The Republicans gave Donald Trump free rein, allowing him to worm his way into groups whose reputations would normally have provoked horror or at least aroused some suspicion for an incumbent president. For electoral reasons, Republican members of Congress turned a blind eye to this monopolization of the party and its potential to become permanently fixed in a way that could be detrimental to the American people and the world’s democracies.
Indeed, this theft of the party was really thanks to the involvement of Republican leaders who opened the door for Trump in the hope that he would return the favor and help them get reelected. What will become of the Republican Party now that a significant base of its electorate is an amalgamation of white supremacist groups, QAnon conspirators, far-right paramilitary militias and Trumpists who believe the presidential election was stolen by the Democrats?
Republican senators should have rooted out the evil by voting to remove Trump from office, thus preventing his candidacy in the 2024 presidential election. Or they should have supported those who demanded that the party distance itself from the subversive movements that are undermining its credibility. However, Republican leaders preferred to bury their heads in the sand, leaving Trump time to continue his crusade of lies in an environment where he will try to impose his own agenda like a guru dictating his will to submissive followers.
Faced with a division that could potentially lead to a split in the Republican Party, it is the Democrats who will emerge as winners. Thus, Trump’s theft of the Republican Party may not benefit him and will instead further pollute American political life and Joe Biden’s promising mandate.
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.