68 Comments

Adam. Excellent summation of the issues as usual!

It's obvious to anyone now paying attention that the Republican party as we knew it is dead. Time to get the shovel out and bury it.

"Real" conservative Republicans now have essentially three choices to make.:

1) Join the MAGA rebels and just ride along.

2) Try and change the party back to what it once was.

3) Leave the party and form a new third party, grow it, and (working in consensus with Democrats and Independents) stomp out what is left of MAGA. Or at least marginalize it to the point of obscurity.

Germany got rid of Hitler. We surely can get rid of Trump.

Expand full comment

Tbf Hitler got rid of Hitler

Expand full comment

True. He didn't see himself ending up like Mussolini, so he took the CS way out.

But, in the broader context of my comment, Germany over the past 75 years has essentially said "one and done" with authoritarian government. It never works in the end - for anyone anywhere. It makes ZERO sense for a large group of people to allow a small group to rule and oppress them.

Expand full comment

You're right, I was half-joking.

It would be interesting to see a case study on how the north and south established unity after the civil war versus how Germany was divided and reunited after WW2.

Personally I don't think Reconstruction ever ended, but Germany has managed to nearly wipe out anti-Semitism within their culture. They have pretty strict laws regarding free speech in that area, but can't argue with the results.

Expand full comment

To be sure, post WW2 in Germany was no cake walk on the road to recovery. They had their own "Iraq" style insurgency during the western occupation. But they eventually handled it well and, as you point out, reunited their country - largely stamping out anti-Semitism. Quite amazing when you consider they went from Genocidal crazy all the way to the other end of the spectrum.

On the other hand, I do not believe for a second that the US has done nearly as good a job at reunification of North and South. The ongoing lack of civility, ever present racism and our growing political problems are testament to that. We might occasionally squish it into a corner. But it comes roaring back when you get someone like Trump - who as his own self-appointed Genie - pops the cork.

Expand full comment

It's scary now though as there is a strong far-right party rising back up there.

Expand full comment

Diane, that is definitely something we all have to keep our eyes on. It happens there occasionally but usually gets put back in its place by the rational majority.

As the world has "matured" over time, we tend to learn from our mistakes and those of others so as not to repeat them. I'm only (half) joking of course but I think the collective experiences help most of us better deal with uprisings.

Now, to completely shoot my previous statement in the foot, the problems get VERY serious - as it has here in the US lately - when a confluence of domestic and foreign affairs, economics, and social anxieties allow populism to rise up. We tend to "tribe up" and then look for so called "leaders" to make us all better. It doesn't solve our problems... as we are seeing.

All the "tech mess" like social media, streaming, AI, etc. have drastically compounded the problems with societal fragmentation. Hard to see a clear way back to "normal". It stinks for the youngsters because this is the only thing they know.

Expand full comment

What I find most disturbing is the stoking of fear of others. "They aren't like us". They say that as they eat their Tacos or their Reuben sandwich.

The Orange Nightmare has now gone so far to forward the line of those "others" destroying and diluting the American blood line. How people fall into that is just beyond my comprehension but they do and that is just so very dangerous.

I was pleasantly surprised when Poland threw out their authoritarian leader. NOW , can they form a government. That is always the issue. I was surprised they actually had a "real" election. On the down side, it looks like Argentina is on the road to elect just the opposite Its hard to really get a handle on anything these days.

Expand full comment

Love your point about race/food hypocrisy with those guys! It permeates down from there.

Methinks Trumpette has never taken a DNA test. I BET he would be quite surprised at the result. Pretty sure he would call it a Democrap conspiracy/witch hunt/election interference and then sue everyone in sight.

I mean, come on Poland. After what happened with them in WW2. And then their staunch support for Ukraine waned due to a food fight? Then they "entertained" the idea of going South on us? Thank God they came to their senses.

I sometimes wonder how folks have such short memories of what the "right thing to do" should be - based on past experiences alone. It's Populism. I blame Ronald Reagan for starting it :)

Expand full comment

I‘m in. It occurs to me that if congress were filled with republicans like Adam and democrats like Pete Buttegieg, stuff would get done so quickly and uncontroversially that politics would actually get boring again. Without all that fear and rage, I‘m not sure what people would get excited about, but I sure would like to find out.

Expand full comment

Here here!

Expand full comment
founding

Thank you for this RINO information! As a moderate Independent, I support the politicians that have good principles (like you!) and want the best for Americans and the world. NOT for themselves. You need to know there are more people out here that are tired of the MAGA cult but are not into activism! If all of you RINOs did come together, the MAGA movement would be pushed into the shadows. Thanks again! You give us HOPE 😁!

Expand full comment

I hope the rest of the RINOs will publicly take action and invigorate the transition to a new Republican Party. The only way to make a significant change is for people to vote the MAGA group out.

Expand full comment

I was thinking recently that it's a sign of how upside down our politics is these days that if you sound like Reagan or the Bushes you're probably going to be labeled a RINO, but RFK Jr. apparently has enough in common with "real Republicans" that the RNC has to issue a statement discouraging their voters from supporting him.

Expand full comment

Two HEALTHY parties are needed for a healthy government. The parties should be able to work together to find consensus on legislation and not just sling mud and threats. As an Independent, I find the Democrats more palatable than what currently passes for Republicans. If there are not enough Republicans left who can stand up and work across the party line to get a speaker elected and our government functioning then we are in the worst possible danger of becoming just another authoritarian state with the top figure pulling the puppet strings. It scares me silly to think that perhaps Putin is the ultimate puppet master given the way 45 has groveled to him. So much is written, talking heads puff out speculation and the average Joe has just given up and stoped watching/reading quality news. At one time I watched PBS NewsHour every single day. Then, gradually I stopped until I only watch Brooks and Capehart on Fridays. I check NYT and Washington Post along with BBC and CBC but it is almost all bad news - wars, bombings, lack of functioning governments, corrupt governments, on and on. So, I suppose, I'm now part of the Ostrich Party. Damn! Sand doesn't taste good.

Expand full comment

As a former member of the Ostrich Party, I, too, got tired of all the name-calling and bashing that candidates from both parties have been doing for decades. They do this in campaign ads, in interviews, when campaigning and are assisted by extremist media. As a result I completely stopped following politics back around 2010.

When Trump was running I briefly tuned in to one of his campaign rallies just to see what he was about. It didn't take me long to stick my head back in the sand.

When he got elected President I told all of my friends that "I don't believe the country elected that Blowhard " and promptly stuck my head in the sand again.

Imagine my shock and surprise when I finally pulled my head out of the sand in March of 2020 in an effort to find out what the Covid thing was all about!!! (Yes, I was so good at being an Ostrich that I was clueless about Covid until Trump announced the shutdown!)

As I began following the Presidential News Conferences back then I suddenly realized how incompetent Trump is and how mistaken I had been to stop following politics. Even before the first vote was cast in the 2020 election I was convinced that Trump would do everything that he could to remain in office -win or lose.

The rest is history. I have left the Ostrich Party 😉 and now consider myself to be an Independent who's eyes and ears are wide open.

Expand full comment

But there certainly a lot of Ostriches out there. I’ve been unable to find a way to have intelligent conversations about politics until now with the exception of following Heather Cox Richardson. Until picking up these posts from Adam. They have different points of view which is helpful to me in considering the important news of the day. A highlight for me is reading on topic comments without rants.

Expand full comment
founding

Painfully profound insights, Proud RINO Adam. The Republican party needs far more of you.

Expand full comment

You hit the nail on the head--these days, being a Republican means being a MAGA-loving, fire-breathing defender of anything and everything the Orange guy did, is doing, and will ever do.

In other words, it's a cult.

Expand full comment

We Rinos can hope that the current search for a House Speaker could evolve into a joint RINO-Democrat support speaker, as you have proposed.

Expand full comment

We can "hope". Sadly, it appears that it's not within their capability.

The countdown to shutdown is 25 days. They have proposed a group of 9 candidates. Only two of those voted for Biden on J6. Emmer is being actively targeted by Trump for that very reason.

So, no I don't think they can pull this one off. They cannot even agree to expand McHenry's power and at least get back to doing the people's work while they sort out the mess. Let alone work with the Democrats to resolve it.

We are seeing the slow and drawn-out destruction of the Republican party and long-term damage to our country. Something has to happen, or we will soon have a Constitutional crisis on our hands.

Expand full comment

I'm hoping that enough of the 18 Repubs in moderate Biden won districts will continue to stand up to this and vote for someone that Democrats can vote for too. There are only 2, Emmer is one, out of the 9 that are not election deniers. They may have a chance.

Expand full comment

I don’t see the Democrats helping solve this problem. They have been so disrespected and shut out that they have ZERO incentive to do so.

This problem was created by the Republicans and has to be sorted out by them. Not sure how they can do this given the chaos within the party. This is a junior high barnyard brawl in a struggle for power. We are all suffering a huge credibility hit on the world stage.

As you pointed out, only two are not election deniers and Trump’s team has been busy burying Emmer (the presumed candidate). He won’t get to 217. None of the 7 other deniers would get the moderate vote because they are too much like Gym.

So here we are...

Expand full comment

I heard McCarthy refer to “crazy Eight” & wonder why it is that Republicans are resorting to silly name calling? What ever happened to accountability? Democrats do the same but the Republican dysfunction is in full focus with no Speaker. As a left leaning middle age ‘coastal’ urban dweller -“Libtard” would be my political playground name. This saddens me. Do we wonder how Congress has become so broken & frankly do they realize how much they are infecting society. The ‘buck stops here’ is a lost sentiment and we need it back. My mirror tells me who I am &, despite the wrinkles, I still respect who I see. I won’t pawn my mistakes off on others nor do I call people offensive, derogatory names.

Expand full comment

On that note, I heard that Liz Cheney is thinking of throwing her hat in the ring!

Expand full comment

She didn't rule it out when asked about it on CNN yesterday.

Expand full comment

Actually, Adam, in my writings and in FB, I refer to the new breed of Maga-ites as the true RINOs. Their far-right, trumponium stances are far, far away from what I grew up in - circa Dwight "Ike" Eisenhower term ( 1952-1960.). A large number of Republicans today do not represent the basic principles of the GOP, hence, to me, they are the RINOs.

Expand full comment

I’d rather be a RINO vs. a wacko.

Expand full comment

Adam: You're pretty much on target. I'm happy to be with you on the independent, principled, outcast side, but any more I just don't want my name associated with the rotten-to-the-core Republican party. Obviously, the future is hard to predict, but I don't see how the GOP survives if America survives the ongoing revolt against common good, humanity and decency.

Expand full comment
founding

With you on this, Bob. Totally independent now and not going back to the GOP due to a total lack of integrity within it today. Adam and Liz Cheney were the last members in GOP that I would trust, we saw what happened to them.

America will survive this revolt and move on. Hearing more and more anger aimed at the deranged and dysfunctional GOP every day. The GOP is currently in a graveyard spiral and too ignorant and arrogant to recognize it...

Expand full comment

I grew up in New York State in the 50’s and 60’s. Republican Nelson Rockefeller was governor and later, vice president under Gerald Ford. I remember the “scandal” when he divorced his wife of over 30 years. Oh dear, whatever would become of traditional Republican family values? Now we have Trump, darling of the Christian Nationalists, divorced three times, had affairs with at least two women one of which was a porn star, brags about grabbing women between the legs, has had multiple bankruptcies, has had to defend multiple civil suits regarding his business practices and personal behavior, panders to white nationalism, and now has a number of criminal filings against him for compromising national security, tampering with state elections and inciting insurrection. Instead of outrage, the Party bows down before the orange calf much the same as the Israelites did before the golden calf. I remember a very different Republican Party and I will not leave it no matter what they call me and I am not alone. Trump will be defeated and when he’s gone all those who crept out from under their rocks to worship him will go back to the darkness from which they came. In they end, they will be consumed by their own avarice, hatred and lust for power. There are still many good people in the Party and they will prevail.

Expand full comment

Bravo! Keep it coming. You only touched on about half the horror that Trump has inflicted on our lives and this country.

I have to somewhat disagree with you on Trump leaving and the party/country healing. Cat's out of the bag.

The one thing Trump has exposed is all the weaknesses in our laws and our norms that we take for granted in how to run a civil society. He has shown others how to grab power and to manipulate virtually everything to hang on to it. He has weaponized the base and uses it for his own power and against anyone who dares challenge him. That's why most Republicans (National, State, and even local) fall in line. They care more about their jobs and fear of being ostracized in society circles if they go against him. Power is an addictive drug.

Undoing the mess is like herding fleas through a corn field.

Expand full comment

"trump has exposed is all the weaknesses in our laws and our norms that we take for granted in how to run a civil society. He has shown others how to grab power and to manipulate virtually everything to hang on to it." Bingo!! I totally agree. That is the danger and the downfall of our Republic. Its survival depends on people buying into how we govern- if they don't, it cannot survive. trump was the catalyst but he couldn't succeed without other elected officials and leaders willing to go along.

Expand full comment

Amen to that!

Expand full comment

Anyone remember Gary Hart? He was on the fast track to the presidency and then work of his affair came out and I swear, within 24 hours, he was toast. Al Franken, who I LOVED. I'm not going to lie and I'm not ashamed. The video of his silly little stunt got out and poof....bye bye. Sorry, that did NOT offend me, I grew up with brothers and he never touched anyone, it was just dumb and silly. A good man was gone. Yet, we have Bobo at the movies with the guy working on her boob like he was kneading a loaf of bread and I won't for further here. George Santos was kept around for his vote and how many Republicants are now under investigation or have been indicted. I'll bid a Bob Menendez and Chaka Fattah, and raise you a Jeff Fortengberry, Chris Collins, Duncan Hunter (Trump pardoned), Corrine Brown, Michael Grimm, Rick Renzi and a Ted Stevens. That is the tip of the iceberg.

Expand full comment

When you idolize someone like Trump who lacks a moral compass, has no value for truth in anything he does, and is devoid of a single redeeming quality you can never stoop too low. Just today I heard the nine people pursuing Speakership in the House are going hat in hand to Trump for his endorsement. Apparently they haven’t yet concluded that he IS the problem despite the fact that Trump supporters like Gaetz were the ones to create their predicament. As Ross Perot once said “if you keep doing what you’re doing you’ll get what you got”. Until the R’s that laugh at Trump behind his back (reportedly there are many) apply a boot to Trumps buttocks, nothing will change for them. I wonder what they’ll do if Trump ends up in jail?

Expand full comment

He’ll get a lot of visitors and will be spending all day every day in the inmate lobby instead of his cell. He needs to be in solitary confinement. Imagine what effect that would have on the stable genius.

Expand full comment

Love it! You should write a book. Elucidate all these good points.

Call it simply "Why?"

I'll buy a copy or two or three. :)

Expand full comment
founding

so agree with you regarding Al Franken...we lost a good man over that silly prank

Expand full comment

Correction, Trump has been married three times and divorced twice. That said I’m guessing he doesn’t get much home cooking these days.

Expand full comment

Well, there's always McDonalds!

Expand full comment

We should all chip in and buy him gift cards

Expand full comment

A note on the card says, "Cardiac unit is a "left" turn at the end of the hallway".

Sorry, I have to go repent now. See you next week...

Expand full comment

Adam, very well said. Trump and the Trumplicants are a cult of their own. If a sane Republican, who puts country over party and defies MAGA. Is a RINO, I proudly stand with you! I am a Democrat after being an independent all my life. After Trump got in, I couldn’t vote in primaries due to being an independent. The current GOP is awful and won’t ever vote Republican again. Caveat being if things change I will reassess.

I do think the GOP has become 2 parties. The United States needs to come together and stand united against MAGA

Expand full comment