I hope he stays in the race right to the end.  And I hope that he wins (sorry Ad).

And on the right I do not know whether to laugh or cry. Trump, the frankenstein candidate, the candidate who finds that the more extreme he goes the more support he gains, is on a roll. And the Republican Party is reacting.

Nothing is sacred to Trump. References to the penis sizes of his opponents and a metaphorical description of previous Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney electing to go into a compromising position for political support have been made in the past couple of days without the slightest shred of embarrassment.  The most advanced nation in the world has become engrossed in sexual innuendo and at least some of its citizens are happy for its potential next leader to show an advanced level of crudity.

It is as if a large proportion of the American population is programmed into responding positively to superficial banal comments on issues that should be subject to deep and intense discussion and analysis. Thank you fifty years of television culture.

Yes that sounds too intellectual.  The left’s weakness is that we analyse the world’s problems too deeply and the right is happy to attack with completely superficial analysis that some still adhere to.  We may eventually win the intellectual battle but the political battle for hearts and minds is another thing.

Mitt Romney has responded by as pointed and as public and as panicked a way as you can imagine. The Republican Party hierarchy is obviously very scared at the prospect of Trump winning.

Here is video of highlights from his speech given a couple of days ago:

I have never seen such a scathing take down of someone by their own party.  It is fortunate that American defamation laws are so liberal.

It is not as if there is a shining knight waiting to take over and lead the Republicans to power. All the other candidates are awful and hated by parts of the party and it seems the more likely they are to gain the nomination the more hated they are.

From Politico:

Thursday was the collapse of a political party in real time: Its 2012 nominee trying desperately to stop the person who’s looking more and more like the 2016 nominee, all while 2008 nominee John McCain bounced from saying he’d support Trump as the nominee just Wednesday to issuing a statement on Thursday saying he shared Romney’s concerns — and then later that day clarifying that he’d still support Trump.

Meanwhile, the only other living GOP presidential nominee whose last name isn’t Bush — Bob Dole — has said he’d be for Trump if that meant stopping Cruz, the much-hated Texas senator who’s one of the few left standing against the loudmouth real estate mogul.

The Democrats cannot believe their luck:

From the presidential level on down to Senate and House races, Thursday was full of Democratic joy and glee.

“You think to yourself ‘Oh boy, your opponent is weakening themselves and giving us an advantage,’” said Rep. Steny Hoyer (D-Md.), the House minority whip.

“If Republicans are already tired of questions about their party’s new standard bearer, they should consider calling it quits like Dan Coats did,” said Lauren Passalacqua, the Democratic Senate Campaign Committee’s press secretary, referring to the retiring Indiana senator.

Romney got in his digs — “his promises are as worthless as a degree from Trump University” — but all Democrats noticed was the thrashing, crashing mess.

“They’re pointing out the wackiness of Trump’s policy ideas and explaining how they won’t stand up to scrutiny in November. Trump isn’t bothered. Why should he be? For Trump, IT’S NOT ABOUT POLICY,” Goolsbee wrote in a follow-up email.

At this stage it still look like Trump will take the nomination.  But he is a buffoon.

I am confident Hillary can defeat him.  I am pretty certain that Bernie would defeat him.  That great big unmet need for redneck opposition to politics as usual I can understand but the rednecks are aiming at the wrong target.  Supporting an ultra rich dickhead who has squandered a large inheritance but talks like he is an ordinary guy is an insult.  If he really wants to represent ordinary people he should talk about their problems, not divert them with talk about forcing Mexicans to build a wall.

Trump is a gigantic clown.  It makes you wonder if we have a local version.

49 comments on “The destruction of the Republican Party ”

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  1. saveNZ 1
    5 March 2016 at 9:47 am

    +1 it really is the careerists vs the conviction politicians and I think conviction politicians are gaining ground all around the world.

    Neoliberalism is getting to it is logical end with Trump. A billionaire guy who wins. You don’t have to be smart or articulate or have policy to be the USA president. You just need media obsessed by you and a whole lot of money.

    Decades of charter schools have also come to their logical end with the voting public.

    And why are the republicans so scared. Trump does not respond to political lobbyists and is rejecting the TPPA. Their rival nominees are getting longer odds than Trump.

    As for Clinton, I think she will bring more of the same.

    If I was American I would vote Sanders, for a change of direction.

  2. ropata 2
    5 March 2016 at 11:22 am

    this is probably the end of the republican party, and good riddance

    it has become totally dysfunctional, reactionary and populist, owned by big oil and military interests

    nothing like the party of Abraham Lincoln, that helped build the USA and freed the slaves.

    • Colonial Viper 2.1
      5 March 2016 at 11:26 am

      Don’t wish the end of an era until you know what is to follow.

      • Ad 2.1.1
        5 March 2016 at 11:44 am

        Exactly. Spain and Greece showing the limits of hard left reform through the ballot.

        • adam 2.1.1.1
          5 March 2016 at 5:15 pm

          That is why the ballot and the elected dictatorship we have is no answer for socialism.

          Because the moderate left PSOE in Spain, and the socialist in Greece have smashed left parties at every turn.

          Take the games PSOE pulled last night, getting into bed with the hard right rather than working with a left wing party. Or the so called left of Europe crushing Syriza for not following the rules of the establishment.

          It is not at the ballot box we need to be fighting capitalism, it is on the streets.

      • Grindlebottom 2.1.2
        5 March 2016 at 12:04 pm

        When it comes down to it if they can’t stop Trump they’ll back him, surely? To do otherwise would wreck the Republican Party and Americans are such strong traditionalists the party would never let that happen. If Romney was the GOP establishment’s best shot they haven’t got a hope of dumping him. The way Trump eviscerates his critics and Republican opponents will be valuable beyond measure when turned on full strength onto Hillary Clinton in particular. Despite my earlier views on this bullshit artist, I can’t rule out that we may yet get to see a change in Trump’s style once he gets the nomination sewn up, which is definitely on the cards.

        The world’s most prominent democracy reduced to a reality tv show.

        • Colonial Viper 2.1.2.1
          5 March 2016 at 12:20 pm

          the US has never been a democracy.

        • Rodel 2.1.2.2
          5 March 2016 at 1:15 pm

          The quality of latter day Republican presidents and wannabes is a cause for comedic despair vis. Nixon, Reagan, Bush, McCain/Palin and now Trump, the second most famous Donald cartoon Character in US history. Do they get these people straight from Disneyland?

          The comedic aspect pales when one considers that the new president will have some 5000 nuclear weapons at his/her/our disposal.

          • Colonial Viper 2.1.2.2.1
            5 March 2016 at 1:43 pm

            the people are desperate for a change in direction, Rodel. They know that the establishment leadership has royally fucked them and their families and their country.

  3. Jones 3
    5 March 2016 at 11:57 am

    Danny Bhoy in Wellington last Thursday night reckoned that if Trump becomes President, the Mexicans AND the Canadians will be building and paying for a wall… they won’t need any strong-arming from Trump.

  4. millsy 4
    5 March 2016 at 1:42 pm

    Trump is really no worse than his GOP opponents.

    The thought of President Cruz doesnt exactly make me breate a sigh of relief.

  5. Doogs 5
    5 March 2016 at 2:06 pm

    Oh my god . . . I love the story under ‘local version’!

    I am so glad that JO is picking up on all the dickheadedness that abounds among our leaders and decision makers.

    I just wish he wouldn’t say New Zealand is doing this . . . or New Zealanders are deciding to do that . . . The hell we are! Why can’t he pick on the deadbeat slope-head who IS actually doing, saying, deciding or suggesting whatever it is.

    I’m sure a majority of folks can’t abide half the stuff coming out of Wellington.

    Please JO, find the culprit and expose his dumb arse to the world! Don’t please blame us all for the brain farts of the disillusioned.

  6. joe90 6
    5 March 2016 at 3:37 pm

    Interesting read on the genesis of the RWNJ’s – from McCarthy to the John Birch Society through to the Koch Brothers and today’s religious right.

    Phyllis Schlafly, the well-known anti-feminist and “family values” campaigner was associated with the John Birch Society in the 1960s. (Kabaservice, Rule and Ruin, 204) Robert Welch referred to her as “one of our most loyal members.” (Kabaservice, Rule and Ruin, 90) In 1964 Schlafly published her influential book, A Choice, Not an Echo, which was used extensively to mobilize support for the Goldwater campaign.

    In her book she outlined a grand conspiracy theory: “America’s so-called democracy was controlled by ‘secret kingmakers,’ a shadowy group mostly made up of internationalist New York investment bankers [who] dominated the media.” (Kabaservice, Rule and Ruin, 89) Their operations were coordinated internationally through the Bilderburger banking conferences with the overall goal of ushering in a “global Communist conquest.” Schlafly’s grand conspiracy theory resembles a script taken from Welch’s own writings. At age 88 she continues to be a featured celebrity speaker at conservative Republican gatherings.

    https://thepoliticalspectator.com/tag/nelson-bunker-hunt/

  7. Robert 7
    5 March 2016 at 5:05 pm

    Trump is the end of the Republican party as a political force … they will never be able to unite behind a candidate. The Democrats will be in power for the next two terms under Clinton and then her vice-president will take over.

    The REPUBLICANS ARE FINISHED! Thank-you Donald Trump for showing the deep divisions in the party for all the world to see – US Repuplicans being too myopic (only 10% of US citizens posess passports) to see the Trump as the rest of the world sees him … or John Oliver a US TV talk show host

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

    Check out this link from the John Oliver show for a withering Trump putdown

    • Colonial Viper 7.1
      5 March 2016 at 5:15 pm

      John Oliver should do an episode about Hillary Clinton destroying countries and droning wedding parties.

      • Andre 7.1.1
        5 March 2016 at 5:31 pm

        Yes, the careless viciousness of Clinton’s foreign policy needs more exposure. But going for laughs out of that kind of material wouldn’t work very well. Except maybe at a Trump rally.

        • Grindlebottom 7.1.1.1
          5 March 2016 at 6:22 pm

          Trump’s position on drone attacks is unknown. He hasn’t said anything about them and doesn’t seem to have been asked specifically whether he favours continuing to use them.

          He’s just done a 24 hour U-turn on his views on torture and “worse” (which may have referred to his previous statements that the US should kill terrorists and their families, but who knows what is in the mind of The Donald. He does his best thinking the day after he does his not thinking).

          http://edition.cnn.com/2016/03/04/politics/donald-trump-reverses-on-torture/index.html

          I suppose this U-turn indicates that he has wisely accepted advice that he can’t legally do what he said he would, but the US military & government seem to have the view drone strikes are legal, so if elected president who knows whether Trump would let them continue?

          • pat 7.1.1.1.1
            5 March 2016 at 8:46 pm

            perhaps he would continue the drone strikes and send the bill for the hellfire to the targets relatives

    • Phil 7.2
      7 March 2016 at 5:21 pm

      rump is the end of the Republican party as a political force … they will never be able to unite behind a candidate. The Democrats will be in power for the next two terms under Clinton and then her vice-president will take over.

      The REPUBLICANS ARE FINISHED!

      You must have a very short memory.

      I remember Labour supporters here, in the mid 00’s, saying the same thing after National lost badly in ’02. They’d never unite behind another candidate. Helen would be in power for a decade or more. National was finished.

      Then in the late 00’s and early 10’s, National supporters were saying the same thing about Labour. They’ve been through 4 leaders in as many years. They’ll never unite behind a single leader. Labour’s in free fall and heading toward permanent irrelevancy.

      … and yet they’re both still here.

  8. Puddleglum 8
    5 March 2016 at 10:59 pm

    Language both ‘tells’ and ‘shows’.

    If you want to understand Trump’s supporters don’t obsess over the content of what he ‘says’ and wonder how ‘sane’ people could possibly agree with that content; look at what his manner of talking ‘shows’ to his supporters.

    It shows he has utter confidence that he can do and say anything – he has power; it shows that he has no respect for the civilities of intellectual or political discourse and no respect for establishment politics or the world they have delivered.

    That’s what his supporters are responding to – not the content of what he says particularly.

    They’ve had enough of ‘it’ all and they want someone strong enough and disrespectful enough of ‘it’ to take ‘it’ on – ‘it’ being the world of labyrinthine complexity, deceit, obscurantism and elitism that they perceive has been responsible for their lot of struggle, disappointment and simple pain. They want their American Dream back.

    Trump ticks those two boxes – strength and disrespect – in what he ‘shows’ when he speaks.

    • Colonial Viper 8.1
      6 March 2016 at 12:10 am

      Disrespect to the establishment and the status quo.

      • Puddleglum 8.1.1
        7 March 2016 at 4:23 pm

        More fundamentally, a disrespect to those who his supporters perceive have not listened, have deceived, have used their support for their own agendas, etc..

    • RedLogix 8.2
      6 March 2016 at 1:15 am

      In other words Puddleglum … Trump is the dominant alpha male of the moment.

      All that money, drama and power. Unstoppable sex appeal.

      • Puddleglum 8.2.1
        7 March 2016 at 4:20 pm

        Yes, and that strongman is repeatedly targeting ‘the enemy’ so far as his supporters are concerned.

        And I don’t mean migrants or Muslims.

  9. sabine 9
    6 March 2016 at 10:56 am

    Excellent Twitter Rant re Republican Party and their natural selection of Donald J. Trump.

    Die Geister die ich rief werd ich nun nicht mehr los. Johann Wolfgang von Goethe.

    https://storify.com/DemFromCT/mike-grunwald-on-governance-the-gop-and-donald-tru

  10. the Pink Postman 10
    6 March 2016 at 3:04 pm

    remember that the National Party NZ has a close affiliation with the Republican Party through its membership of the Democratic Union,
    The infamous Cossack TV adverts were pure Republican type advert
    and most likely paid for by Republican money ,because Muldoon refused to say who paid for them.

  11. sabine 11
    6 March 2016 at 4:02 pm

    http://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2015/08/the-election-of-donald-trump/401579/

    the trump future. its a good funny read about the future that may be. 🙂

  12. rhinocrates 12
    6 March 2016 at 4:14 pm

    Good article on Trump supporters in relation to authoritarianism.

    http://www.vox.com/2016/3/1/11127424/trump-authoritarianism

    Authoritarianism is not necessarily an “ideological” position and ideological argument is not necessarily the way to counter it.

    Disturbingly, it seems to be a long latent, even atavistic tendency that will not go away. Trump is not creating it, but using it. If Trump goes away, authoritarianism will still be there, and coupled with economic decline, uncertainty and fear, there will be gap that some other demagogues will fill.

    • weka 12.1
      6 March 2016 at 11:49 pm

      This. It’s far more scarey to me than Trump or Key. We need egalitarianism and compassion/empathy in our worlds more than we need a Sanders or a Corbyn.

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