John Poniewozik’s book, “Audience Of One - Trump, Television and the Fracturing of America” goes a long way toward explaining how we got here, to the place where a malicious corrupt villain managed to become a POTUS imbued with an almost divine status. Clue: Tony Soprano.
5
Keep it simple. They like his racist policies but don't want to admit it. Demographics are not on their side but they are going to hold on to White privilege for as long as they can. The problem is why close the barn door after the horse is out? As lame as the Dems are most people of color will settle for lame instead of vile. Stacking the court is a way for White Privilege to be maintained even after demographics change. The minority in South Africa was able to rule the majority for years because of the laws. People who don't think there is a sinister plan underfoot are fooling themselves.
19
The Republican politicians it would be assumed have similar views to the people who vote for them. Therefore most are probably are okay with white supremacy and authoritarianism. Many of these politicians support gerrymandering to reduce the voting power of minorities and other tactics such as voter ID laws and voter role purging for that purpose. However, even though they are mostly on the far right I think they do have a fear that if they show any deviation from far right views they will face primary challenges from the right. This way of thinking has led the Republican Party to be one of the most far right nationalist parties in the world as they go further right to stay in office.
5
The GOP represents the 1%. Do the math! That doesn't win elections. They use racism, religion, corruption, lies, gerrymandering and propaganda media to win the electoral collage. Pretending to be reasonable or moderate next to Trump is just reality TV for these GOP politicos. They know extreamism is what gets their votes and donations.
10
Why do Republicans support Trump? Beats me, they could get equivalent results with any other Republican. Kasich, Bush, even Christie or Rubio would have done the job. Maybe they like and identify with boorish narcissists who lie incessantly.
19
Add to that his attempts at dismantling everything our first Black President accomplished. Racism is definitely involved as well. I say that as a White woman. People will say things in front of me they wouldn’t say to pollsters, reporters or people of color.
14
Republicans' refusal to check Trump and so-called "Trumpism" (which is really just the new "Republicanism") boils down, in large part, to two fundamental characteristics of conservatives.
The first is their belief that the end justifies the means. Conservatives have a black-and-white, zero-sum worldview in which there are winners and losers, "makers" and "takers," and that whatever you have to do to "win" is justified, no matter how immoral, unethical, or, particularly in this case, damaging to the country.
Second, conservatives believe America is a white, Christian country, period. And that if you're not both of those things you should get out.
That belief is the beating heart of the GOP, and when you combine it with their win-at-all-costs mentality, you get a party that is willing to do absolutely anything - including suppressing votes, gerrymandering and redistricting to disenfranchise voters, fear-mongering, and looking the other way while foreign adversaries meddle on their behalf - to preserve white hegemony in this country.
41
Other than the huge increase in deficit spending - caused by President Trump and congress working together - we’re very happy with President Trump.
The fact liberals go crazy with TDS simply makes him a more attractive candidate.
5
Jamelle, it's even more simple than that. They support Trump because they hate anyone who isn't a Republican. I know, because most of my relatives voted for him, and their overt hatred for anyone who is "liberal" (they call us "libtards" or worse) is vicious and horrifying. People who would never have used the N-word started slinging it with glee in emails to me and my other cousins after the election. These are relatively well-off people. We were horrified. We also cut them off. No one should be subjected to such horrible abuse, especially from family members.
So-called conservatives seem to care less if the president is behaving like a dictator, if he lies 13x a day (12,000 lies and counting since he took office) and if he throws our allies under the bus, that he puts children in cages, brings lawsuits at SCOTUS to take the rights away from LGBTQ people, kicks transgender folk out of the military, abuses women, mocks the disabled, embraces murderous dictators, and worse, fouls the Constitution. He really could shoot someone, or more than one person, in the middle of Fifth Avenue, and not only would they do nothing, they'd probably cheer him on.
Makes you wonder what they'd do if he started rounding up people he considers undesirable and sent them to death camps. I guess they'd behave the way the neighbors of so many Jewish and other marginalized people did when Hitler invaded. They jumped right in and helped.
25
Distinguish between Congressional Republicans, who favor tax breaks for the wealthy and corporate deregulation, from the true needs of the many who voted for him, as for example those in West Virginia or the Midwest who have scarcely benefitted from this administration. One must also not lose sight of the way Trump continues to appeal to the religious intolerance, racial prejudices and the xenophobia of this demographic.
8
Completely agree - trump is most republicans' "outside voice". Their whispers of horror and secret, silent protestations are to feign that they hold to basic human decency - and, most importantly, as a backup plan should trump finally be held to account.
Men of courage, justice, truth, and honor they are not - nor are the women. If they were, they would shout it out to the world and secure a better placeholder in history. They have failed America, Americans, and the God most pretend to worship.
17
@Kiki
Fine, honest words, thank you!
2
Republicans will stand by President Trump because we feel he is being unfairly attacked. This has been going on since the beginning of the election. He won and the Democrats have never been able to accept this fact. The Democrats even admitted that their goal was to impeach and remove our president from office. President Trump is no pushover and will fight to the bitter end. It will be the end of the Democrats and they will rue the day they started this impeachment process. The Republicans will be the victors and will win at the ballot box in 2020.
11
Boy, talk about a life of bliss.
All one has to do is dive into the progressive leftist fishbowl and then have lots of interesting conversations with other people who agree with you, and who agree that any US citizens who are not also residents of the fishbowl are deplorable people who have to be coerced into accepting the progressive left worldview.
Those of us on the outside of the fishbow, look into it and see a bunch of people who will say that the President of the United States is not above the law, but then also say, that a bunch of illegal immigrants from Central America, are...
And we scratch our heads in wonder, and then vote for someone who will do everything they can to eradictate progressivism from the policies and statutes of our nation.
10
Research shows that liberals, particularly liberals with graduate and college degrees, have the MOST misunderstanding of their political opponents than any other category.
I am a coastal liberal with a graduate degree. I grew in conservative flyover country. I am regularly shocked by the disparity between the rhetoric my coastal, liberal friends believe about Trump supporters, and the reality of the actual Trump supporters I know back home.
Yes, Trump is awful. Horrible. He needs to go. I can't wait to vote for Warren in 2020 and I don't even agree with all her positions.
But most Trump supporters are people who lean conservative (which is a completely legitimate, non-Nazi political orientation), who espouse fairly mainstream opinions like "we need to regulate immigration" and "Men can't call themselves Women" and "if you borrow money you should pay it back" and "violent criminals should go to jail" and "people shouldn't get favors based on race in hiring and admissions" which many people would consider pretty middle of the road. Some would even consider them to be kind of common sense. Many LIBERALS espouse some version of these positions, to a greater or lesser degree.
I know very, very few Trump supporters who are actual extremists, or whose racism is any worse than the woke coastal liberals who leave NYC to move to Fairfield when their kid enters kindergarten - "for the good schools," of course.
19
Terrific comment.
7
The graph does not show Trump's support is on the wane. It shows variation within the same range over many months.
5
Call for House & Senate (Mitt, I'm looking at you) to introduce censure resolutions while impeachment inquiries continue.
Trump deserves to be impeached for every offense he has committed against the office of the presidency and the American people.
Ukraine wrongdoings don’t wipe away the many other wrongdoings — obstruction of justice for instance — that also must be addressed for history’s sake.
Let the voters decide is an attempt to divert/prevent Congress from constitutionally required oversight of executive branch wrongdoing.
Censure immediately while impeachment inquiries continue. Impeach repeatedly.
5
What I do not understand is how republicans do not see that letting Trump get away with so many things will ultimately undermine the whole GOP’s credibility and moral grounds to criticize anything the dems do in the future. Trump has a history of hurting people who are his supporters or allies, throwing them under the bus following his needs or whims, humiliating and discrediting them. We have seen it with Jeff Sessions and Michael Cohen and others, a long line of people got hurt in different ways by their relationship and association with him. This is how he will affect the careers of most if not all republican politicians; the Trump cancer will spread.
4
@Richard Laszlo, Republicans favor authoritarianism. Trump is a dream come true for them. They don't care about democracy.
The major predictors of who will vote for the GOP, and especially, for Trump: They're white, and they like authoritarians.
6
I can't believe that devout conservatives don't care about the massive debt his tax cuts for the wealthiest is causing.
6
Some of them like SOME of the things he does.
But they're also literally controlled by him. They let this happen, and now they're in a mess.
5
I’m confused why they are in a mess. They hated Hillary and voted against her. Some have seen their prosperity rise and some haven’t. I know the Ny Times commentaries are pretty unified, but honestly who is actually going to beat him when push comes to shove? And I’m not particularly a fan and wish the Dems would put up someone who could win. I haven’t seen that person yet except in meaningless polls.
7
I'm of two minds about Mr. Bouie's article... One the one hand, I feel he's absolutely right. The GOP has gone all in on Party before Country... And that leads me to my other mind... This article makes me sad and pessimistic about the future of our great country.
One of the things that has kept this democratic experiment running more or less in a straight line were leaders and patriots that knew in their bones that the country was more important than the individual. And with that in mind were willing to sacrifice their own well being for what I was brought up and continue to teach "The Greater Good".
Where has that understanding of the Greater Good gone?
I was a young lad, during the Nixon investigation. But I know that republicans came forward to call Mr. Nixon on his... failure to follow through and hold up his sworn oath to Protect the Country and follow the Constitution above all else.
Where or where are those voices for the GOP now?
This impeachment isn't about Donkey v. Elephant or Red v. Blue... It's about the soul of the country...
The United States will stand long after Trump leaves office, in 18 months or 5 more years... But, and I hope I'm wrong, I don't know if it'll ever recover to be that "Shining Light, up on the hill" that we all took pride in and worked to achieve.
9
"Why are most Republicans silent in the face of the president’s attempt to cheat his way to re-election?"
Because the alternative, a left-wing Democratic president is worse. As you said, sometimes the simplest answer is the correct one.
13
@Steve Smith An intelligent, patriotic, humanitarian president would be worse than a traitor because...nope, I can't think of a reason either.
20
I've been saying this all along. Of course they like Trump for what he does: he's implementing the right-wing Republican program that they've been aiming at for decades.
12
History is written by the winners. Trump is in office ergo he is winning. Who cares how he got there or how he acts? As long as he delivers, who cares if it is ugly? In fact, the more he acts repugnant, the more Republicans can claim they dislike him and can blame all the negatives on him while retaining all the positives on themselves. Win win. Cynical? Politics ain't beanbag. Democrats might remember this the next time they nominate a moderate instead of a far left ideologue to a federal court.
4
Historians will write that Trump changed the political playbook. He may not have drained the swamp but you can bet that a lot of those Capitol Hill movers and shakers have been looking over their shoulders anxious that their cushy positions are this close to being blown up.
Though not a real fan of the Donald prior to his presidential campaign I do admire how he has kept the world theater a tilted. No longer a sucker for giving handouts as in the past it is high time that the USA focused on its own house not the outhouses.
However 2020 turns out, as the new age tsunami bears down on us, new lessons are being learned daily and the status quo that has ruled our country for decades will gradually but inevitably diminish if not obliterate.
Perhaps the GOP realizes the future more than the Dems that are fighting to retain and protect those fat cat perks...
8
The premise is false. The top republicans loathe Trump more than democrats do because in the primary last time he mopped up the floor with their best and brightest. All the Bush NeoCons supported Clinton. As Robert Kagan told the Times, about Clinton, in 2014:
“I feel comfortable with her on foreign policy,” Mr. Kagan said, adding that the next step after Mr. Obama’s more realist approach “could theoretically be whatever Hillary brings to the table” if elected president. “If she pursues a policy which we think she will pursue,” he added, “it’s something that might have been called neocon, but clearly her supporters are not going to call it that; they are going to call it something else.”
Polling showed any republican beating Mrs. Clinton. It just happened to be Trump, mostly because he treated the primary like a reality game show.
That was a fluke. He is not running against a Clinton now.
If the democrats only had a decent candidate who was not way past retirement age and/or one of the flock of career politicians who helped get us to where we are now, Trump would be toast.
Good luck with that. The top democrat candidates look like they're fighting to head the AARP.
https://emcphd.wordpress.com
4
This is it, folks, the end of the Republic is at hand, and the GOP is gladly ushering in the emperor. Make no mistake, this is a dictator and every member of Congress that fails to take action here, or worse defends this disgrace upon our nation is complicit. They are violating their oath of office, failing to support and defend the Constitution. That is treason.
10
Thank you Mr. Bouie, but until I read your article I didn’t know this explanation was a mystery.
2
The number one reason that Republicans support Donald Trump is that the Policys of the Democratic alternative scares them to death. Vote for almost any Democratic candidate and you vote for Medicare for all and the end of 80% of America's very much appreciated healthcare, you vote for hyper liberal judges, you vote for open borders or a very similar version, you vote for monumental giveaways such as reparations, cancelling student loans, free college and the Green New Deal. You also vote for tax increases which could well bring our excellent economy to a halt. You can hate Trumps tweets, his boasting, his careless use of English, but those are trivialities in the minds of Republicans compared with the alt-left candidates that would appear to be Trumps alternative. I do not understand why so many very intelligent Democratic candidates have raced one another to the left and left most of the party behind. It is not Donald Trump who holds the success of this election in his hands, it is the Candidate willing be more and better than a hyper-partisan hack.
10
Contrary to GOP claims in the past, and clearly to his supporters, character does not matter and never did.
7
Just an edit:
Biden is described in this piece as ..."the Democratic presidential candidate and former vice president...." Seems to me the more accurate description would be ..."a Democratic presidential candidate...."
2
More than they like what he does, they know that if he gets taken down and impeached all of them have a snowball’s chance in hell to be reelected. He has thoroughly soiled the Republican image of honesty and patriotism.
7
Or perhaps Republicans are implicated in the same alleged crimes? That seems just as simple an explanation, yes?
7
The Democrats offered Hillary in 2016. How can you be so critical of Republicans for supporting Trump when Hillary was the other choice? I don't see Democrats providing a better option in 2020...
11
@Eddie T It's rather obvious you consistently vote Republican.
6
@Eddie T That's debatable. But I will tell you something that isn't: The Republicans definitely won't!
3
...or, they are afraid of their political future..? its like fermented herring, best consumed at close range and in small portions..
I would amend it to...
"...like what he does to Democrats."
1
Republicans support Trump for two reasons, despite his extensive personal shortcomings. First, he fights, the way that Grant fought despite his extensive personal shortcomings. When someone is President, we don't need an ineffective role model like e.g. Jimmy Carter, we need someone who fights for his side. Second, while he may have been many of our 17th choice out of the 16 candidates, he is so far better on the key issues of immigration, China, Middle East policy, reducing federal regulations, and fighting the rise of the Democratic Left Wing Identitarians that support is merited under the circumstances. Few would mind if he resigned tomorrow and were replaced by Mike Pence, but we must take reality as it is and not how we would like it to be.
11
"Most Republican lawmakers were sent to Washington to fight for spending cuts, lower taxes and conservative judges. Why would any of them stand against a president who has delivered on each count?"
Why indeed. Jamelle Bouie is right: Republican Congressmen and women and senators just love what he does, even if it's done inconsistently, cruelly, and erratically.
But the one big thing, left unsaid for obvious reasons, is they also love his attitude and his willingness to do just about anything to win power for this party--legal or not. Buried in this general view is their longing for a whiter, more religious America, along with a rollback of progressive legislation enacted in the 60s.
GOP members of Congress tend to be wealthy, favoring any change that puts wealth above the common good. It's a selfish political culture, led by the most selfish man of all.
1185
@ChristineMcM I agree with all that you've said except you need to correct one thing. The republicans and their evangelical do not care about religion per se they care about the cultism that is rising and about gaining power at any cost. This has nothing to do with Jesus and his teachings, so religion has very little to do with their lust for greed and power.
51
@ChristineMcM
FDR said, "The only thing we have to fear...is fear, itself."
Trump uses fear to dominate and destroy our democracy ------------------------------------------------------------------------
So far, Democrats and critics have not out trumped Trump.
He still dominates media, while opponents are forgotten.
I suggest idea contests to come up with the best strategies.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
One ideas is repetition, with songs, like "Democracy."
Leonard Cohen sang, "Democracy is coming to the USA"
I fear Democratic messages are too complex to remember.
So, I hope that they will come up with effective ideas.
I ask the Times to explore simpler anti-Trump strategies.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
If Trump is defeated, we may see a new democracy wave:
"Democracy is coming to the USA"
4
@AACNY
Trump’s fixation on a border wall and his cruel handling of refugees do almost nothing to rein in illegal immigration. These people are escaping countries whose corrupt government offer no protection from the lawless gangs these refugee are fleeing. They are abandoning their farms that can no longer grow crops due to the warming effects of global climate change.
If Trump was serious about the increase of refugees seeking asylum in the US, he would support legislation that addresses the source of this problem. This legislation would call for financial and logistical help for the countries that most of the refugees originate from; support for fair elections, support for increased police protection, and support for repurposing farms to grow crops that flourish in the changing environments. This approach would be significantly cheaper than the billions of dollars wasted on a border wall.
17
I hate to believe this is the true answer, however I have begun to think you are right as horrible as that is. I can't help but think of the run up to Hitler's rise. If anyone read this, many will think it is hyperbole, if only it were so.
7
@WWW
In order to gather material for his his most recent novel, "America,The Farewell Tour", Pulitzer Prize winning novelist Christopher Hedges spent almost two years travelling around America. He also spent 15 years as a war correspondent for the NYT which along with the growing realities in the country, it has given him a "bird's eye view" of events in other parts of the world which show great similarity to the events occurring in America now and where it could ultimately lead and it is not pretty.
Trump was 40 years in the making and as a result, Hedges, along with other historians predict that unless there is a drastic change in the political/social direction in which America is headed, it has maybe 10-15 years left as some sort of functioning democracy(or what is left of it). I am sure if Trump is re-elected, he will most certainly shorten that time span.
Americans like to think because the country has gone through crises before, it will ultimately come out of it and hope and optimism will prevail. The problem is, the country has never faced such an authoritarian, corrupt and divisive administration that is in place now who will do anything to remain in power even if it means circumventing the law. Clearly, hope and optimism will no longer be enough.
"Fascism, comes gradually, holding a bible in one hand and wrapped in the flag".
5
@Deus , I pray that this is not so - and I write this as an agnostic. I also vote. Your words are chilling but believable.
3
@WWW
Unfortunately, they are not my words, but, those that know far more about history than do I. All one has to do is look how authoritarian/fascist leaders arise and what they do to get there, i.e constantly demeaning the free press by saying they are the "enemy of the people", lie constantly to the point that sooner or later, many will begin to believe the lies and systematically destroy those institutions in government that protect the citizens, environment and the rule of law.
Truth is now "what one makes it". Facts don't matter any more, in essence, George Orwell's 1984 revisited.
I think if one looks at the sober reality, among many other things, Trump and the Republicans check off all the boxes.
2
Guns, abortion and immigration drive the Republicans. Never mind that the planet is on fire. They got their wishes as far as de-regulation goes. They are willing to put up with the most corrupt regime since Warren G. Harding. Crony capitalism, influence peddling, covert operations, self-dealing and personal enrichment. Nothing that makes money is off base to this administration. And no amount of money can buy Trump any semblance of decency, respectability or grace.
8
The Republican senators are getting what they want-----no primary opponent supported by the Trumper. That and the favor of their wealthy sugar daddies is all they want. They don't go to D.C. to light a candle, they go to curse the darkness. Ultimately all they care about is their own health insurance program and how they can lobby for fatcats after they are carted out of Congress.
1
Of course this is the reason for support.
Agree with tax reform to bring our corporate rates more in line with those overseas so companies don't relocate or sell themselves to foreign companies? YES.
Reduce person tax rates to try to stimulate growth in the US? YES
Reduce regulations and general zealotry of government? YES
Crack down on illegal "immigration", illegal "immigrants", ridiculous asylum abuse? YES
Put the US first in thinking about world affairs? YES
Treat China as a first world nation that should operate with the same rules as would be expected of any other developed nation? YES
Expect NATO to pay for its shared defense? YES
It is a tragic shame that the correct policy positions come in such a despicable, tone deaf, uncoachable, package.
5
@Kurfco You left something out. And, from a conservative standpoint, it's a crucial thing: Reduce corporate and personal tax rates? YES
(but don't massively increase our national debt and produce the highest budget deficit in history to do so)
Oops!
While I agree that Trump is a "despicable, tone deaf, uncoachable, package," the most important thing is, while he truly represents what the Republican Party has become, he's not a conservative. His entire history has been the very opposite of moral, personal, and fiscal responsibility.
Can you imagine what he will say and do once he becomes a lame duck president? When he no longer has to be concerned with reelection?
RIP GOP.
2
This analysis is valid, but I think superficial.
The so-called "conservativism" of the GOP is such a garbled and self-contradictory mess, I cannot discern much rhyme or reason to it, except as a way to defeat Democratic politicians who may be equally illogical and inconsistent at times, but are at any rate much more wobbly and timid.
Rather than standing by Trump because they "like what he does", it strikes me as more likely that Repub politicians "don't care what he does", as long he roils the Dems, which makes the Trump "base" happy.
1
Trump gave them power and control - end of story.
I would not call him weak though - explosive and dangerous is far more accurate, and frightening.
We know the path out will be unprecedented and
awful. It's Trump.
3
This is no mystery; the republican party has been orchestrating a coup of the government for the past 30-40 years (see Krugman today). Inverted totalitarianism, you know, with the corporate toadys, calling the shots. Go down the list of the republican agenda: is there anything in it that benefits you or that you would be proud to support? Vote accordingly!
5
Exactly. It's working for them.
While I think it is true that Trump has done a lot of things effectively attuned solely to a narrow group of his special interest supporters such as racists & bigots, fundamentalist faux Christian's, the wealthy, and dirty energy companies to name a few, the other problem is how compromised his party has become.
Trump's list of reprehensible actions, anti-democratic actions, and illegal actions (that may be treasonous in some cases) is obvious to anyone paying attention. However, how can a McConnell or Graham not come to his defense now? They are waist deep in the cesspool they helped Trump create. His impeachment and conviction is also theirs now!
2
And that includes the conservative anti-women, anti-minorities (read white supremacist) and fascist rhetoric (and actions)
So columnists can stop trying to explain and smooth over differences by using the handful of supporters who voted for Trump solely because they wanted a change - while they exist, they constitute a very small proportion of Trump voters, and they are clearly willing to hold their noses.
3
Hmm, if he has cut spending, how has he run up the deficit so much? No, I think the fear is the biggest thing. They love staying in office, and Trump would see to it that they would be out on their ears if they should cross him.
I’m a Republican and despise Trump for his lies and unethical and ill considered behavior. I like his policies and immigration, taxes, regulation and love his judges. At this stage he’s served his purpose. I will support whatever is necessary to prevent Warren from getting elected, even if Trump is the necessary alternative.
9
@DRS I agree with DRS and would like to point out further that the Democrats offered Hillary in 2016. How can you be so critical of Republicans for supporting Trump when Hillary was the other choice?
4
Couldn't agree more. Thank you.
He calls people racist and demeaning names. They just love that.
6
Don’t you think that is a pathetic argument? I support him because the horrible no good media picks on Trump? God forbid you actually look at what he does, what he says, how he acts, his crazy, erratic behavior?
Democrats have generally wanted to govern; Republican's intent has been to conquer. That is why Democrats never conceived of their own Federalist Society as a breeding ground for liberal judges and Supreme Court nominees or gerrymandered districts: Governing by consensus is a concept of a bygone era.
Democrats have had opportunity to shape the judiciary; they did not. Instead they've believed a lie about working "across the political aisle" while Republicans just chopped off the extended arm. I cannot say it is naive, but it has certainly been a complete misreading of the *other side*.
As a result, we have Donald Trump and the GOP is quite content.
2
My goodness, it only took an NYT columnist 3 years to figure out why we Republicans support Trump. As a general observation, voters tends to support an elected official when agreeing with that person’s policy decisions. And a stubborn, irascible and rather effective one is often considered an asset, not a liability.
8
@John D
The problem is, except for the TRILLION AND A HALF DOLLAR TAX CUT that went primarily to the top 10% and corporations, the policies that you so revered and Trump promised, have never been enacted, even with a majority in ALL THREE branches of the Executive, and that includes "The Wall" that he insisted Mexico was going to pay for. Hardly, effective.
You have been conned and he is just telling you now and before what you want to hear, nothing more.
3
Per your logic, however, the same congressional Republicans would be just fine with Pence: all the conservatism with little of the idiocy and none of the bluster.
6
What is right for Republicans is that the wealth of the rich and the system of patronage by which the rich maintain control is preserved. St. Ronnie announced Morning in America and the recognition that government is the problem. Democrats keep on defending the problem rather than doing away with it, and must be stopped by any method that works.
3
The political reality that, many otherwise decent Republicans, are going to support Mr. Trump notwithstanding the mounting evidence of malfeasance is very troubling. The Democrats and Republicans have dug in divided by a wide no go land which keeps the parties unable to take a break from hurling insults at each other. The zero sum political game will not lead to a peace in which both sides can work together ever again. Democracy depends upon both parties finding mutually acceptable solutions to problems. ‘Political Mutualism’ provided a framework for public policy that helped guide the debate. Absent that framework, social, economic, and political life is a game of winner take all that will undermine a Constitution that promised a Republic. Wonder if the Waring parties have even read the Federalist Papers?
Perhaps it’s because they don’t think it’s wrong — or because they don’t care if it is. Indeed.
They see only what they want to see as it benefits them to do so. Look the other way is common. Ethics and personal integrity not so much
Joe Biden thinks he is going to "reach across the aisle" if he wins. NOT. He can't even fight to keep his and his son's name clean.
The majority of Trump's base do not care about foreign affairs and do no understand "foreign interference" in our election. They don't understand anything outside of their immediate purview. Rent/mortgage, food, car/gas, clothing, recreation and a job to pay for it all. So what if a bunch of people somewhere over there make money on some shenanigans. As long as their basic needs are met, they could care less.
He's not allowed to......is clearly of no importance to Trump or to them. He doesn't obey the law and he has no intention of doing so and he will get away with it, as who can stop him? The Democrats? Twiddle dee dee.
7
What's the point of reading past "“at least 35” [Senate Republicans] — would vote to remove Trump if it were on a SECRET [emphasis added] ballot"?
I remember kindergarten quite well . All the kids pulling and grabbing at the toys, pushing and shoving each other to get what another had found or taken from somelse. I hid under the table with a handful of gentle kids watching in horror at the chaos and nastiness. Not much different now.
5
The Republican party has had white supremacist, authoritarian tendencies for a long time but now they are solely that. Fiscal conservatism? Out the window. Family values? Only if it's playing ball with religious extremists for votes. When a party cancels its own primaries to limit dissent while pursuing gerrymandering and manipulating every other legal loophole for power, that party is not about democracy. That party is about power over country, power over party, power and greed over everything else.
This country has a long history of angry white men using violence and a manipulated legal system to assert dominance over what they see as "their" country. Previously this has been mostly aimed at indigenous people, non-white people, women, and immigrants. Now, it's still aimed at them and, increasingly, at a much larger portion of society: anyone who believes that democracy and Enlightenment values are worth fighting for. The authoritarians are making their stand right in front of us.
11
@Flaco Interesting comment. Laudable opinion. And now back to THIS story.
Remember the movie "Butch Cassidy and the Sundance KId"?
Remember when Mr. E. H. Harriman (sick of seeing his trains looted) finally engages a posse of implacable lawmen? To hunt down the Hole in the Wall gang--pursue them to the ends of the earth--never let up--never say die.
"Who ARE these guys?" murmurs astounded Butch Cassidy, realizing there's no shaking these avatars of law and order.
WHICH IS--
--in a nutshell--
--my reaction to your column, Mr. Bouie.
Except I don't (for the most part) see unremitting vigor in these Republicans you have your eye on.
I don't see burning zeal. I don't see devotion to the well-being of ALL Americans. I don't even see (for the most part) any zeal for "law and order."
What I see--as you point out--is either
(1) profound torpor or
(2) both ears pricking up, alert to whatever "dog
whistles" come piping from the White House.
Or it could be both.
Which leaves Butch Cassidy's original question.
Who ARE these guys?
These guys in the Senate, I mean.
Where'd they come from? Where were they educated? Where did they learn (as it would seem) so blithely, so unconcernedly to JETTISON the principles, the core values that should lie at the heart of every American?
Or maybe (as you suggest, Mr. Bouie)--
--they never had any--
--and (at long last) they're tired of play-acting.
I say we be done with these guys--
--and turn 'em out--
--lock stock and barrel--
--if we can.
4
@Susan Fitzwater I liked your lead. Then I saw how long the rest of the comment was. Can you just send me the Cliff notes instead?
1
If you watch Fox News, you would think that, too. Actually watch Fox a few times and it will become clear why they feel that way. Lies, sensationalism, full on rah rah......as Mayor Pete said.....when something is so horrible it is hard to turn away. That is the Fox News audience. Entranced by dis-info and propaganda.
1
The GOP Congress, on the whole, is a bunch of self-serving individuals that lack any modicum of morality. Let's call them for what they are, a spineless pack of traitors! Who elected these people and still support them? Is the country rotting from the inside out?
1
What I’ve been saying all along. People are not supporting Trump in spite of his xenophobic, narcissistic, misogynistic, racist, bullying ways, but because of them. They like it.
That’s what’s scary.
6
The latest poll on Elizabeth Warren versus President Trump in 2020 is very interesting. It shows her defeating Trump by 48% to 46%. I just checked and Hillary defeated President Trump in 2016 by 48% to 46% in the popular vote, and lost the Electoral College 304 to 227. And you know who is the current occupant of the White House.
This is the URL for the poll: https://www.investors.com/politics/americans-back-trump-impeachment-ukraine-scandal-biden-probe/
@Kerensky Good point. But I think most of us already knew about that. Many of us older folks knew about Kerensky too.
"Perhaps it’s because they don’t think it’s wrong — or because they don’t care if it is."
I hold the same view about liberals and the MSM. MSNBC all but declares, "Trump is being impeached" and bad things will happen to the President,..... if proven true.
CNN, not to be out done, have legal experts on, that are less of a lawyer, than Jimmy McGill. Yet, the viewers show up every day. Hoping. For the. NEWS ALERT. That declares Trump. Gone. Every day.
Those liberals know it will happen. Trump will be driven from office. The planet, if possible. And when it doesn't happen, call on Adam Schiff to come out, again and do his, "I got the evidence" shtick.
The problem the liberals have is, they have one play. Scream racist at the Republican and he is supposed to cry, then quit. Ooops. Trump didn't get the memo.
Hillary's coming back. Repeat after me, "Happy Happy Joy Joy".
4
@Mike Meanwhile, back at THIS story. . . .
1
You just figured this out?
1
What we know is what trump is telling us.
Economy great. Everyone's working. (How many jobs).
Money for everyone, (everyone take a look at your income)
How many people in your house are working many or a few jobs.
Medical insurance. What was the problem with Obamacare.
Only what we were told.
Did you look for yourself.
The problem was the states in which we lived and what they were able to work with Obamacare.
Our problem is we are listening!!!!
What are we doing to find out for ourselves.
trump isn't doing anything, except talking, going before lare audiences and TELLING us what we want to hear.
Wake Up!!!!
How much better are we living for the past two yrs.
We're buying the MOUTH.
Wake up.
He wants more coal?????
Ask the the coal miners about their lungs, hard work and medical responsibilities.
Let's wake up
@carlamaybe "Did you look for yourself." But now you want readers to listen to you without looking for themselves ?
And it’s not like the narcissistic, self-righteous, hypercritical Hypocrites on the left offer much of a warm embrace to run to other than a condescending look down their noses for anything but their own. In many cases the Left has created the environment for Trump to mutate into a monster.
4
Republicans ARE Trump.
God, my eyes...do you have to use a picture that big?
1
Concerning what he does...is it the executive time, the golf, or the lying they like best?
1
Spot on.
And while you peddle garbage in your columns typically strewn with your bias and animus, the President has, over the past two weeks - and solidly for three straight years - accomplished so much good for all of us.
And you don't have the decency to report it.
More than likely, by the end of our President's second term, you'll have been pink-slipped by this company and finally eligible to take advantage of our burgeoning economy.
7
We get it. Trump is an idiot but he's the Republican oligarchs' useful idiot. Our problem is that the base remains impervious to plain facts that are staring them in the face. It's easier to curl up with conspiracy fairy tales that Giuliani brays out while Federalist Society Bill Barr gallivants around the globe investigating alternate realities.
1
I can’t agree with Mr. Bouie. There are surely bits and pieces, even big pieces, of Trump’s agenda which appeal to the GOP. But such things don’t totally define or shape Trump and his overall actions and behavior. Trump behaves in the kind of aggressive, destructive and unpredictable manner which can only be attributed to someone with a serious – and dangerous, to others – character disorder which is becoming more obvious daily. People like him can fool all of the people some of the time (potentially everyone), and some of the people all of the time (the gullible), but they can’t fool all of the people (most people) all of the time.
While Republicans espouse values and policies at odds with mine, they’re not by and large gullible fools, nor unreasonable, nor on a vendetta to ruin America or traditional American values. Why they’ve stood behind Trump as long as they have is an interesting question, but I can’t believe most of them wholly like what Trump is doing overall. I believe many – increasing, over time – of them are beginning to see that their emperor is naked, and they will soon withdraw their support.
1
I suspect they think Trump will take Pence down with him (he has said as much when he suggested people listen to Pence’s phone calls, too) and the Repubs know that would result in Nancy Pelosi, current Speaker of the House, as President.
While GOP may agree with Trumps results it is hard to imagine how they reconcile his continual abhorrent behavior with Christian values.
1
You nailed it. The Republicans have been trying to break the backs of unions, keep women down, destroy voter rights, cut taxes on the rich while cutting the social safetynet for our most vulnerable fellow citizens and they have surely been against fighting climate change, any kind health and safety regulations and in general they support a more authoritarian Orwellian world in which a very few "super men and women" dominate all others and in which average Americans or people of any nation are at best slaves.
Why are Americans so blind to the truth? It is time that we wield the sword of truth to fight the constant onslaught of big lies and dog-whistle racism and other divide and conquer wedge issues and language corruption tactics.
Trump is a direct result of the deep political corruption that started going back to the Bush's, Reagan and Gingrich.
1
If his basest base can accept his criminal behavior, greed, cruelty, incompetence and treason at the expense of destroying our democracy, the means of their 'look the other way' hypocrisy will definitely justify America's end.
Yes, it's that simple. Yes, it's also that complex. Yes it's that vital
to stop this insanity while it's still possible.
Vote.
1
For Republicans it has always been about the agenda. "I like what is coming out of the White House," they murmur into their coffee as they race past reporters. I guess they don't look too carefully. They are anti-immigration and pro wall, so they ignore the human rights abuses that are being perpetrated against men, women and small children. They love smaller government but ignore the fact that school lunch programs and environmental controls for curbing pollution of big businesses are on the chopping block. They are for tax regulations even if it means the wealthy once again get a tax break. So when Donald Trump does yet another reprehensible thing, says another reprehensible thing they blow it off. It's a joke, they say as if the president joking about policy is appropriate behavior They say he is just baiting the press -- riling them up when he says yet another outrageous thing -- as if that is what a president should spend even a nanosecond doing. They stay silent when yet another person is told not to appear to testify. They vote in another judge because he is a conservative not because he is qualified. The Republican members of Congress have lost sight of values and moral behavior. They have betrayed the values they have fought for just so this inept, dangerous president will do what they like. The Republicans of Congress should be ashamed of themselves.
1
They like that he breaks the laws and can get away with it.
The reality is that the Trump and the Republicans are all about a power grab. They don't care how to get the power... just get it.
Nice for them that Obama left them such a nice economy.
3
How many GOP politicians and Republican voters have gone to Flint to drink the water? How many have gone to the ICE cages where children are being held and voiced their opinions about whether this is how Americans treat anyone? How many have visited our national monuments and parks and thought we don't need to save them from fossil fuel companies? How many have gone to Alaska and thought about the loss of wild salmon after mines are opened on nationals lands in Alaska? How many have actually gotten better healthcare while Trump is in the White House? How many have gotten large tax refunds due to the most recent GOP tax bill? How many can really afford to retire if Social Security and Medicare payments are reduced? GOP politicians really have a great deal because they will not suffer from any of abuse of the working class in they country. But the saddest question is how many GOP politicians and Republican voters really care about the world their children will inherit?
3
It used to be that a man was measured by his word - meaning one who stands by what they say is trustworthy. The US built its stature in the same way with other nations and peoples around the world by espousing and living up to its stated commitments. Now the very bedrock of the Nation that claims to believe this and to continue living this way is supporting a leader who is actively abandoning US commitments and principles, stabbing allies and friends alike in the back and worse as it deserts the field to adversaries and active declared enemies of just about everything the US has spent decades building. All in support of a man who protects himself with phalanx after phalanx of lawyers who are tasked to twist his every word and commitment so they mean nothing. They are happy that the Nation and the world are again dominated by conservatives at nearly every level, oblivious to the evidence before their own eyes that the the world is heading ever faster now straight to you know where under their "great and unmatched wisdom" and guidance. Perhaps it fits with a predicted (and preferred?) end point of Armageddon as inspired by the Book of Revelations, but these partisans and their ilk are in fact being consumed by a self-righteous orgy of greed, submitting to the opiates of Power and in essence failing the test of character put forth by none other than Abraham Lincoln, he whom many of them would call their fountainhead. Tragic does not begin to describe this fall from grace.
2
Republicans and Independents will stick with Trump because all of the Democratic alternatives are intolerable.
The misread of the political landscape costs the Democrats the election the last time and will again.
4
@JAC Many dark forces aligned to put Trump in the White House in 2016. I don't believe that will happen again in 2020.
All of those dark forces are developing again into a perfect storm of defeat for the Democrats and their new Leftist leadership. The Dems have become un-American and unrecognizable from their past.
4
I agree they like the things he says he does and tries to do, the problem is and has been for almost 3 years is he doesn't really get the things he says he does done. He says he does a lot, he complains about who is stopping him on the things he doesn't do, but most of the things he does are very easily undone because they violate the law. Ultimately the only major accomplishments are party-line votes on two Supreme Court Justices (which would have been done under ANY Republican president, even Jeb!), and a massively unpopular tax cut that hurt the middle class and even the upper-middle class while likely taking resources away from the programs that help the poor.
4
We all know what republicans stand for. Now how about a much more open discussion about the voter apathy on our side that may bring about the fall of our democracy?
7
I love this column. Very keen points. Spot-on. Absolutely spot-on. "When someone shows you who they are, believe them."
6
I had dinner with a bunch of people the other day, most were Republicans. I said I did not like Trump in casual conversation. They agreed that he was bad but said that they like his policies. This article, in my experience, is unfortunately spot on.
11
They may like him now, but I'm guessing they'll like him a lot less after the election in 2020, when the democrat's have taken back Congress and the Senate, as well as the White House.
There will be consequences for the GOP's complicity in this scandal.
2
This article's argument is why the impeachment inquiry works on two fronts: (1) uncover and eviscerate illegal behavior; (2) bring this behavior to light so that voters know exactly who supports it.
The question of whether to pursue impeachment or election strategy presents a false dichotomy.
2
If your assessment is correct, then it means they don't care about whether or not we continue living under our Constitution.
Effectively, to support Trump is to disavow the USA as a concept.
15
Yes. You've got that right.
@Maria Ashot
Where've you been since 1980?
1
So right to put it so very simple and so very true. Occam’s Razor relevant as ever. Time to realize once and for all, there are two very different versions of people and their visions of this country for the future, and those in between don’t help either one. There are two paths you can go on, but in the long run, there’s still time to change the road you’re on. Time is all but run out. Great column.
2
Everyone thinks that the people who vote for Trump do so because they love him. While that's certainly true for the base (33% of the electorate) the remainder of his voters vote for him because he isn't pushing a social democratic agenda. They're afraid of the Democrats more than they are afraid of Trump.
4
And those voters enjoy Medicare, Medicaid, Social Security, public education . . .
7
Trump has some smart tacticians who operate at a global level to foment right wing campaigns. They've recruited lots of international assistance to prop up Trumps electoral operation. So Trump doesn't have to have a war room of his own, there are multiple foreign and domestic war rooms to promote Trump's success. These war rooms effectiveness is what the Republican Senators and Representatives fear. They are justifiably afraid that the Trump war rooms will come after them and research their constituency and slice and dice them until they find the key electoral constituency in their district or State to bombard with an endless flow of propaganda and misinformation. All Trump has to do is publicly tweet his instructions, who he has in his crosshairs and his war rooms in Russia, Hungary, London or Silicon Valley will take what he says as their marching orders and run with it.
2
What is odd is that the GOP can't find a candidate with whom they agree who isn't a crook.
1
The headline is insulting to many Americans. Trump does very little and only to serve himself. After his interests are those of Putin who has ultimate control of Trump's personal finances.
Then does this also mean that most of the media and all of the Democrats agree with Joe Biden getting millions from Ukraine and China for his family, while he was VP?
I haven't heard anyone with the guts to say that what Biden did was wrong.
3
@Jlee67 Joe Biden hasn't done anything. He is not Hunter Biden. Do YOU have control over your adult offspring? Tell the truth.
@Jlee67 That's because :
a) he didn't do anything wrong.
b) Trump did plenty wrong, some of it impeachable. Despite your best efforts we are looking at that and not your Trumped-up charges against Biden.
If comments reflect Times readers, there is an abundance of over-thinkers among the group; very smart, cerebral people. It's not always so complicated, is how I read Bouie. He makes sense to me in going for the simplest explanation. I don't keep track, but I believe that Trump, although recent to politics, is an excellent politician for his people. He recalls what he promised and strives to meet the promises; not all but several big ones. In a big city political machine (Democratic) that I'm familiar with, nearly everyone in town was aware of corruption at the top. It was almost taken for granted. Yet, the streets got cleaned and fixed, the trash collected on time, street lights were bright and maintained and other garden-variety issues that affect peoples' daily life were well attended to. Those at the top got reelected. Voters liked what they did for them. That mattered most in the voting booth.
2
The simplest explanation is the one Trump gave. "They have no choice". Given what they have revealed about themselves over the last three years, I could not support any of the Democrats. I can't see how anyone, Liberal or Conservative, could. You may like some of their policies and positions, but look behind the curtain. Not so pretty there.
3
@Daphne
You don’t need to behind the curtain for Trump’s dirt. It’s all right out in the open.
@dude
Devil you know. Better than having the CIA running the show. Though I suspected they will do so in any case.
1
Translation: My colleagues and I have stated that we firmly believe that all of the supporters of your President Trump live vicariously through him. They want to be a wanton as he is and believe that he will enable them to be that way.
8
Democracy has been replaced by Wealthocracy. Republicans are the minority with an even smaller inner minority who own most of the country's wealth. That mini-minority pays to suppress votes and is willing to do anything anti-democratic to stay in power, like preddle conspiracy theories and work with foreign influencers. Democrats want everyone to vote because they propose policies that benefit the greatest number of people. Trump with Russian help was the master vote suppressor in 2016, and that's why he won. The only way Republicans can stay in power is to suppress votes and peddle lies. Now Republicans have parlayed that power into the courts where they can continue to suppress votes for generations to come. It's not the first time in our history that's happened, and, left unchecked, will resolve with a French-style revolution pitting the wealthy against the masses. It will be ugly unless we can pop the wealth gap bubble that continues to balloon daily.
5
@Steven D Smith
Why does this comment not have a thousand "recommends"? This nails exactly why we have Trump as president
Nothing guarantees loyalty like extortion...at least that's the best excuse for the GOP in the House and Senate.
3
The Vietnam War draft dodger strongly advocates and stridently expresses the views and beliefs the emasculated Republican Party leadership and its minions prefer to relegate sub rosa and discuss exclusively in private. As long as the diminutive dwarf persistently screams and constantly yells the belief of white nationalism, attacking dark complexioned immigrants fleeing persecution to gain entry to the land of the free and the home of the brave as invaders and carrying diseases to infest the American fabric, GOP members in the Congress are all too willing to go long. The towering, powerful Speaker of the House Sam Rayburn said:" To get along, go along." True. The Republicans made their Faustian bargain so they have no regrets. Hypocritically speaking, the party of Lincoln is deafeningly silent by not protesting the DOJ for not seeking extradition of those Chinese nationals in the PRC who constantly traffic and distribute Fentanyl to Americans in West Virginia, Tennessee, Kentucky, Ohio, Indiana, and Pennsylvania, courtesy of the US Postal Service, claiming America's children. The recent '60 Minutes' interviews with parents of the deceased children should have enraged the GOP to act. Dead silence. The perpetrators of that drug trafficking enterprise walk freely in China without any doubts. After all, they provided a commodity demanded. Why care? Instead the GOP pushes for a Wall that Mexico is supposed to pay for, which is lie. The GOP lacks backbone. Why? Trade!Race matters.
2
I have been saying and writing this for over a year. I am so sick of hearing that the GOP is “spineless “. Nothing could be further from the truth. Their dreams are coming true.
I am beyond fury and despair.
Getting rid of the evil, lying, corrupt Barr needs to top priority now.
And contempt of Congress needs to result in jail time.
The longer this process takes, the more time the GOP has to lie, cover up and distract.
Citizens, take to the street of mob your MoC’s office. Wake up, get off your phone and DO SOMETHING.
5
I love Jamelle Bouie's lead sentence: "Donald Trump is probably the weakest he’s been since becoming president."
However, I think it could be even more accurate with a little tweaking:
"In a life fraught with weakness -- weakness for the almighty dollar; weakness for the opposite sex; weakness for thugs, rogues, and fellow cheats; weakness in demeanor, style, etiquette, common sense, aptitude, dignity, and above all, humanity -- lonely, cornered Donald Trump, entrapped in the tight net of impeachment, finds himself weaker now than he's ever been."
4
Your analysis is right in line with Occam's Razor
1
Please clarify, Since I am of sane mind, highly functional and somewhat intelligent what is being relayed in this article is the following:
Republicans many who are Evangelicals and Episcopalians trust a man who doesn't even know how to read the bible, who has disregarded the Lord's teachings, who I am certain uses the Lord's name in vain most likely on a daily basis,
Republicans like a man who bankrupts his casinos throwing people out of work, many needing to feed families pay bills, rent,
Republicans like to follow a man who on more than one occasion has taken marriage vows only to discard them not once but a least twice, going as far as taking one mistress to a Colorado facility while his wife and 3 children are also guests there, then having public affairs with porn stars and a playboy bunny after another wife has just given birth, then going as far as paying off these two affairs
Republicans love to follow a man who disparages women, grossly conducts "locker talk", but it's ok
Republicans love to be in the company of a racist who has
made certain that he abuses immigrants provided they do the menial jobs at all of his facilities
Republicans love to be with a man so corrupt that he is now under investigation for possible tax fraud, remember his sister the former judge can no longer protect him
Republicans like to be blackmailed into following whatever illegal task he wants (mobster). make sure there is no paperwork or phone call
I am glad I am not a Republican.
4
You still don’t understand. It’s not that people really like Trump, though they do agree with many of his positions, it’s that they are turned of by AOC and her ilk. Trump won largely because people didn’t like Hillary more than they didn’t like Trump. Now you are getting ready to see it again in 2020.
2
I think the biggest factor is that many Republicans, both office-holders and voters, can't stand the Democrats. Just as long as Trump is willing to attack the Democrats and their policies, they are going to cheer him on. It is a lot easier to define yourself by what you are against.
Trump's policies are often a bit vague, and few people care one way or another. He is definite on being against illegal immigration, and against China cheating us in trade, and most of his policy support comes from that.
4
When Hitler was busy restoring dignity and capacity to a German economy left in ruins by the outcome of WW1, many Germans didn't especially care to know about just how he was making that sausage. As far as they were concerned, the end more than justified the means. So, by all means dear leader, just carry on.
Much the same determination to remain ignorant of Trump's operational details can indeed be explained by the "great" things that Trump is delivering, especially all those republican judges.
As long as they get judges who will ensure that a righteous God is positioned to smite the clearly "devil-worshiping" women who seek to preserve their reproductive freedoms or to turn back the world's most disenfranchised souls who have the "unmitigated temerity" to look to America for safe sanctuary, many republicans will be more than happy to ensure that Trump is able to continue his transition to deity.
Once again its "dear leader, just carry on."
Clearly, his followers believe in the nostalgically-fuelled notion of an American utopia and that Trump is the man who will restore that garden of eden for them.
Of course, the trouble is that such an America never existed. And if it never existed, the only thing that Trump will deliver to his followers is a dystopia of epic proportions wherein those who have remained blindly loyal to him will suffer the most.
6
I think it's more complex than this - Pence would likely do the same things they like without all the Crazy Town. McConnell isn't even that concerned with losing the White House in 2020 - he did just fine with Obama in the White House, obstructing him from doing too much and still able to pursue his own agenda. Losing control of the Senate though would terrify him. Right now, the base is still largely with the Republicans, but it's starting to erode - from about 6% of Republicans supporting impeachment earlier in the summer, to closer to 20% now. When it gets up to about 25% of Republicans supporting impeachment and 60% of the general population, he'll start to think about dumping Trump. Republican Senate seats will start to be at risk then in Colorado, Arizona and Maine - and maybe several more.
1
Mr Bouie! The whole news industry loves Mr Trump. He gives you the inspiration to write your opinions. He is an incredible content provider.
Our president is doing a great job strengthening our democracy. He is exposing all the weaknesses in our federal government. The loopholes. He is stimulating people to be more politically active. I thank him for that.
3
@MoonShine Charles M. Blow is even more thankful.
I suggest that we just stop all public funding and support (including welfare and unemployment) to all areas that vote for Trump, since they want the government dissolved anyway. They won’t miss it.
3
@Angry Woman I totally agree with you. Republicans do double-speak because if all of their government "subsidies" are removed, they will cry, revolt, protest, and then blame the Democrats. It's hypocrisy at its "finest."
I hope his Republican followers in the House and Senate won't be shocked when they lose their seats! Voters aren't impressed with do-nothing politicians only looking out for themselves, rather than the country. Vote them out!
2
With the exception of the last paragraph, this article reminds me of quality newpapers of the past when journalists made an attempt to be neutral, above partisan politics and avoided petty insults. You could tell they had views but the trade was more restrained and dignified. But overall, well done Jamelle Bouie.
it's also where intellectual conservatism is heading.
look at the religious right beginning to abandon reagan economics.
listen to what tucker carlson is asking for....
tyranny.
You miss the point on why the republican base does not want Trump to take our military out of Syria.
The military industrial complex wants us there. Do I need to spell out the details?
1
Thank you for pointing this out. It seems to have been lost on most people. Note that we had very swift bipartisan action when there was a challenge to business as usual in the Military Industrial Complex.
1
It's time that Republicans in Congress follow the truth they have stonewalled do you gag around not to see any truth about what's happening in our government process this is the party of law and order GOP/Republican what are we missing here. Most of the Senators or Republicans have mentioned this is not a impeachable offense.
I think William Barr from the DOJ should read the laws to his colleagues the Republicans in the Senate and the House of Representatives. Explain to them this is impeachable Pres. Donald Trump violated the Constitution obstruction from anywhere or any source for the Congress to act.
If you have something to hide for the American people show them in plain sight not hide things because it makes you think the opposite as Donald Trump' WHEN young his mother probably told him about the golden rules shall not lie this is one of God's commandment in the Bible. Maybe the Republicans and President Donald Trump has forgot their ways. After all these Republicans losing office in 2020 do not let them escape the law the violation of their duty of all to the American people is far worse to let these scoundrels walk away for the what they have trampled on the Constitution of America do not forget and will not for the American people.
The problem is that not one Democrat other than the Speaker has the guts to call out Trump. None of them want to play rough, or straight forward...Margaret Chase Smith!
Trump, aside from being simply repulsive, is an overgrown 7th grave bully. If just one reporter, commentator, or politician would just stand up to him, this entire mess would stop.
The only difference between Trump & the rest of the GOP is that he is better at Twitter.
So glad to see a columnist finally saying this. It is long past time for Democrats to realistically face what they are dealing with and give up the notion that, deep down, Republicans want to oppose Trump but can't or are cowards.
1
This is the most insightful take on "Why don't Republicans speak up?" that I've seen. Thank you Mr. Bouie.
This is a surprisingly insightful article. I fall into this camp. I hate Trump as a person. He is a vile man. But his rhetoric doesn’t actually mean anything. I would take a disgusting human being who ultimately is not dangerous, despite the media panic, over someone who wants to take most of my money and give it to people who are unwilling to work, to use the words of the Green New Deal.
Republicans stand by him because the alternatives are worse.
2
Nailed it. Can I just say how much I am enjoying this author's columns? Topical, well-reasoned, and well-written. Thanks for sharing your point of view
True, but it clearly shows also the hypocrisy of the so-called conservatives when it comes to deficits and spending . They have been shown to be budget busting hypocrites when it comes to tax cuts for billionaires and wasteful spending to the 1% defense contractors.
1
Well then. I never again want to hear them claim to want to reduce the debt or deficit. I never again want to hear them claim to be constitutionalists. I never again want to hear about small government and modesty. I never again want to hear them claim to be values voters. And I never again want to see them wrap themselves in our flag.
2
There is another simple explanation: greed. All politicians by nature have greed for power and walking away, or opposing, a president of your own party, especially one who lashes out at everyone who does not adore him, would immediately diminish power.
Trump takes phone calls from members of Congress who are in his favor. This is heady stuff. Someone in a congressional office says, "The president is on the line." Boom! The member of Congress can then say when he or she speaks to the media, "The president assured me..." as long as it isn't a violation of confidentiality. Most presidents do not accept random calls from members who are not in the leadership. Presidents are in a different orbit.
Obama was famous for not wanting to spend "too much time" in consultation with congresspeople. He wanted his evenings free for family, especially for his children. G.W. Bush was described by one long time Republican staffer as the most aloof president he'd ever seen, generally not worried much about the burdens of office or decisions he would face. So, being able to get the president on the phone is a big deal. They also know that Trump can reward them, at least minimally, by a joint appearance at one of his circus style rallies.
Most of the Republicans on the Hill know they've made a deal with the devil but they and their party are not known as independent thinkers at the start. With impeachment, the facade is starting to crack and no one knows how far it will go.
1
Democrats need to get back and govern the country. Don't waste taxpayer dollars in attempting to usurp Trump.
We tire of their stupidity!
1
So, with everything that is happening in the news swirling around this administration, when is the REAL revolution going to begin? Will it happen before the 2020 election? And who will be left standing?
Note, this revolution may NOT be initiated by the Democrats or citizens at the polls or at large. This revolution may be initiated by the powers behind the current administration who believe Trump has accomplished as much as he can for them but has become a political liability for future control of this country. If this is the case, look for a swift demise of Trump by the end of January so that a new voice can be established in the public eye.
Who would take over? Look no further than the current Vice President....
Democrats in the House are Stupid. Why in the world after McConnell and the GOP have laughed at us and refused to compromise on any Dem-passed legislation should we now jump and help them with their modern Vietnam? The one time McConnell shows he is willing to take action is to protect a fictional country called Kurdistan?
Sorry, but the Kurds are under Assad. They live on Syrian territory. Why should our service people die creating an artificial American-made state? What compromises are the racist GOP willing (how will they help ordinary Americans) in order to get their aid for the Kurds?
The President openly calls for interference in our elections over and over and they laugh, because the cheating so far has been all for them. Now they smoke screen and feign standing up to Trump over Kurdistan? Our new Vietnam is the racist GOP showing courage?
Sorry, real American courage is taking all those black children in Mississippi, Alabama, Tennessee and Kentucky out of poverty by taking back the federal money (corporate welfare) they gave away in 2017.
Now is the time for Dems to say in unison: screw you Mitch!
2
Due to the unrelenting onslaught of accusations and calls for impeachment from day one, the democrats have become chicken little. Totally oblivious to the fact that this has made Trump a sympathetic figure.
5
Many of these Republicans stand by Trump because they're afraid or embarrassed to acknowledge that they made a serious mistake.
7
@kenneth...
The Republicans know that the demographics of the next 5O years are against them in this country and therefore their best option is to join in with Putin's global war against Western Liberalism.
All this simply to defend their un-American culture of diversity bigotry... white supremacy... and big oil and gas.
The simplest explanation is clearly that Republicans prefer Trump to Clinton--or other Democratic candidates. That's it, full stop. It's not that they necessarily like Trump (as the op-ed says), but rather that he's better than a Democrat. Obviously Democrats disagree violently with that notion--as they have to--but this piece pretty substantially fails to capture the state of play.
1
@Fritz, disagree violently?
@Fritz But which "Republicans" are we referring to, politicians or voters? People like you continue to claim that the "choice" was between Trump and liberal policies, that yours was a Hobson's choice. But this utterly fails to explain how Trump got the nomination in the first place. Clearly, primary voters preferred Trump not merely over Clinton but over every candidate they were offered. Trump was overtly desired, not just "tolerated" as the best of two choices.
Beyond that, Trump represents a break that Clintonian policies would not have. The country can survive a normal liberal, can it not? Why risk the elevation to power of an ignorant, isolationist, megalomaniacal authoritarian who disdains process and restraint; who seems to be jealous of dictators; and who breaks all precedents of speech and decorum?
Trump is utterly contemptuous of traditional conservative economics, as exemplified by his trade policies and devil-may-care approach to deficits. What he is is an anti-liberal leading an army of (usually old) anti-liberal whites who are terrified of liberal social, not economic, policies. His language, as much as his actions, is sparking blowback in the form of the radicalization of the Democratic Party, which may have been avoided absent his presidency.
When we see normal members of the other party as the country's greatest threat, that's a big problem. "The Devil himself -- just not a Democrat [or a Republican]." Getting out of this situation is vital for the future.
The author of this piece was reading my mind when he was writing. Americans believe they are exceptional but are just as cowardly and corrupt as the citizens of any banana republic.
Turns out the Democrats were right about identity politics. They implemented it in their campaigns. Problem is, Trump is the King of identity politics and he managed to appeal to the white ethnicity (we're all the same race), in the way the Democrats had been appealing to the black ethnicity. We can see this patter in both parties. Even now, most Republican voters are ethnically white, whereas as most ethnically black voters are Democrats. These ethnic appeals work for both parties, too well. This can be traced back to our primitive human past and the notion of "trust the tribe". For 99% of human history, your tribal members looked like you. Now here we are in the modern era and lo and behold, ethnic dog whistles and calls by one political party or another still work. "Diversity" is an ethnic dog whistle calling some, just like "MAGA" appears to be a calling for others.
The lies and obfuscation and acceptance of corruption is starting to stick. People are not worried enough.
We need a strong message from the Dems to counter this egregious undermining of our Democracy.
2
This is what my Republicans friends say, "they don't condone his behavior but they like what he does." So basically, they are ok with the hate speech and despicable acts because he does what they want him to do.
3
@No recall
Yes, they are. They are just as awful in the depths of their souls as Trump is, they simply lack the guts to wear their hate and their bigotry openly.
"And why would they? Despite his somewhat heterodox campaign, Trump has been a remarkably conservative president. For most Republican lawmakers, to oppose Trump would be to oppose their own interests."
Because implementing GOP policy is so much more important than being decent human beings and doing what is right. Every week, every DAY when I think I could not have any more disgust or contempt for the GOP, they rise to the occasion and prove that I have barely scratched the surface of contempt. Sometimes I can barely believe that I am the same species that they are.
9
The author may be on to something. In his book, “Conservatives Without Compassion,” John Dean pointed out that Republicans cheat. They advocate voter ID laws and have no problem with voting restrictions that make it harder for disadvantaged people to vote. Both parties gerrymander but Republicans super size it. So they see Trump’s obvious criminal dealings with Ukraine and look the other way. What else is new? When things get tough Republicans cheat.
5
... and that's what our country has come down to: moral bankruptcy at every level.
4
Serving in Congress is by far the best job any of these second-rate lawyers is ever going to have. Except maybe for the lobbying gig they can grab if and when they leave. So, no, they don't want to lose the gig even if it means compromising what little conscience they brought to the job.
2
The Republican Party doesn't care about anything but power. They were all outraged about the national debt for 8 years under Obama but now they don't say a peep. The national debt is sky rocketing. Yet not a peep because "out of control" government spending is propping up our economy and a good economy wins elections and winning elections keeps them in POWER. So, all in all, there is really nothing special about Donald Trump except he managed to win an election and he is their best shot of winning the next one. However, from time to time, they do need to look like they care about something - like abortion or Syria or whatever - so they raise up from their coffins and say something.
3
There are times when I suspect, that the Republicans hope - should they somehow pull another 2016 election - after 8 years of Trump the Country will have forgotten what is means to have a legitimate democracy and government, that acts in the interest of the people and is accountable and measured.
3
There's a joke that applies to Republicans under Trump. The one about the wife who tells the psychiatrist, "Doctor, my husband's crazy. He thinks he's a chicken" and when told she should have him committed, she replies, "I can't. We need the eggs." The saddest part is, only the Trump family, the wealthy, big corporations and Washington insiders are getting Trump "eggs" while millions scrape by working two or more low-wage jobs and paying exorbitant rents, health insurance premiums and pharmacy bills, college tuition and childcare fees which Republicans will do nothing about. Hopefully, working people are beginning to understand that the Republican Party is not on their side.
11
Republicans fear they and their families will be harmed if they abandon Trump. Consider what the future brings for average United States citizens if Trump is not put out of office. Do we really not care if our democracy is ruled by a dictator? Do we not care if our president is more dedicated to Mr. Putin than he is to the United States? Do we not care if we become a communist country? Do we not care if our economy is ruined by the increased deficit that Mr. Trump causes? Do we not care about the future of our children?
Do we not realize the pain and suffering that will dominate the next generation of our citizens if we lose our democracy?
2
What matters to Trump supporters is that he's Making America White Again.
What doesn't matter to Trump's supporters:
1. Much faster job creation in Obama's last 32 months vs. Trump's first 32 months.
2. Trump's 60% increase in the deficit vs. the Obama policy baseline he inherited.
3. Faster real wage growth in 2015-2016 under Obama than 2017-2018 under Trump.
4. Trump cutting taxes relatively more for the rich than the poor (i.e., higher % reductions in tax rates for the rich).
5. Non-exoneration by Mueller on obstruction of justice, essentially referring the matter to Congress for impeachment.
6. Payoffs to two mistresses, then lying about it.
7. Lying about releasing his tax returns.
8. Lying 10,000+ times based on fact-checker counts.
9. Unnecessary trade wars hurting economic growth.
10. Encouraging foreign countries to intervene in our elections.
11. Losing the popular vote by 3+ million, then getting in because 75,000 people in 3 states voted to help him win the Electoral College, with help from Comey and a Russia endorsement.
Is that really better than raising taxes on the rich to cover everyone with healthcare and helping pay for your kids' college or trade school?
Apparently Trump supporters think so.
15
You are only partly right Mr. Bowie. The most important reason republicans stand by Trump is his racism. He is racist to the core and the reason there is so much passion for Trump is because he is racist and racism feels good to his supporters. Trump is not supported in spite of his most evil tendencies, he is supported because of them. His supporters like Muslim bans and discouraging immigration by committing human rights violations as long as they are committed against dark skinned people. I am married to an African-American woman and have three beautiful children. When my son was six years old in 2016, before we had spoken too much about the election, he came home from school one day and announced he was voting for Hillary Clinton. Of coursed I was amused and I asked him why. He said, “Because Donald Trump doesn’t like the dark skins and I’m a dark skin.” I assumed he picked that up at school because we had never used that term at home but if Trump’s racism was obvious to a six year old in 2016, if should be clear to everyone now. And yet republicans support him. And they support him because it feels good to. And it feels good to because racism feels good to Trump supporters. Sorry, it’s just the truth.
8
That is fine. But the GOP supports breaking laws in pursuit of their goals.
2
It is obvious that Trump is a trainwreck of destruction. And maybe there are many Republicans that are happy with this trainwreck, but I believe that there are many that are not (as pointed out by Jeff Flake, maybe 30 Republicans in the Senate). Trump has turned this country into a trainwreck. We are a mess and we know it. I was impressed with how well "Moscow Mitch" worked on McConnell. Maybe something like "Trump the Trainwreck" will be helpful in focusing the country a what we are facing by associating Trump with trainwrecks - over and over again.
3
Yes, for the most part I like his policies but hate his rhetoric. That's certainly better than the other way round.
1
They keep saying to leave if we don’t like it.
If they don’t like the America of the founding fathers, there are plenty of dictatorships to choose from already without America becoming one.
2
@Grove
Read the Constitution. This is not what they wanted.
Especially focus on the Preamble.
1
People who want their own way, whether it is ethical or not, whether is legal or not, whether the majority support it or not ... such people do not respect the Constitution nor the vision and wisdom of our Founding Fathers.
The people are not just unpatriotic, they are anti-patriotic.
5
It's possible things might change after the Republican primaries are over.
The GOP has split but those in congress still want to keep their jobs.
You never know what happens during the votes in the floor of the Senate during voting of Impeachment Procedure. Trump is weighing on too much to GOP Senators. Just watch out.
2
The author is absolutely correct. If they can get away with it, people always do what they want.
Republicans like Trump. Republican Senators love the policies they were able to push through when they controlled the House and the Senate, and they won't care about betraying our allies because they know our allies will do what they want, too - which is to ignore America's duplicity when we're about to give them what they want.
I keep writing this, and it's true; We won't be rid of this monster until Republican Senators either lose the majority, or lose votes. Trump knows this, and so he does what he wants.
2
Agreed. Except I believe it is GOP doctrine to cheat their way to political wins. They do not have the votes to win any other way, unless they made their policies more attractive to more voters. That is not an option so far, because cheating has worked well. Think denying Garland a vote. Limiting power of a new Governor, selected by Wisconsin voters. North Carolina GOP Senators voted to over rude a budget veto, when they said they would not, trucking Democrats into attending a 9/11 program. Etc.
7
It's not wrong if they personally benefit. In other words, every one of them can be bought.
6
If anyone read a column by Mitt Romney Mitt Romney"The president shapes the public character of the nation. Trump’s character falls short" - he basically stated that he supported the policies that trump enacted, but not his crude character.
Republicans by and large support trumps objectives by any means necessary.
3
Jamelle Bouie is absolutely correct. Trump has delivered on many of the promises he made: massive tax cuts for the wealthy and for corporations (that produced only a sugar high and no sustained economic as all honest economists predicted), cut domestic spending for the poor (but increasing defense spending and overall spending), conservative Federal judges - even got a sexual assaulter and liar under oath like Kavanaugh to be Supreme Court Justice for the next 30 or 40 years. Note that most of Trump’s base will not benefit from the tax cuts for the rich, the cuts is federal program will hurt poor whites - a core part of Trump’s base, the conservative judges and Supreme Court Justices are a core part of what Trump’s base wants and Trump delivered. Note all that Trump failed on his promise to get rid of Obamacare - while a large portion of Trump’s base desperately needs and benefits from Obamacare. Failed on promise for wall with Mexico paying for it - base likes the xenophobia and white nationalism more than actual solutions to legitimate immigration issues. The Trump tariffs or taxes on Americans hurt his base. Traditional Republicans supposedly cared about free trade and debt/deficits (always a Republican scam - only “care” when there is a Democratic President, then their children’s future is being stolen). Republicans used to oppose Russia, now are fine with Putin puppet.
Republicans want to win at any cost more than being real patriots. Trump is perfect for them.
12
Democrats had a chance to drain the swamp when they elected a back benching no name do-nothing junior Senator from Illinois to be President.
The fact he quickly joined the swamp shows just how fun playing in the swamp can be for those who want to buy $15 million vacation homes next to the ocean while telling the rest of the world the sea levels are going to rise by 100' in just the next 12 years.
Swampy swamp...is what it is.
Only way to drain it and give the Power back to the People (states, counties, cities) is to have someone who helped construct and fund the swamp to come in and defund it and deconstruct it.
You had your chance. You blew it.
Now stand back while Trump does what he promised to do.
And this..is from someone who despises him..but is willing to admit that Democrats AND Republicans abandoned the working men and women in America in favor of cheap imported goods and cheap labor..on the backs of the working class.
Republicans found the answer to repent, and it's through this horrible man named Donald Trump.
Democrats don't think they have anything to apologize for, which means they're still stuck in denial about the 2016 election..unwilling and unable to even acknowledge their complicity in the decline of the middle class and working class.
Turns out people don't want to be given welfare..they actually want to work for a living.
Remember that in 2020 when Trump wins 40% of the vote of the working class and people of color.
4
@Erica Smythe
I guess you didn't see the latest polls that showed that inequality in America continues to grow and is at its highest level in decades and if Trump and his Republicans get their way, him and his cronies will almost immediately hand out another FEW TRILLION in tax cuts to their rich buddies, along with that comes the disappearance(including several other items) your social security and medicare.
After all, they have to pay for it somehow, except in this case, like the banks in 2008, it will be people like you.
6
@Deus You're going to have to point to the trillions of dollars in tax cuts to his rich buddies, because frankly...most of the people I know who are filthy stinking rich saw their taxes go up due to the change in SALT writeoffs.
The middle class got most of the tax cut benefit in aggregate, but then..you already knew that.
Funny thing is, when you cut taxes for everyone...everyone gets their taxes cut.
The fact your tax cut on just $20,000 in annual income amounted to just $400 is offset by the guy making $2,000,000 who got a $4,000 tax cut.
Now that's FAIR.
You might think you deserved the $4,000 tax cut, but then again..you're not paying $400,000 in income taxes.
2
@Erica Smythe: The Republicans backed Obama all the way through the primaries.
1
"Republicans Stand by Trump Because They Like What He Does"
Translation: Republicans stand by Trump because they have no soul.
13
@Ken: Trump validates a particular MO.
It doesn't speak well for 40 percent of America, that they embrace everything Dirty Donnie says or does...
Houston, we have a problem, and it will continue long after Trump is finally escorted into Rikers Prison.
5
Thanks Jamelle for your opinion. I too am tired of my educated, well-mannered Republican friends hiding behind "Trump is anti-liberal and speaks his mind" escape and not conceding that he could have all these (supposedly good) traits without being a nasty, corrupt and vicious person who is destroying our democracy and institutions like never imagined by the founders.
I've been resisting this thought for some time now but with such unflinching support for what is blatantly corrupt, I am resigned to believe now that this is ugly Republican racism disguised with a lipstick of conservatism.
I have disliked the 'left' for their stance on immigration and their support for morally compromised Hollywood, but I have little sympathy left now for the GOP in light of their disastrous POTUS and their silence on issues critical to our survival as a free and fair country.
9
Further to this, bully culture, such as the one that Republicans embrace and Trump embodies, is ultimately a cover for cowardice. People sometimes talk of civil war. There will be no civil war, because one thing is certain--with their cowardice, their lack of a moral core, their abject nihilism, they have already defeated themselves.
7
Craven cowards, and worse, all of them.
7
"Doc, my brother's crazy. He thinks he's a chicken!"
"Oh,that's terrible! What are you gonna do?"
"Well, nothing...I need the eggs!
4
Economics? No, just a trillion dollar tax cut for corps and very rich individuals. Few jobs created but a 1.5 trillion new debt. However the guys who got the cut donate 80% of political money. Make life very miserable for immigrants? Yes, thats what lots of Trump folks want. Make the liberals hurt and whine? Yes, always. Let those foreigners know we are cutting them off form our tax money? Yes. make the Repub and liberal elites complain? Yes. So, you are a crook and lie, but thats OK you are fighting against the deep state and liberals and alls fair.
1
BINGO!
3
And maybe because they are gutless weasels?
3
Bingo.
2
If Trump and the Republicans have another term they will absolutely cut social security and Medicare. Let's see how his lower and middle class supporters like that.
4
What a delicate sort of "democracy" we seem to have - so delicate that one man could destroy it all - as we're seeing before our very eyes.
8
If you're a conservative, I get it. I may not necessarily agree with a lot of those positions, but I get it. But to hitch your star to this man who is utterly lacking in integrity, morals or leadership... well, I guess the old adage is true: the ends justify the means.
6
@Dave "Integrity, morals or leadership..." So republicans should have hitched it to Hillary Clinton?
“most congressional Republicans refuse to break with the president. Despite his obvious wrongdoing and complete unfitness for the job, the vast majority of Republican office holders in Washington are “ride or die” supporters of Trump.”
The answer is simple. When Trump is blown out the WH, the GOP could go a long time out of presidential and Congressional power. The Democrats will seize both with a death grip and the voters will keep them there.
2
trump supporters fall in to, roughly, two groups: extraordinarily wealthy people, who are surfing the crest of trump’s latest great wave; and, the lower middle class, mostly white folk who are just scraping by rather than living the American Dream, because migrants are stealing their jobs, the Muslims and Mexicans are trying to replace us, and the 1950s were good enough good ol’ days...for lots of people. The first group has no notion of the second group and, if they did, would not much care about their incessant griping, anyway. How do their self-inflicted misfortunes touch us, they might ask. An odd pairing; one group loyal dependent on ease and the second loyal and dependent on fear.
4
So far, there hasn't been a single Republican that appears to have a moral or ethical rudder. That's pretty disappointing.
Will anyone step up? Mr. McCain did on the healthcare front, could perhaps Mr. Romney do the same on impeachment?
I can't think of another Republican I'd even suspect to have the nerve and a sense of right and wrong.
3
Donald Trump is like the energizer bunny.
1
For forty years this has not changed.....
We are still at war in the middle east spending our treasure on those who will always despise us
The federal budget deficit grows every year
The super wealthy get richer while the middle class is being hollowed out
The poor are getting poorer
Our infrastructure is crumbling
Cost of healthcare skyrocketing
Cost of education skyrocketing
Cost of everything skyrocketing
Fed prints more dollars so our spending power is diminished
Policing the world? We cannot but we are still trying
Polluting the environment (global warming or not)
Government growth skyrocketing
Public schools neglected
et al.....
These are not partisan issues. Both parties are equally guilty.
No matter who is president these things have not changed. No matter who is in the house or senate. And I have tried voting many different ways....
Find me someone who can change those things and I will vote for them....
3
@Lucifer
"Republicans Stand by Trump Because They Like What He Does." That was the topic. Remember?
Nobody was trying to win YOUR vote.
2
The other thing trump supporters like about him is how he enrages liberals. Their thinking is that “if the liberals are angry, he must be doing something right!”. This frees them to selectively ignore the other pillars of conservative philosophy, such as eliminating the deficit, free trade, states rights and morality in general (who remembers the moral majority anyway?). And they can always point to Bill Clinton as a president who behaved even more badly in his White House office than trump has yet been accused of, yet still stayed in office despite being impeached by congress. No stained blue dresses yet from this President.
Like trump, these supporters don't really care if Arabs, Turks, Kurds and Jews shoot each other up in the Mid East, so long as the price of gas doesn’t skyrocket, (which it won’t thanks to fracking and Russia) and they don’t really care about Taiwan, Japan, South Korea and our other allies either so long as their local stores and Amazon have what they want at a reasonable price.
This traditional strain of isolationism is what kept the USA out of WWII until Pearl Harbor and it lives on in just about everywhere in the country out of sight of a seaport or international airport.
What they do, or will, care about is knowing that they let their pockets get picked by trump and having been played for fools. Waking them up to these facts is what the Democratic candidate needs to do. Nothing else will erode their support for trump.
7
You forgot the biggest thing Trump delivered on: The Republican base hates liberals. Viscerally. They have been trained to by Rush Limbaugh and Fox News. They want to hurt liberals in any way they can. Trump has delivered insults, punishments, debasements and cruelty to liberals and those liberals support day in and day out. They love him for it more than they care bout anything else.
15
@Adam: They have no idea how anti-liberation they are themselves.
2
@Adam You might be correct about Fox News... but flip that coin over and you will see The NYT, MSNBC, CNN and ALL (literally ALL) the other media that has played the same card against conservatives. A little constancy and integrity in your comment would go a long way.
1
When Trump refuses (unlike Gore who had some justification)
refuses to abide by the outcome of an election or simply tries to retain power after impeachment the the rubber will meet the road. We will learn if aside from an open and active Press whether we have a democracy. What is commonly not discussed is the level of inequality which is worsening and is bad for democracy. Lets hope we are not seeing the end of democracy.
4
This could have been summed up much easier: "In this world there are good and bad people, and it's pretty obvious these days which is which". Like you either care about those less fortunate than you or you don't.
3
I agree that he is delivering for conservatives but Mike Pence would do the same without the baggage.
1
This is spot on. He has delivered exactly what the Republican Party and it’s donors want. Tax cuts for corporations, extremely conservative judges, regulatory rollbacks, belligerence to anyone who opposes its agenda, all delivered with swagger. What else explains the fact that his strongest supporters are evangelicals. Traditional Republicans seem willing to look the other way on trade, common decency and other issues that they once stood for. Those few with any principals (e.g., George Will) left the party. Meanwhile, their spin machine is successfully painting Democrats as a party of open borders, unlimited taxation, high crime, etc. A reckoning will only come when their growing deficits and financial deregulation collapses the economy and Democrats are left to clean up another mess. Or, if they try to reach their ultimate goal of ending Social Security which would turn their aging base against them. Of course, deficits are only a concern when they don’t control the White House.
3
@Maya EV
So, ultimately what you are saying is that Republicans are and always have been"frauds". My question has always been since it is clear that they have absolutely no interest whatsoever in improving America going forward, the rule of law or much of anything else for that matter, why do so many continue to vote for them?
I know Republicans have been significantly cutting back on education funding in their states, but, mass "cognitive dissonance"? This is getting out of hand!
3
Fear. That's all it is. As long as you elect the President that makes them feel safe, elected (goes both ways?). But the problem is: why do so many people feel unsafe? Scared of the future? Wiling to sacrifice common decency to protect their lifestyle? Some people view change as part of life, others as an enemy. Neither Democrats nor Republicans can change the wind. Globalization and automation were not a decision, they were an economic necessity. And remain so. It's all about our reaction to the inevitable. Some greet it with open arms, most remain skeptical, and some try to beat it with a bat. All reactions to the same reality. Though when reality is distorted (propaganda), the bat swingers come out swinging.
1
The simplest answer is that Trump gives people from who he seeks favor what they want without any constraints and Republican lawmakers are afraid to criticize him because he can turn their constituents against them with his comments about them. Letting the Kurds die would not be acceptable to their constituents, letting Trump game the Presidency for his own benefit does not bother them.
1
The Republican party built Trump over decades, brick by repulsive brick.
They would prefer a less repugnant veneer, but that is all.
His "policies" are simply his uncanny genius in projecting his middle finger at anything fact based, humane and progressive, all of which his red state voters abhor. (They don't abhor the money from more progressive states that help keep them afloat, though.)
I could go on, but let's just admit that there's a psychiatric emergency occupying the White House. Neither his base nor the Republican congress members have a quarrel with that, no matter the cruelty and havoc that result. Watching Republican senators dismiss his behavior is cringeworthy.
But, make no mistake. They are getting what they (the senators, and the big donors) want.
6
And their supporters will continue to vote for them, even though they are voting for the heel that has ground down their economic well being to grind even longer and harder. They will never run out of justifications to offer. Most don't even try to justify their votes, they just vote Republican, even if all they have to show for their decades of loyalty is the grim satisfaction of voting against all of the things they have no real information about, but hate anyway.
Who inflated this mass of infantile resentment, filled with white Americans yearning for the good old misogynist days? You need look no further than the GOP, FOX news, and the phony news outlets that promoted the GOP's idiotic economic theories and racial and religious bigotry as gospel. Reagan started it with his "welfare queen", war on labor unions, and the conception that any government interference is a threat to freedom. Trump is the ideal candidate for the voters of a party that deliberately uses hatred and bigotry to keep it in power, the better to loot the country on behalf of it's donors (socialism for the wealthy) and appoint judges determined to deprive women of reproductive freedom.
Trump can win again.
7
@lois Pasternack
Americans have a unique history among the western industrialized democracies of regularly voting against their self-interest, yet, I still continue to wonder why?
Perhaps, we are now seeing the REAL America because if Americans REALLY cared about the direction the country has been heading, despite all the rhetoric and hand wringing about what is happening, they would not continue to elect the politicians they do.
6
Well said, sir.
1
Then today's Republican Party deserves to be thrown on the trash heap along with Trump. They aid and abet actively or in a passively, the degradation of this country's values, laws, norms, everything. They.help.Trump. and they.must.go. Why do they (and their base) hate America?
6
If your grandfather objected to FDR's Social Security.
If your dad objected to LBJ's Medicare.
If you objected to Obama's ACA.
You are a Republican.
7
It's Washington, D.C., not Jonestown! Would someone make sure the Republican senators get and read the MEMO?
2
I like what Trump does and I'm not a Republican.
5
Republicans have checked their brains at the door.
Remember, Trump "likes uneducated people", and
they rushed to vote for him. Republicans love him because deep inside they know he "speaks" for them.
They are afraid to express what he does. He is uneducated so they understand each other. Impeach both and let's move on.
5
You know, I don't agree with Jamelle Bouie, but he is very, very smart
No, here is the simplest answer. Your employed at a mid-level executive position, perhaps two levels from the CEO. Your good at your job, well liked and think you may have a future. The job pays well, benefits are good and you like where you live. Your family is stable, kids like their schools. The CEO however is an idiot. Says and does crazy things. You cringe when you hear broadcasts of him/her meeting with analysts or with your top customers. Do you quit your job? Do you begin a vocal campaign to unseat the CEO?
Jamelle not sure what your answer is to that. Yes you should quit, create turmoil for the CEO . . . And move your kids from their schools, create instability in the family financial status, join the ranks of the unemployed . . . For what? What exactly will you get in return for giving that up. Not enough. So you keep plodding along, with an idiot for a boss.
That is the simple answer.
1
"He all but confessed to trying to tilt the next election"
No, he did not.
He proudly claimed, "pleas — public and private — to China and Ukraine to investigate Joe Biden, the Democratic presidential candidate and former vice president, and Biden’s son."
This author, this paper, this whole side, treats those two things as the same thing. They are not.
That is a partisan blindness. Joe Biden and son were crooks. An investigation would wreck the preferred candidate of the NYT. So, go blind and pretend it isn't there.
That doesn't work well. Denial of reality is a short term "solution" to a real problem.
5
@Mark Thomason -
The "investigation" as concocted by Rudy Giuliani is finished. IG Linick has turned it over to Congress. What Donald Trump presented to Ukraine's president was not an ask but an ultimatum. Sign off on Giuliani's bill of goods if you want the $400M military aid.
@Mark Thomason
Joe Biden is not a crook.
Its all about greed and money for the russpublicans and nothing else.
2
Exactly. And why stop him from cheating if it benefits Republicans. Republicans are the party of cheaters and liars and swindlers. Their base seems to love them because anything that upsets liberals is okay, but will the base ever wake up to realize they are the victims of Republican policies, sometimes more so than the brown and black people they so despise?
3
Yes the GOP wants to be racist lying manipulators who cheat, torture and undermine everyone they come into contact with. They left behind morality and conservatism a long time ago.
Lock him up.
2
Republicans like Trump like to exploit all resources to get rich: labor, capital, raw materials, politicians, the entire judiciary, the media, government. Seems to me they are wining right now. Their plan for brown people, liberals, and gays is the concentration camp: big $$$ for the private prison industry.
1
Republicans who have continued to support this vile man occupying the White House are gutless enablers. History will not be kind to them.
1
Imagine Jamelle you are awake early and you would like to start your day feeling like it might be a good one. So you scan the NYT and stop to read your column and you come to realize you just shot your day. It's not your fault. It is an excellent column, but it just reminded us of what we are facing in a country we believed in.
And you know what, If I keep singing the words to an old song maybe I can still capture a part of the day!
"Oh what a beautiful morning, Oh what a beautiful day, I've got a beautiful feeling, Everything's coming my way." ........Sad!
Unrestrained greed, racism, and handouts to the wealthy: what's not to love if you're an amoral Republican?
3
I have always believed that to support Trump, you must either be a bigot or not mind that he is.
And if you don't mind, it's because you aren't a target. You are white.
Not minding racism -- tax cuts and judges! -- because it doesn't affect you is white supremacy. That's what it is.
The Republican Party will lose with or without Trump. The majority of Americans don't buy their line.
1
Nailed it.
1
The GOP will apparently go to great lengths to protect Trump, as long as he pushes their policies. The NYPost's execrable Miranda Devine puts it succinctly (through her Turmp-colored glasses):
"They see him implementing his agenda against all odds. If the swamp gets in his way, Trump bulldozes over it. Supreme Court, tick. Taxes cut, tick. Regulations slashed, tick. Jobs up, tick. Military rebuilt, tick. ISIS stopped, tick. Globalism challenged, tick. Paris climate treaty scrapped, tick. Borders strengthened, tick. Wall built, half-tick."
I disagree. They're total self-involved cowards, terrified of upsetting his ignorant, aging mostly white base of rural rubes. They are essentially as trapped by their districts as they are safe.
Yes, Trump is a carnival barker, and one who will tell any lie at any time for cheers and applause, or to deflect from his criminality and ineptitude.
But for decades his ghost-written, self-congratulatory books, and finally the absurd "reality show," the Apprentice, have given room for those with no critical thinking skills to believe that Trump is a business genius. And yet he lost $1 billion dollars over ten years and ran several casinos into the ground. Despite that record, many of the idiots who voted for him decided that Trump saying "you're fired" on TV every week proved that he was smart and tough. They were mistaken.
Idiots indeed.
1
As long as Trump is racist he will retain his largely white die-hard base of supporters. If by some unlikely chance he would come out in support of Black Lives Matter, his base would abandon him tomorrow morning and demand his impeachment. Nothing else that he may do or say will change the opinion of his racist base.
1
So basically what we are saying here is, yeah, he shot someone on Fifth Avenue, but it's ok because he also got rid of taxes/immigrants/abortion/political correctness/whatever Liberals love. Got it.
1
This should read "they like what he has done" And what has he done. Rich get big tax break, Bad mouthed non whites, pandered to white supremacists, Sexually assaulted women, stiff business partners and contractors. Co conspirator in scheme to hide campaign contributions, Lied about everyone and everything, obstructed justice multiple times. Oh yeah republicans you got what you wanted and more, But what you wanted gave us a constitutional crisis of monumental proportion.
Spot on.
"Republicans Stand by Trump Because They Like His Racism"
Fixed.
1
@XXX
The Republican "Southern Strategy" of the 1960s essentially just confirmed all that going forward.
First you can count one-issue voters, particularly on abortion and immigration.
The add those who find the #resist movement distasteful, esp. its standard bearers Naegle, Comey, Schiff, Waters, et al.
Finally we have those, like myself, who find the current crop of Democrat presidential candidates alarming.
2
Yes, Republicans like a president who:
--disobeys the law
--encourages his minions to disobey the law and risk ruin
--has a history of conning people
--uses tax payer dollars to line his own pocket
--molests women
--mocks the disabled and disadvantaged
--snuggles up to our worst adversaries
--is sympathetic to other molesters and con artists
--bullies others to do his bidding
--harasses and threatens patriots who see his illegal deeds
Whatever tragedy becomes of this nation, we can thank the Republicans and those who voted for them.
2
Mr. Bouie is right--the Republicans may not like the optics of Trump, but they are happy with the judges appointed, the tax cuts and the deregulation that they have gotten. Only if Trump's antics threaten their re-election will they desert him.
While I generally admire Jamelle Bouie's OP ED pieces, I believe that he has missed a crucial element here in explaining why Republican members of Congress stand by Trump. An article in the "Dallas News", written by Prof. Ruth May, a named professor in Russian and Ukranian affairs at the University of Dallas, gives a better explanation:
"Party loyalty is often cited as the reason that GOP leaders have not been more outspoken in their criticism of President Donald Trump and his refusal to condemn Russia's interference in the 2016 presidential election. . . Perhaps it's because they have their own links to the Russian oligarchy that they would prefer go unnoticed.
Donald Trump and the political action committees for Mitch McConnell, Marco Rubio, Scott Walker, Lindsey Graham, John Kasich and John McCain accepted $7.35 million in contributions from a Ukrainian-born oligarch who is the business partner of two of Russian president Vladimir Putin's favorite oligarchs and a Russian government bank."
This acceptance of funds from Russian oligarchs is treacherous behavior, if not downright treasonous. It is greed that motivates these members of Congress, not loyalty or even a liking of what Trump does.
2
Yup. Republicans want a weak federal government. Of course they do insist that wombs (white ones at least) are covered by eminent domain.
3
In the 1930s, the evangelicals gave us Prohibition.
It was a bad idea. Too much religious hype and hypocrisy; and 8 years later it all came crashing down.
Now, the evangelical 'base' wants a new prohibition, this time it is a prohibition of Truth.
And when your childhood was filled with religious indoctrination, and home-school gibberish....it becomes easy to just rationalize what-ever you want to be "true"
The trumpian supporters are religious zealots in a dooms-day cult of the Rapture. All made up, but sure sounds pious.
Funny how these zealots always forget the 9th Commandment...that thing about giving false witness.
We want our Country back.
2
Yes. Thank you, Mr. Bouie.
1
Trump and the spineless GOP have systematically set out to destroy all that is good about America. Clean air? Don’t need it. Clean water? Who drinks water? Endangered animals? Eh. National parks? Sell them to the oil companies. Migrants seeking asylum? Shoot them in the legs. A working health care system? Clearly, that’s just for losers. So for Republicans seeking re-election, this is a great ticket to run on. Knock yourselves out.
3
Right on... but you left out he puts nasty women in their place. (And they voted for him!)
Misogyny is rampant -- with anti-abortion (just like Pence) legislation abounding.
And they admire gamers, cheaters, bullies.
3
The political equivalent of "Occam's Razor". In the absence of other plausible theories, the most common one is correct. However, we have other theories, Trump's mental health being the most obvious.
Perhaps also it is simply this - Republicans find Trump an absolute gift. A mindless fool who will sign anything they put in front of him. A useful idiot for the Republicans, especially when they controlled both houses of Congress.
1
I think you put too little value into the influence Fox News and favored entertainers have on trump. Republicans can get trump to sign off on any legislation his “conscience” (see above) tells him to. trump, the willing patsy, is pleased as punch to do whatever benefits him financially. Follow the money.
1
I think you may be just right!!! I see a lot of “experts,” admittedly like yourself, twisting themselves into noodles to say Republicans are “scared” of him etc etc etc. you hear this daily, countless times a day, every time you have the tv on!!! Is this really true??!! I think you’re exactly right! Remember these are the same people who just had Kavanaugh, Alito, etc and sabotaged Obama at almost every turn etc etc. These guys absolutely love what he’s doing: they partially created him.
3
The modern Republican party is the party of hate, denial of facts, greed and meanness. That is the definition of dear leader and of his entire base. Every time I see a Trumpist sporting the red hat or the Trump flag I see it as the middle finger to the rest of our citizens. That, after all, is the essence of Trump - he governs for and in devotion to his 37%. He cares not one whit for the 63% of us who do not buy into his awful agenda. Indeed he relishes causing pain in the states that are not his.
Trump has forced this American to look deeply at who we are and recognizing that we are not that shining city on the hill.
4
Like 16 other Republican candidates in 2016, Senate Republicans have come to terms with the fact that they cannot touch Donald Trump because they are him, and he is them. He is just much better at being them than they are.
6
Republicans are standing with President Trump because the Democrats have swung so far to the left. Most Americans do not approve of the progressive policies that are being proposed by the liberal Democrats. They feel they have gone too far.
The majority of the nation do not agree with open borders, free eduction for undocumented immigrants, and free healthcare for those who are here illegally. This will not go over with Americans who abide by the rules and pay for their eduction and healthcare. Some are just getting by and they resent those who are getting a free ride. Can you blame them?
The Republicans are looking out for the average Joe and Jane who have been overlooked by the Democratic Party. President Trump understands their concerns and has supported them. He has created jobs and improved the economy. He has lowered taxes and put money back into their pay checks. What is not to like when your livelihood has improved. This is why they will vote for him in 2020.
1
That’s rich, Democrats don’t want open borders, et al either. Just Fox News misdirection. No the GOP is letting this go on because THEY HATE THE CONSTITUTION and the restrictions it places on their far right authoritarian policies.
4
@KMW
No, actually, "some" democrats are now just standing for the policies they stood for decades ago which included the "working person", in America, not just the wealthy and the corporate donors. The so-called "moderate" democrats of today are nothing more than Republicans in a superficial democratic label all because Republicans have swung so far to the right they have dragged democrats along with them.
Labels mean nothing any more. Look at the actual policies.
3
@KMW Lower taxes? Larger pay checks? Either you're dreaming or you're not wearing a blue collar.
When Mr. Bouie writes "he signed a tax cut that funnels trillions to the highest earners,", I have to ask the obvious question of Mr. Bouie: Sir, do you really believe that the word "earner" applies to people who funnel trillions to themselves, wealth that they did not and could not create on their own?
Democracy cannot survive either concentrated wealth or widespread ignorance. Mr. Bouie's language perpetuates the myth that obscene wealth can somehow be "earned".
3
Republicans dont care as shown many times before.
3
President* nyet and the party of no - perfect together
2
Jamelle...
Thanks for the shout out.
3
Finally someone said it. Why do we have to waste time defending the people who support him instead of just saying it like it is? They like his racist, undemocratic policies. Plain and simple.
3
Let me type this again. This time, I'll type it S-L-O-W-L-Y: POTUS Trump is Republicanism without the veneer.
7
Let us not forget in all this Trump turmoil that he is the symptom but the Republicans are the disease.
2
@Robert Typhoid Mary.
However if he flushes America down the toilet with his erratic Foreign Affair policies, you don't care?
BTW the 'patriotic working folks' include our Idaho Farmers who are being destroyed by Trump's trade war.
1
@Susanna flushing? erratic" Are you trying to persuade us with information (you might actually convince us) or are you just spouting? If it's the latter, then few of us are actually listening.
It's the money. It's alway the money with Republicans. Filthy lucre. And with too many Democrats as well...
2
Good old, GOP, choosing party over country. Despicable.
1
Congratulations Mr. Bouie .. you have finally figured out the secret code for Republicans that consistently eludes your other Dem/Lib colleagues! It is about self interest and Trump has been an excellent Republican President for the most part. On what planet do Dem/Libs think we would reject him so you all can win the next election and saddle us with left wing idealogues like Elizabeth Warren or doddering Joe Biden who will go whichever way the wind blows!
2
Ends justify the means. Principles and character no longer matter to Republicans. It's as simple as that.
3
Everyone that still supports Trump after two and a half years of him blatantly putting his own interests above the interests of We the People KNOWS that he puts his self interest above We the People, and likes it.
Any other explanation does not last for two years.
They like that Trump lies. They like that Trump is abusing his power to undermine the Constitution.
The Right has always opposed the basic principles of the Constitution, and had always wanted to get rid of it.
For example, the 14th Amendment makes everyone born here a citizen, with EQUAL rights under law. The Right created Jim Crow and other racist policies that directly oppose those basic principles. They support racial profiling, which years citizens differently based on their appearance.
One of the reasons to have a Constitution in the first place is to keep the executive (first king, now president) from using state or private violence to promote his personal political agenda. Trump keeps calling on his supporters, inside and outside of government, to violently attack his critics, with no mention of law or due process of law. That is terrorism, and his supporters cheer for his anti-Constitutional calls for terror and make excuses for it. They say it's comedy.
THE CONSTITUTION IS NOT FUNNY!
While they accuse football players of being disrectf for kneeling (a universal sign of respect), they claim that the president can attack the Constitution troops died for, because it's funny.
Save the Republic!
3
The Republican Party is Vile.
It’s real simple.
5
He insults people, belittles immigrants, calls dictators his friends, jeopardizes this country and the world's environment, sends our economics into a tail spin and risks the security of our nation.
So what this article is saying is that the G.O.P. members are a bunch of idiots.
4
@BTO That is not the way to make friends and influence people. Besides, we conservatives, don't kill our young.
@Mike, maybe you should.
2
@BTO oh, that's just so cute. really bolsters your original argument.
The reason the Republicans support Trump:
They do not care if the country goes to Hell in a handbasket; they do not care if the environment is damaged; they do not care if our standing in the world and our alliies' trust in us is destroyed; they do not care if every last modicum of decency is shredded...as long as they get to see the heads of those who lean Democrat explode.
9
I think that’s it....they simply don’t care or don’t care enough. They’ll protect their own backside first and foremost!
2
Mr. Bouie, you hit the nail on the head. They like what he does and they don't care how he does it. Mereck Garland is a prime example, and that came before Trump's election. The GOP will do anything and say anything to get what they want, rule of law and democracy be damned.
6
Republicans don't stand for anything.They used to preach fiscal sanity, condemned spending, especially on benefits for the people. Not anymore.They must love debt because it's a trillion dollars now. The interest on that must be making some of them very rich.
They used to be religious and socially conservative, obsessed with sex, other people's that is. But when it comes to their Messiah, he can do no wrong. They permit him to lie, defame, cheat, abandon allies, threaten national security. They don't care whether he had adulterous sex or multiple wives, reputation as a wild boar, or hung with Epstein and his little girls. None of that matters.
So what does matter? What does the GOP and the ever-adoring base get out of appallingly stupid, unhinged trump?
Please, trump follower, tell me what supporting trump gets you? The GOP and trump have given you senseless trade wars, a roiling middle east, tearing up of alliances. Is that what you want? There's no wall, no infrastructure, no healthcare, but that's okay with you?
You like a divided country where the minority rules? Where the majority is subjected incessantly to trump's insults, lies, his colossal neediness, his terrible personality?
Hell is not eternity spent with your insurance agent but enduring one term of trump and the GOP in inexplicable Pence-trance adoration.
5
I agree entirely: If Republicans can oppose Trump on Syria but not on other things, it means they like child separation at the border, lowering taxes for the wealthy, developing trade disputes, insulting and alienating our best allies, creating outrageous federal deficits, etc. In fact, Trump has not shrunk the government; the budget is bigger than ever (spending on the military is out of control). Middle-class Americans are not getting a tax break: we are all paying higher prices as a result of Trump's tariffs and payoffs to farmers for all those soybeans they can't sell (and if you are in blue states you're really screwed).
But let's not give the Republicans too much credit here. They're scared too.
2
Trump supporters like Trump for two very different reasons. For the well off, the true GOP constituency, they have gotten an even bigger part of the pie, thanks to the tax cuts that not only increased their wealth, it also increase it thanks to an orgy of dividends and stock buybacks.
For the rank and file, they like that Trump has simple, easy explanations for things, said with anger, the way they and their cronies do over cigarettes and booze at the local gin mill. Jobs gone away? It is them D*** liberals with their environmental regulations, coal would be king if it wasn't for Obama, get rid of the EPA and them jobs that went to China, well, they would be here. ...and Donny is getting tough with China, they took "our jobs", and we gonna get them back. Immigrants? Just look at them, they are gonna take over, they are going to make America to become like Mexico (and yes, folks I have heard this). They love that Trump is openly racist, they love that he is angry, that he blurts out what he wants and pretends to be a tough guy (there is an interesting correllary between Trump and Putin, Russians love tough guy leaders, too). He is against 'the elites' of both parties, but of course ignore that the only people Trump has really helped are the very rich.
6
"the Republican base and its total commitment to the president" - that is the best explanation. It is the ~90% of the republican voters, even if a large chunk of them are "deplorables" (let's face it, they DO exist and "replacement anxiety" is a fact, also known as racism) that will continue to support him, no matter what.
1
Enough already.
His 15 minutes of fame have expired.
Unfortunately, there appears to be no limit on minutes of infamy.
3
Thank you!! Finally someone recognizing that the “southern strategy” was at the core beliefs of the GOP base.
2
@AnnaT from Los Angeles. I appreciate the geniuses, the founding fathers for coming up with electoral college. This way each state gets fair representation and voters from overcrowded megacites like LA and NY cannot force their biased opinion on the rest of us and we can think freely and vote freely based on our own research and reality. AnnaT calling Trump toxic does not alter the fact that he is not toxic.
@Girish Kotwal So, you are saying the minority overruling the will of the majority is "fair repesentation". Duly noted.
1
Once again, piercing analysis and crystal clear writing.
Thank you.
1
So glad that someone else finally got around to saying so. (I have repeatedly made this point on my blog. OK, OK, saying I told you so is not very nice.)
The particular reason why Republicans are not upset about Trump's election shenanigans--especially seeking "dirt" from foreign, even hostile, countries--is that they also benefit from them. Trump and Congressional Republicans have a shared interest in manipulating the election to ensure their re-election.
If any election looks to be a close one, look for more egregious Republican misbehavior than every before. I would not be surprised if, in some states like Florida, Georgia, and North Carolina, with recently manipulated elections, violence occurs. I can imagine provocateurs causing trouble in minority voting district which would justify interventions by local and state police to disrupt minority voting. Given computer companies providing election hardware and software, and favoring the GOP, I can also imagine electronic manipulation of vote counts especially in areas which do not provide for parallel paper ballots. Of course, Republicans can easily encourage foreign nations supportive of Trump to help them help Trump by hacking in their support of their re-election as well has his. Finally, these jurisdictions can "lose," "accidentally erase," or impound for "corrected recount" ballots cast in Democratic precincts.
2
Congressional Republicans should understand that the so called Republican base favors various aspects of the Republican agenda not necessarily the individuals that are the means to that end. We should all have learned by now that the end does not justify the means. Congressional Republicans are effectively destroying the Republican Party by associating it with Trump. Trump is the de facto Republican brand unless another Republican has the courage to say "enough". It must be a Republican for obvious reasons.
1
This is an excellent piece. Thank you for busting the myth that Trump has Republicans paralyzed with fear. Nonsense. Trump is the "five working digits" Grover Norquist and the Republicans want for tax cuts, deregulation and judges.
Lindsey Graham tweeted his displeasure about Syria, but is now inviting Guiliani to testify about corruption in Ukraine. His hissy fit lasted all of 24 hours.
Mitch McConnell did NOTHING about the Russian interference in 2016 and in fact threatened Obama that he would accuse him of partisanship if he did come out with a statement.
Any expectation that the Republican party will suddenly become a reasonable, collaborative party once Trump is gone is misguided at best. Don't forget Newt Gingrich, Mitch McConnell, the Evangelicals, the Tea Party, the birthers, the gun nuts, the anti-science crazies and all the other knuckle draggers in that party who care nothing about facts, the future and what the majority of Americans want and need.
8
Any way Republicans win is a good way. They fear democracy because they suspect that in a fair fight they might lose and winning is everything. This is the way the politicians think, but it is also how many of their voters think as well. If you can pass laws that favor them as voters and disfavor others, they're fine with that. If you can extort from a foreign country an electoral advantage for Republicans, do it.
Winning is more important than Democracy. Winning is more important than law. Winning is more important than morality. And they are winning. They've got the Senate, the judiciary and the executive. They won't stop until they're beaten so badly they conclude that their strategy no longer works.
4
It's not as much Republican support for Trump as it is vindictive Republican glee in knowing how truly unhappy this president makes their Democratic opponents. But now Republicans are getting a taste of unhappiness too, and if that unhappiness finds it's way into the voting booth in 2020, they may soon find themselves unhappy and unelected.
4
I admit upfront that I am a single-issue voter: the environment. I suppose that blinds me to all of the "winning" that Mr. Trump's supporters are experiencing. But what I don't understand is their silence regarding Mr. Trump's destructive environmental policies. Is fealty to deregulation so complete that they have no concern about the world their children and grandchildren will inherit?
5
@Walter Bender Oppression and evil ARE a toxic environment !
For many people, Trump is an 'outsider' who is not a politician. He speaks in the context they could understand. In other words, he could get to them in his talk. In reality, a lot of people are tired of the typical politician having qualities canvassed and determined by a fraction of (what they view as) typically 'white' privilege political establishment. Reason why many voters distrusted Hillary and opted to vote for Trump.
It's understandable why many of them feel disconnected from privilege 'politicians': People see these politicians as inauthentic, because they innately mistrust them due to their history. One recent example can be seen when none of the MSM (even NYT) report the news of Warren being caught lying (again): She lied about losing her job in order to paint herself as an 'underdog' championing for the public. For many women like me, this is utterly gross. See:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wzTPJjtPxO8
or
https://freebeacon.com/politics/county-records-contradict-warrens-claim-she-was-fired-over-pregnancy/
2
Republican voters + apparatchiks in Congress and state/local governments do not care about anything Trump or any politician before him has done since 1980.
The singular touchdown for the theocrats is repeal of abortion and civil rights for half the nation that is female.
1
Cowards or accomplices? Oh, the dilemma!
4
Good column, Mr. Bouie. Occam's Razor.
1
Making a choice is tough, particularly when all your friends are Fox and Friends on TV, or watch it in their own homes. We need to break that circle, and make common ground with them. No, it might not change their politics, but it may belay their one in 2020, and they stay home while the orange one bloviates.
It's time for the Republicans to fall on their swords and sabers for the sake of the country but you're absolutely right, b-boy bouiebaisse, they won't do it, not even if Trump's boast of walking down 5th Avenue and slaying as many as he can with impunity turns out to be rooted in a fantasy similar to those of America's homegrown terrorists who believe it’s their right to kill. Trump embodies and represents values that the Senate Republicans hold dear? That of a fascist despot blazing a trail in history as a contender for the most loathsome of the loathsome? The Republicans know that their constituents support them. We need to prepare for the dystopian agenda the Senate Republicans have in store for us. How about a column like that?!?!?!
1
Mr. Bouie is correct. Deep down, today's corrupt, plutocratic GOP needs Trump, so they keep him in power.
Ignorant and intellectually shallow and lazy, the rich-born reality TV game show nonetheless has the raw jackal cunning of a con artist, and the Republicans need him to "sell" the biggest con of all:
While they plunder the country on behalf of domestic and foreign oligarchs, polluters and arms manufacturers, Trump convinces red-state America that their problems are really caused by Guatemalan toddlers, Muslims and campus feminists.
1
No. The simplest explanation is that they believe the base still supports him and they would lose reelection if they stood up to the lying, obscene, blasphemous and incompetent dear leader.
Yep... Occam's razor best describe's the GOP's sycophantic behavior.
It is simple-- Democrats are worse, often insultingly so. They want to decriminalize illegal entry into the country; refuse to deport any illegal immigrant who has not committed a violent crime; give them free health insurance (which costs me $900/month; and now make them eligible for all federal benefits. When the acting DHS director recently tried to speak at a university conference, he was unable to do so because of the fascist bullying of leftist protesters, who do not believe that people like me deserve to have a voice. So look in the mirror if you want to know why I could vote for someone who is impulsive, erratic, etc.
4
Trump has proven he's more popular than Jesus. Every vote cast by evangelicalists proves it.
Call it like it is: Republicans = TERRORISTS! I’m much more afraid of Republicans than I am of ISIS. The Republicans have done far damage to far more people than ISIS could ever dream of. They don’t need to come here to create terror. They can just sit back and let Osama bin McConnell and his lapdogs do their work for them.
There are two types of Trump supporters.
One supports him to get what they want, in spite of the fact that he’s a jerk.
The other supports him precisely because he’s a jerk.
Not sure which is scarier.
Remember when politicians were elected to represent their constituents but not bow down and make stupid decisions based on the loudest of their voters. Politicians are supposed to be smarter than their voters but the Republicans have put that theory to rest. Politicians today seem to only see poll numbers and not any kind of moral basis. Republicans today have sold their souls and are chained to a stinking corpse. Time to bury them both.
Maske no mistake, the Republican senators will jump ship - it not a question of if but when - the sinking is imminent!
Which only make them a bunch of unprincipled political leaders and awful humans, true rats!
i live in a very red area. i have gone to countless townhalls, public forums, events, meetings....whatever.Trump is the gop and the gop is trump. He just does what the crazies(if the crazies are in the majority, are they still the crazies} want him to do.
Sometimes, the simplest answer is the correct one. - In the social sciences, we call this Occam's razor and it is correct every time.
Exactly this. Oh, sure, they may not care for the tweeting or the mistresses or the thug wannabe behavior. But for the most part, Trump has given Republicans what they want. Which is why it's so misguided when you see a Joe Biden, an old school Democrat, try to insist that when America gets rid of Trump in the White House, everything will go back to normal. Trump is the symptom. He's not the illness.
631
@Amelia
Yes, Trump was 40 years in the making ultimately making him the poster child for whom a significant number of voters thought would throw a "monkey wrench" into the political Washington establishment and create change in a system that they thought had left them behind and this applies to BOTH Republicans AND democrats. In the last few years, democrats LOST hundreds of seats at the state and federal levels because they offered little or no alternative to Republicans all primarily created by the enormous amount of money being allowed to infest the political system whereby politicians answered to their donors at the expense of everyone else.
For the first time in decades, Republicans gained power in ALL THREE branches of The Executive and we have now been able to see who and what they really are and what they stand for which is basically nothing more than lining their own pockets along with their wealthy benefactors.
As far as actually governing, they are a lost cause and although at the beginning they were concerned about Trump, they soon realized he was the perfect foil to gain what they wanted and it didn't matter whether or not they had to dispense with their principles in the process.
52
@Amelia
You are right about the GOP but wrong on Biden
"Normal" in this country is a GOP that wants a dude like this as a Figurehead but can't have it because most people reject it
Biden isn't equating normal with utopia, which is the mistake you're making about his stance
10
@Deus
A perfect precis of the road to perdition the GOP has built over the last four decades.
10
This piece ties in neatly with Paul Krugman's OpEd of today. Reading them both gives you a bigger-picture view of the republican party.
3
I like what President Trump does too!
I think this opinion is right on point. #TruthHurts
1
A few years ago I visited the United States Holocaust Museum in DC. It triggered emotions that I had never felt before and jolted me to my core. One recurrent voice inside my head kept asking the question, "How did humans allow this to happen?"
Watching the current GOP enablers in action provides a real time answer. Its not just the frog being slowly boiled to death, it took someone to put the frog in the pot and light the burner.
653
@rab
I think what is not spoken of much is that this is "normal" for human beings to do these things. All of history is littered with examples of it.
The real question to me is "Why don't we teach children how to better avoid moral and physical cowardice?
It should be a thing that is as vilified as pedophilia is yet here we are with a political party whose operating principle is based on a reliance on its members being cowards.
58
@magicisnotreal I'm not sure it's cowardice, knowing several Republicans personally. I think it's more fear of change coupled with a longing to go back to the good ol' days. Take religion. In the good ol' days, 90% of Americans identified as being religious. Now it's 70%. In the good ol' days, 90% of stuff of any import was made in the USA. Now stuff's made everywhere. I could go on.
I think a good component is fear - fear of change, and fear of losing societal power.
31
@Andrew
What you fail to admit, or cannot see, is that the majority of Republicans are not the "good Christians" they purport to be. If they truly adhered to the principles they profess your country would not be in the mess it is currently in.
73
The president understands this even if others do not. That's why he can say that even if hate him, you must vote for him to protect your 401k. He lies about almost everything, but where the stock market is concerned, he has a point. Your money or your life, as they used to say.
Trump is merely a vessel. If Charles Manson was still around and eligible to run, that would be fine, if he opposed abortion, immigration, clean energy and and higher taxes on the wealthy.
1
This is also why fanatical centrists continue down that route. When all you really care about is white rich men, when that “elite” control is what you desire, do you think you are going to get it from a diverse Democratic Party that puts forth women and minorities?
Yes. The simplest explanations are often true.
The NYT loves the centrist, ask why, look at the incentives. The centrist is the “nice guy” of politics. Always willing to say the right thing until they have to do something, then they are the same as Trump. The same privileged snowflake indignation.
The Times is the “nice guy” of newspapers.
1
Well said Mr. Bouie. And another thing bears repeating. People that voted for this incompetent train wreck of a so called human cast a vote FOR racism xenophobia sexism misogyny cruelty and hatred. They were thrilled they could finally cast a vote for a white supremacist. It would do us all well to quite casting their vote in terms of economic anxiety. It was racism and us against them and we better get out the democratic vote in 2020!!!
2
Couldn't have said it better myself.
All the polls had Hillary winning in a landslide in 2016. Why should I believe the polls now? And now many more will not say they are going to vote for Trump. Why take a chance being harassed by the left? The left has people scared to speak their minds. This especially on college campus. If your a known Trump supporter your grades may suffer. When Trump became president many campuses closed as the teachers grieved. That is actually scary. I don’t believe the polls at all.
I am told that the Biden’s did no wrong in the Ukraine. What doing no wrong means now is one doesn’t get caught. Hunter Biden gets a job making big money on a Ukraine gas company board. But this is okay I am told because it can’t be proved to be wrong. But everything about it looks wrong! Bill Clinton was making a half million per appearance while Hillary was Sec of State. Because it can’t be proved to be wrong it isn’t. As if taking money from other countries is a politician type tax loophole. Now what is wrong is asking those actions to be investigated. Don’t look at the people stealing the money. Look at the people accusing them.
3
Republicans stand by Trump because the Republican Party no longer exists - it has been taken over and is now the Evangelical White Nationalist and Supremacist Party. Trump is their Racist-in-Chief in the White House and they love him for it. Why no outrage that the Russian Government tried to subvert the 2016 election? Easy, they were helping the Racist-in-Chief to get elected and hence Russia is not an enemy but a friend of white Nationalism, so bring on more. Let's have china and Ukraine investigate domestic political rivals. Nothing wrong with this as long as it furthers white nationalism.
4
America's affair with Donald Trump isn't about partisan politics.
A majority of the Americans who love Trump support him because of his color aka race aka ethnicity aka national origin aka sectarian stand for their continuing mutual white European American Judeo-Christian majority right to reign and rule.
Among the 63 million Americans who voted for Donald Trump in 2016 was 58% of the white voting majority including 62% of white men and 54% of white women.
Donald Trump didn't run a covert stealthy subtle campaign. Trump ran against black African Americans, brown Mexican Americans, Arabs, Muslims, Iran, North Korea, Palestinians and labor unions.
Every American knew who Donald Trump was and was not and voted accordingly.
4
If a voter believes in having less regulatory burden on business, less government spending, balanced budgets, a reasonable long term change in the minimum wage and/or reining in the salaries and benefits of public workers, which female, person of color or LBGTQ candidate can they cast their ballot for? Crickets. But when they vote for a republican, the chattering class tells us it is evidence of racism.
@From Where I Sit; "balanced budgets,"
somebody is obscuring your view...
Also, he blames everything on immigrants and the poor, which are mostly brown people.
They like that. He couldn't care less for the irreparable damage he's caused to those families at the border.
The voters who support him (well-off, white, uneducated) don't see what he's doing as wrong.
The Congressmen who support him don't care.
2
They like what he does because they do the same? They lie? Cheat? Grope? Misspell? Ruin? Throw paper towels at those who have lost their homes? What's not to like?
2
Mr. Boule points out a Republican strategy of selecting easily manipulated men as their candidate. A simple review of Nixon the unstable sycophant, Regan a character actor who believed he had become what he portrayed, Bush 1 a political hack who delivered the demise of true intelligence gathering with the Presidency as his pieces of silver, Bush 2 a coke sniffing, draft dodger who proved that all who get Cs in school do not get As in life, and now.....
All of the above have succeeded in delivering what the party wants no mater the collateral damage. So as Mr. Boule sums up his piece "they just do not care" and in fact Mr. Trump's incompetence provides cover for the true agenda.
1
@dk ReAgan. Regan was a different guy.
Many Republicans don't act because they don't know what else to do with their lives. They have no interest in the world outside of politics so they hang on at all costs
@JoeG No. Actually, they vote that way because somebody told them that Democrats want to blow up the world before they've had a chance to cash in their bonds.
The Traitor
You have deceived all of our friends
And have taken up with all of our enemies.
You have lied upon lie, until your reality
Became that of others.
You have brought vulgarity into our House
As the common language of discourse.
You are without moral compass,
And our Ship of State is now rudderless,
Veering in one direction and then another
In an ocean of trouble.
Will someone, two or three of courage grab hold
Of the violent helm of governance and bring back stability
Before we capsize, founder and disappear
Into the dark abyss of history.
Mr. Bouie's world view is completely shaped by 1968.
As if the past 50 years never happened.
#1...reality.......there is no Republican Party any more.
Get over it.
#2 reality....the DNC is a giant political machine that is successful thru its control of Federal Money Patronage.....straight out of the Tammany Hall playbook.
Now with franchises in every urban center in the USA.
There is NO FUTURE in supporting the DNC Status Quo. None. No Future.
Our president is NOT "republican". The old-time Bush Family Values crowd is running away. Donald Trump is the orange haired, foul mouthed, hypocracy smashing, iconoclast very much the same as Johnny Rotten(who co-incidently gave Trump a left-handed endorsement)..
There is no future in the DNC defense of status quo.
Donald Trump is correct to insult and wreck everything that Mr. Bouie and his crowd hold sacred.
Only after the old guard is taken out will we be able to build .... as Michelle Obama advocates...... a "Better" America.
Trump has revealed what Republicans are. As the holidays approach, my adult children and I have made a decision to avoid family gatherings that will include the Trumpers. We’ve decided that it’s fake to talk about trivial things and pretend to enjoy the company of people who hold Republican values. Life’s too short to waste time with mean-spirited racists. As my son said, “I never liked Uncle XXX anyway.” The upside of Trump is we always knew they weren’t actually nice people, now we have proof.
2
You are missing the basic premise of the Trump Administration: White Supremacy. Taxes and persecuting LGBTQ is just an amusement and distraction to the real agenda - re-whiting America.
People mis-interpret his defense of “very fine people on both sides.” He was not saying Nazi’s are fine people. He was saying ordinary citizens who come out to protest in favor of a white-supremacist armed insurrection against the Constitutional Republic of the United States of America, THOSE are the fine people he was elected to serve.
We are re-fighting the civil war, and you think this Administration is about lower taxes. So do most of his supporters. It most certainly is not.
Average Americans, not coastal elites, tenured professors, journalists with sinecures, but folks who go out to earn to an honest living, work with their hands,whether its laying bricks or making sandwiches in a Publix supermarket identify with Trump and he identifies with them. Most also do not care a whit about what Times newspaper writes, whose commenters mostly r the elites and we are the masses. Article is weak because it is so partisan, condescending, and sources, WAPO and Jeff Flake of all people, r unreliable. Flake, "pour votre gouverne,",is not only an anti Trumper, but also guilty of trying to cover up a felony in which his daughter was involved, discovered to have let 2 dozen pets suffocate to death, no a.c., in a kennel she managed in Arizona. Average American is more offended by BIDEN's "offshore corruption"on behalf of his son than anything Trump has or has not done.The Donald speaks our language,and there is a mutual exchange of sympathy. Recommend author read "South of the Moon"by BLAINE LITTEL,in which author retraces Stanley's steps through central Africa a century later. More meaningful in my view than most of the articles on slavery in the US which appeared recently in the Times. Better written as well. Author will be a better writer when he ceases to patronize us, becomes less of a left wing party liner.Attend a Trump rally and you will see, Mr. Bouie, why so many of us r uncritically supportive of our vox populi.
And this article discounts the deplorable racism that fuels the modern GOP
Lee Atwater? this is the same party
Conservative doesn't mean what you think it means. Today's conservative is simply a white supremacist in a suit, or a pair of overalls (we call 'em overhauls down here). The Republican base is, I hope, the last hurrah of virulent racism in America. Unless they manage to infect large numbers of young people, they will be gone in a few years.
1
Some probably do, yes. Others are appalled but terrified of his base.
The current Republicans are cowards. Republican figures from the past like Dwight Eisenhower, Ronald Reagan, Gerald Ford, Jack Kemp, George Schultz, Jeane Kirkpatrick, and George Bush Sr. are rolling in their graves over Trump’s chaos.
Finally, the truth! Thank you, Mr. Bouie!!
Gee, maybe the Dems should pay Deutsche Bank for the dirt they've got on the Russian money that Trump's been laundering for 20 years, since it's now ok to seek foreign help with US political campaigns.
If you took the sum total of what the GOP has done to the USA and made it the acts of a foreign government, we'd call it "Subversion".
2
When Trumpkins is no longer politically useful, Pence will be put forth by "responsible party members" as "the adult in the room" and Trumpkins will be escorted to the door by his "fair weather buddies." Trumpkins may be a useful idiot, but there are too many of those not to easily find another. Time to clean the puppy poop-y off the shoe: "The thing is Fred. Long live the thing!"
@Johnny Woodfin Fred ? Who's Fred?
Sometimes the simplest answer to complex question is not the right answer or is, at minimum, incomplete -- as is this analysis.
There are people who turn a blind eye to the selfishness, the cruelty, the dishonesty, and the immorality of Trumpism -- but they do so for a variety of reasons.
One is "I've got mine" which translates into "I'll still be able to afford health insurance even if you can't" or "I can afford an abortion for my daughter even though it will be illegal for everyone else."
Then there are those who like the cruelty because it is visited on brown people or people of a different religion.
Then there are the single-issue folks -- "I've got my industry's or my company's subsidy so screw the rest of you."
1
Bouie is right.
Trump, for all his verbal craziness and incontinence and petty vindictiveness, and for all his injection into a lot of society of chaos and anxiety and fear, has given the GOP what it wants.
But, please, let's not forget the unfinished business of the Republican Party that will harm millions of people.
Specifically:
Repealing the Affordable Care Act with no replacement
Legislating cuts and changes to Social Security and Medicare and Medicaid
Not just encouraging, but financially supporting, the eviscerating of gubernatorial rights and powers when a Democrat wins the Governorship in a state where the GOP controls the legislature
Making it more and more difficult for people to vote
The insidiousness of Trump World, which includes most of the House and Senate Republicans, is only at its inception. It will get worse.
Understanding the why, re Trump support, is important.
Figuring out how to derail almost certain horrible circumstances for millions is a much more important conversation.
Most of us are helpless. All we can do is wait for 2020 and vote.
Most of his support comes down to one thing: bad as he is, they believe the progressives would be worse. No need to think beyond that simple fact.
@MWR You may be right, but you neglected to make a connection between progressives and the people he opposes.
"Sometimes, the simplest answer is the correct one. Why are most Republicans silent in the face of the president’s attempt to cheat his way to re-election? Perhaps it’s because they don’t think it’s wrong — or because they don’t care if it is."
Exactly. The entire Republican Party (with a very few exceptions) is corrupt. Vote them all out.
2
I was pleasantly surprised at this NY Times columnists , making several useful distinctions about Republicans. First, that GOP senators have not blindly followed Trump, in fact they have blasted him when he diverges from their interests. But yes, GOP senators listen to their base, who are after all voters, and who like many tariff and foreign policy decisions, but above all the anti-PC and anti-identity politics tone of the Trump administration. For two solid years, the mainstream media screamed about collusion, then in 788 pages Mueller concluded there was little or none. So there is no trust that this Ukraine scandal is that bad. GOP will keep supporting Trump for those reasons.
The Hart–Celler Act in 1965 changed American immigration policy. This immigration act removed discrimination against Southern and Eastern Europeans, Asians, and other non-Northwestern European ethnic groups. The consequence is changing complexion of American population as seen in schools, parks, restaurants, shopping malls, tourist areas. The mixing of diverse groups created fear among the older population from Western Europe. Instead of education, Mr. Trump exploited the fear of “diversity” and sparked the divisiveness after the election of Mr. Obama as President; the illegals across the southern border added to the fire. The real winner is “stable genius” Mr. Putin of Russia. He helped Mr. Trump to win election and “disintegrate” America which disintegrated his Soviet Union. Putin’s success can be seen in the split of SCOTUS, Congress and Senate, free media vs FOX news and daily Talk show radio Hosts inflaming the fear of “diversity”. Let us not fall prey to USSR and stay united through education and contribution to GDP of nation by all diverse groups. I will vote for moderate democrat or any republican who challenges Mr. Trump and who speaks for all in the great nation of ours and favors policies on competitive immigration for the best brains which promote the prosperity of nation.
1
You can bet the Republicans would find plenty of fault with Mr. Trump if he were a Democrat! They’d be sharpening their axes instead of shrugging their shoulders. However, Republicans have to realize that there’s a wave coming that they can’t avoid. Public support for impeachment seems to be climbing daily as each new revelation is revealed. At some point, Republicans will begin to realize that when you cut the head of the snake off, the body dies. Which just means that the removal of Trump from office will cause his base to dissolve, and their jobs will no longer be threatened.
1
Republicans should become aware of the fact that Putin has been playing them from the beginning. Conspiracy minded Republicans are patsies.
In a prior article, ‘Mr. Giuliani Welcome to Eastern Europe’, the author illustrates how Putin sows disinformation to initiate chaos.
The Russian investigation into Trump stretches from Ukraine to Italy where a Mr. Mifsud, is apparently known to be a Russian agent.
The Hillary email server situation and the fact that ‘her emails will vindicate Trumps and the Republicans’ is all disinformation that Putin has used to split this nation politically. Putin has used this rumor, which I believe is false, to humiliate and embarrass Republicans. And he has done this very well.
Now we have the President of the US chasing his tail around the world in a hopeless and futile attempt to give this rumor substance. Trump, Republicans, you’ve been played.
Onto Trumps financials, tax returns, which should provide a financial foundation to all of this mess.
2
As a conservative, I voted for W. in 2000. I preferred a perceived dunce whose policies suited me to a smart man whose policies did not. I SAW W. as a decent person and no threat to the Republic. I may have been wrong in that perception, but I'm ok with the logic of my choice.
Trump is different. He's not just a dunce. He's an EVIL dunce, whose policies amount to nothing more than dancing with the girl that brung him. That's why he will (one hopes) cave on the Syria thing. Trump is bad government personified. I am ok with a few of the GOP policies that he has advanced, but I am a never-Trumper to the core. I have voted straight Democrat since 2016 because character matters, and the GOP has been hijacked by racists, plutocrats, who have cowed the cowards and flummoxed the fools.
Any GOP Senator who does not come out in favor of impeachment, who does not vote to block every Trump appointee, or who cooperates with any Trump initiative that does not have bipartisan substantive support is complicit in the destruction of the country. The man must be hounded out of office by the party he seduced and abused. Jeff Flake has spoken out. Now, it's time for the rest of the party's, er, leaders to say "Me, too."
2
Apart from what Mr. Bouie suggests, I think that each of the Republicans will do anything to not be tweeted about by Trump. To stay off his radar, they'll be silent.
...Their voters are being lied to with rhetoric of God, Gun, and Flag--...
Maybe their voters should go beyond Fox, internet conspiracy sites and crazy uncles for their information. That they don't says they really don't mind being lied to -- what they hear reinforces what they believe.
1
So true why kill the goose that lays the golden egg!
The devotion of some Trump supporters is baffling, even when you consider that he has given them what they think they want.
I admire those American presidents who were as honest as possible with the people who elected him. I respect those who fought for the rights of the disenfranchised, the poor, the marginalized, and those who make hard choices after critical thought and consultation with experts. I want our president to be an intelligent person of strongly held beliefs about the goodness of people of all colors and creeds, because we are a country of immigrants - our strength is in our diversity.
Conversely, I despise being lied to, and having a man in the White House who caters to the wealthy, and who IS, himself, in the 1%. I'm ashamed that our "president" praises racists and, though a child of immigrants himself (and married two immigrant wives) treats non-white immigrants with disgust. I have no respect for a president who makes rash decisions based upon his self-declared "great and unmatched wisdom". And I'm disgusted with the party that continues to support him.
Trump is to be feared, not admired. He represents our worst instincts, our most selfish and non-Christian inclinations.
1
If ex-Senator Flake is correct, though -- that at least 35 Senators would vote to remove Trump if the vote was secret -- that weakens or destroys Bouie's hypothesis that all Republican Senators are happy with Trump's modus operandi.
Granted, their failure to speak up and out makes them political cowards, but at least they recognize unfitness for office when they see it. Behind their masks of deceit are a pair of sad eyes that recognize truth. They find themselves, unfortunately, between the devil and the deep blue sea.
So now what? Ideally, they would like to keep their integrity and for their agenda to be accomplished, but agenda and re-election trumps integrity. A couple of drinks, however, can salve that pain as they laugh or cry all the way to the bank. It must make for some sleepless nights, though, for those few with functioning consciences.
"Oh, well, no one ever promised us a rose garden. In for a penny, in for pound, right? Here I stand, God help me, I can do no other ... Hold! Is that Satan's Lieutenant in a red tie approaching in a golf cart from yon hilltop? Stay, stay, I beseech thee. Stop, fiend! Lord, why hast Thou forsaken me?"
"Oh, what a tangled web we weave when we first practice to deceive." (from Sir Walter Scott's "Marmion.")
1
no doubt that they like what he's doing, considering that the vast majority of his base is made up of the various hate groups, racists, bigots, xenophobes, homophobes and economic predators to which he is pandering to get their support. pity that they don't understand that they are simply being used for trumps' own purposes, which is himself, and they will get nothing in the end. they are, at this point, all that stands between him and the legal consequences of his reckless criminal activity and he cannot afford to lose them.
1
I honestly question the moral integrity of anyone left who identifies as a Republican.
3
It is the same reason so many uneducated white voters support Trump: they look at him and think, “I wish I could get away with that.”
1
Was this article written in October 2018 or October 2019? October 2017? Doesn't matter. There isn't any meaningful analysis of the imminent impeachment of Trump and the blatant obstruction occurring which will add to the articles of impeachment unfolding before our eyes.
Will the Republican Senators acquit Trump because they "like what he does"?? Acquit on clear, objective, black and white obstruction? Well I don't know!! I'm just a commentor - the author should have addressed that!
The Rs like this president because he's giving them what they want: judges, tax cuts, war on immigration, corruption, circus for the plebs in scandals. What's not to like?
Trump has revealed right-wing Republicans in the US for who they really are - a 'basket of deplorables', who accept Russian interference in elections to benefit their Fascist crusade against the poor, against refugees and immigrants, against women, and against progressives. Until everyone else (not just Democrats) realizes they must step up the offense and drive up election turn-out to fight these Republicans, the deplorables will continue occupy the White House, manipulate the SC, and control the Senate. America, as we previously knew it, no longer exists, and will not return. We must move on with the fight.
1
Republican lawmakers are sticking with Trump for only one reason - their own re-election. As the public antipathy towards Trump increases, and the 58% calling for an impeachment inquiry grows even greater, then and only then will some of the spineless Republicans break ranks - in order to save their own skins!
1
It’s called Occam’s Razor - the simplest explanation is often the best.
3
They also like what he does NOT do. Let somebody else pay the taxes, but leave the wealthy alone.
4
Republicans who have lurched so far to the Right as to have rendered themselves sympathetic to dictators. Republicans would vote for Lucifer himself, rather than a Democrat who wants to give the American people affordable healthcare, a living wage and good educations.
8
@Sydney: Education dissolves respect for people who cling to faith-based beliefs.
2
At the risk of repeating myself, this situation is the only possible result of the reagan presidency. What Mr Bouie is rightly pointing out as a character flaw akin to cowardice is the same flaw the press in the reagan administration spoke of with envy and a kind of admiration.
The republican leadership have used fear of friendly fire to control their membership ever since. As you might expect the quality of the folks willing to run for office under the GOP banner has dropped precipitously since 1980. And as you might expect the finesse with which this tool is used has gone down with the drop in that quality. Enter the Trump and this cadre of low quality people has begun to show their true nature.
A very good easily seen example of this degradation in the quality of republican pols would be the career of Rudy Giuliani. Back in the early 90's he played the game well and made sure to hide the harsh interpersonal authoritarianism and manipulation that had after the 12 reagan Bush years, become organically innate to the GOP. Look at him today.
3
re: his Agriculture Department just proposed new cuts to food stamps;
__________________
Needs to be restated that food stamps must be spent on American food...therefore the money goes to American farmers. Yet Trump's trade war has destroyed their markets, and he has compensated them with welfare. And he has damaged their domestic market by making it more difficult for poor people to pay for food. Only a Republican would give welfare to farmers while refusing to help poor people by American farm products.
4
@strangerq
That is not correct. A good friend of mine is on SNAP (as it's now known). He can buy anything he wants that can be consumed by humans (not alcohol, of course), regardless of country of origin. Don't know where you got your information.
Republicans only interested in power...like Trump.
Unobstructed, absolute power. Not interested in Democracy.
2
Sorry, nice essay, but you missed it entirely. The real reason Republican stand by Trump because he makes them money. All the normal Republicans have been leaving in droves, letting the all-out Trump grifters take over. Don't believe me? Just look at the numbers. By his campaign's own reckoning, Trump raised $125 Million in three days after the impeachment inquiry was announced. Politico confirmed this number independently.
I get upwards of ten fund-raising emails a day from Trump. I've seen ads on nearly every page and I get texts, too. I also get nearly daily emails from House Minority leader, McCarthy, and my own Congressman, who is a devoted Trump acolyte and uses his official House email to disseminate Trump's lies. The RNC has also been crowing about how much money they are making off of this. And let's be clear, I've never given a single one of them even one penny. Can you imagine what their actual donors are experiencing? No, we are awash in a disinformation and propaganda for money war the likes of which the world has never seen. And Trump is winning it pushing literally millions upon millions of lies out to the public every single day. Ideology has nothing to do with it. It's all about the money.
3
The general attitude of a trump supporter seems to be that he can be as corrupt and as bad a human being as he wants as long as they get their tax cuts, their conservative judges, elimination of welfare programs, and sales of public assets.
3
This sounds so naive I’m embarrassed for myself, but hasn’t the Republican platform long championed “character” and “traditional values” and all that squishy stuff as the antidote to liberal amorality (or immorality)? And Republican presidents pretty much fit the bill, if only superficially at times, but at least they projected some interest in an American value system. I don’t have to say how Trump has obliterated those quaint notions with no party repercussions whatsoever. So it was all a fraudulent cover to attract values voters while the Republican elites enriched themselves at those very voters’ expense. Now it’s in the open: the party has no values beyond obtaining and holding power. And the party faithful are fine with that. I know we’re adults and politics is dirty, but this is nonetheless, remarkable.
4
@MWR
If you've been naive, then so have I. Not so much about the Rep's leadership, which has long been a transparent facade, but about their "base." I thought there was more of the values that you mentioned in the rural voter. Now the scales have fallen from my eyes, and I see them for the haters that they are. This does not come easily to an old peace-loving hippie, but I can no longer ignore the evidence.
3
I have a number of conservative friends and not a single one has wavered in their support of this administration. They ARE getting what they want, which includes giving a middle finger to our traditional allies, whom, my friends are convinced, have been bleeding the US dry since WW2. They like the authoritarian stance, and if he doesn't play by the rules, all the more reason to support him.
Of course, they are, to a person, getting their info from FOX, Breitbard, etc., so the silo has impermeable sides. They have been "trained" by these outlets over the years to refute any fact or opinion they don't like in any number of ways (mostly whatboutisms). I don't see this changing post-Trump (whenever that is - according to them, it will be sometime after President Ivanka) because this cultural/political worldview has been developing since at least the Reagan years.
Rebuilding must include the Republic itself, assuming there is much left after this era come to a close.
6
It would have been refreshing had Democrats complained as loudly as republicans do when they think their president is making a mistake. Obama did a lot of stupid things in foreign policy. Never did we see democrats stand up and shout the way republicans do with Trump. We have seen this movie with Trump before: he announces he is going to do something, gets slapped back by his republican supporters, and winds up doing what they want. I’d say that’s a rather functional party.
1
Correct. Trump is doing my republican friends' work for them. My friends would never utter a racist or anti-immigrant comment in public, but in private they will. In private, they hate immigrants and don't want any form of welfare support for poor people or minorities. My friends' hands are clean, Trump's are dirty.
3
Most of the Trump's base is ignorant and imprevious of the consequences for the country and the world of supporting him. The rest is there for their immediate gain, self focused and self serving like Trump, ensuing damage not withstanding.
2
Mr. Bouie is correct: Donald Trump is a symptom of the disease that has infected the Republican Party, not its cause or "poisoning". All he's done is rip off the fig leaf of phony "Family Values", "Fiscal Responsibility", and any pretense that they respect our treasured freedoms and rule of law. It's almost 20 years since Jeb Bush robbed Floridians of their RIGHT to vote to help his brother "win" an election when more Americans preferred Al Gore. That was over 10 years before Trump even got involved in the "birther" garbage.
It was in 1981 that the GOP, behind "St. Ron", declared total war on American unions, when he fired ALL the PATCO professionals, putting at risk ALL Americans who fly. Who established tax advantages for companies moving manufacturing off-shore--all long before Trump was declaring bankruptcy as an incompetent casino owner.
Under the 2nd Bush, it became clear that much of the GOP was happy to engage in every kind of voter suppression, to head toward an autocratic government of the people, by and for the plutocrats.
So as much as they detest Trump's boorishness, his incompetence, and his stupidity, they don't care that he got nothing done except:
Tax cuts for the rich
VAST rollbacks of vital pollution controls
150+ radical reactionary "activist" judges appointed to the Federal courts
Continued expanding voter suppression
Shaking Americans' belief in the integrity of the News so that they don't accept "inconvenient facts" that have a "liberal bias".
4
@Dadof2: Reagan really was the kiss of death to this last holdout of a measuring system used nowhere else, courts that practice extortion on behalf of lawyers, and a health care system of wastefulness second to none.
1
As previously stated, this is a version of Occam’s Razor. I prefer Hanlon’s Razor which states never attribute to malice that which can be easily explained by stupidity. Unfortunately, the GOP suffers in equal measure from both.
3
I've said since this insanity started that Donald Trump is the ultimate Republican. Trump embodies everything the Republican party stands for: its greed, its racism, its sadism, its bigotry, its ignorance and embrace of lies, its arrogance, its selfishness, its hatred of expertise and intellect, its sneering for cooperation and alliance, its utter disdain for equality and civil rights, its hatred for equality under the law. The only difference is, this time the Republicans don't have a charismatic, gee-shucks leader like Reagan or Bush to give their odiousness a palatable veneer. Instead, they have Donald Trump, who is the core of the Republican party unmasked and raw to the world.
4
I think Bouie hit the nail on the head here. Republicans only care about patriotism, family values and integrity when it puts money in their pockets and keeps them in power. I think this is the beginning of the end for the Republican Party.
3
You nailed it. Overall, he has delivered. And what a shameful mess it is.
1
Bravo Jamelle for articulating this truth. Let us keep on the front burner that trump, no matter what he says, is only interested in his personal bottom line, both financially and to protect his lies. So he can continue to skim and scam the government and us. He's done this all his life.
1
Republicans in Congress love Trump when he sticks to their script. They love that he will rubber-stamp their legislative agenda, if they get the chance, and continue to place reactionary judges in the federal courts.
They are also hypocrites. If Hillary Clinton or any Democrat was in the White House acting anywhere close to this, Republicans would be having seizures and impeachment proceedings would have begun about 2 years ago.
1
For once, someone is calling a spade, a spade! Donald Trump is the Republican lawmakers’ Faustian bargain. And his voter base is the basket of deplorables that Hillary Clinton had correctly identified- they have a president who vindicates their vicious, vindictive, petty and corrupt existence.
2
I appreciate this because I was so sick of everyone saying it was fear that kept Republicans from speaking out against egregious misconduct by this President. The fear argument allows Republicans to have their cake and eat it too.
2
Sometimes I just turn off the cable news shows because the politics of the right wing and Trump are so hostile to the weak and powerless that I start feeling this rage in my body. The rage of being nearly completely powerless against this man and his party's destruction of the environment, the rule of law, and the America that the Statue of Liberty represented. I read articles like this one because I can stop reading at any time, but I can't tell the TV producers what to show. Trump is a symptom, albeit a big one. The real problem is McConnell and the rest of his Republican Senators. President Trump, I believe, is mentally ill. His henchmen are not. They are just proof of the banality of evil. It doesn't look like the Devil. It looks like an elderly, bespectacled Caucasian man who bends and twists the laws and rules to benefit his party, to the detriment of the greatest democracy the world has ever known.
2
@Charles E Well said, brother.
1
I think you are being a little generous here. In point of fact, Trump has not really delivered on all the heterodox dreams of mainstream Republicans. Yes they passed an absurdly skewed tax cut, but they are driving up the deficit at record rates. What happened to supposed fiscal conservatism? Trump’s multi-billion dollar hand out to farmers—to offset a self inflicted, tariff driven crisis—is an example of the socialist big government Republicans usually decry. I think it is less that they are complacent and more that they are plain old stupid.
The remaining people who support the Republican party are no longer actual Republicans, they are followers of the Cult of Trump. They follow him because they are intellectually weak, scared of reality and craven, he appeals to people like that because he makes the noises they make in their heads but were previously too scared to say outloud.
Sometimes people aren't merely good people who have made a mistake; sometimes people are rotten to the core.
4
Trump is a foolish man and doesn't know right from wrong. However, the Republican Party should know better. For me the party is responsible for all of Trump's wrong doing. They let him run even though they knew better. Now they blindly support him while he dismantles our government and our allies.
.
Will their devotion continue while Trump throws American support behind V. Putin via Ukraine and Syria?
Nailed it.
He is doing what they have always wanted and ultimately, they will disassociate themselves from him once he is too radioactive.
Trump is the patsy they have always wanted. A bombastic outsider that will be tossed aside when convenient.
Jamelle Bouie is correct on some points he gives the President and Republicans as to the mystery of why the super-majority of elected GOPERS support Donald Trump's moves, removes, and forget that one - no matter how outrageous. but he saves himself when he asks "Perhaps it’s because they don’t think it’s wrong — or because they don’t care if it is." Both are right on the "money", yet Jamelle leaves out something more important in that mix - that Republicans elected especially in the past three decades are just plain stupid. This was Newt Gingrich's aim before he was disgraced in most all ways, and is now only allowed to raise his noggin on Fox News because he raises a little money for the Party he single-handedly sent off a cliff.
It's sad and sick that these so called men (and perhaps a few women) are so frightened of this loud mouthed liar. Every young person I have talked to would call trump out in a hot second and hopefully they will all vote him and the GOP out forever. It's their future and it appears they know it.
The fact the GOP is so afraid of losing their jobs, being called names, etc. is truly appalling and at some point their jobs will be gone anyway. They are paid WAY too much, work WAY too little and their benefits go so far above any regular citizen I am disgusted to see any of their faces in the news.
1
@Rocky
I agree that the younger generations are more inclusive and Democratically-minded. However, they do not vote. They just don't. Do not and never have. This saddens me beyond belief. I have talked to them. They think their vote doesn't count (easy to understand, unfortunately). It's tragic because it is THEIR future that is at risk -- primarily, the future of life on the planet :-(
Absolutely. Trump didn't create the Republican party, that group of lower taxes for the wealthy, racists, anti-unionists, misogynists, etc. realized in 2016 that Donald J. Trump was their man and they are relishing in his leadership.
1
You are absolutely correct, but it goes beyond policy. While we Democrats wring our hands with every new provocation, the fans of The Apprentice sit back in their chairs and laugh. The tough guy attitude, the Mafia lingo, the literal glee in making his carefully-chosen enemies uncomfortable - they voted for all of that, and he is not letting them down.
Those people don't mind seeing Trump blackmailing the Ukraine with US aid in the interest of promoting the fabricated slur he is trying to peddle. Sounds just like what they voted for.
1
It really shows how ridiculous people are when it comes to politics. Republicans or Democrats or whatever we're all rats and rats go to the cheese. Trump, from a conservative perspective, is killing it. Lower taxes, less government, less diversity, and a cool slogan and a sweet pout. And he's not fussy about words. We may not get to see this but I would love Trump to win the election and than flip back to his pre 2016 Trump and push for universal healthcare, pro abortion (not pro choice), gay marriage, and boast and brag about cheating on his wives. And oppose the NRA which he did for two days. Would Gloria Steinem defend his enlightened views on sex? If you want to hear second rate thinking, ask someone about their political views.
1
Trump is the truest and ultimate expression of the most profoundly narcissistic generation the United States has ever seen since its founding. At least the Lost Generation had the excuse of World War I and the basic decency to choose humanity over oligarchy and embrace the progressive values of the New Deal.
I’ve been watching Trump’s generation since I was a wide-eyed, hopeful child as the last of them moved into adulthood sprinkling beguiling psychedelic pixie dust on my world and I’ll be a wistful, increasingly angry elder when the last of them finally leave a raped and barren landscape. Greta and her generation can’t come soon enough and I will trample those freshly dug graves as I rush to welcome them with open arms and tales of the natural beauty that once was.
Well, perhaps they do, but what about the rest of us? If I thought George W. was an embarrassment on the world stage, DJT's performance is a new low. The only patriotism he possesses is for his own brand. Let's call it what it is: he's a charlatan through and through.
1
Donald Trump is out to undo LBJ's Great Society--the civil rights act, the voting rights act, the fair housing act, the immigration act of 1965 which prohibits discrimination in legal immigration on the basis of race, religion or country of origin (thus permitting legal immigration from s-hole countries), Medicare, Medicaid (he is after them, too), Headstart, Foodstamps, etc. The majority of Republicans in Congress and in the country support him in these efforts. They will challenge him on foreign policy because they have never agreed with him on foreign policy. I do not believe it a coincidence that LBJ was president while Trump was in college and LBJ drafted Trump five times to fight in Vietnam.
1
Spot on, Jamelle.
Trump is where he is today because Republican congressman WANT him there. He's a complete "oik" whom they tolerate because they can channel him to generally perform the way they want him to.
Trump supporters believe Trump has been unfairly attacked since he was elected, mainly because we Democrats are poor losers who think we know everything and just cannot accept that we were wrong in 2016.
They can't hear anything after that.
1
I like the last statement ‘ they don’t care ‘ but they will never admit wrong because it is self serving . Sick greed . Saving the poor Curds is probably about our rich arms industry and lining the pockets of our crooked GOP. What a sad state of affairs our wonderful country is in at this time.
Jamelle you know why I like President Trump because the Dems hate him good enough reason for me. Because you know as well as I do the Democrats are broke have no viable electable presidential candidates and are currently looking into the abyss.
2
Here is an even simpler explanation for Congressional Republican venality: they fear, if they lose the Presidency either through impeachment or in the 2020 general election, they may never see another Republican in the Oval Office. That, I suggest, is the primal fear in the reptilian minds of all conservatives, from the middle of the political spectrum to the extreme right fanatics who form the base that wields the primary club for Trump.
Traitors. They need to do their job. Didn't they do a oath?
Once again no mention of the toxic version of religion that the far right wing adheres to. One that promotes bigotry and venality. The GOP has co-opted Christianity and the religious zealots who pose as Christians have the fanaticism necessary to follow a dark leader into dark corners as they justify all their sick behavior as ordained by god. These people truly believe that they have ‘greater and unmatched wisdom’ and all who resist them are inferior.
Ouch! Jamelle Bouie, your truth just punctured my rationale for why the Republicans haven’t been and aren’t opposing Trump. All the while, I attributed this cowardice to fear - hoping they actually might saw harm in his treatment and words of “the other”, of his reassigning monies Congress had designated for other purposes, seeing the wrong in his continuous lying, of his putting stock in what the Russians say and not in our own US intelligence. This is even scarier than their cowardice.
The Republican base is the very one they’ve cultivated for decades via a steady stream of scraps of red meat quietly hand fed under the table.
Trump has tossed a big bloody haunch (America) on the board and allowed the dogs to feed at table. And they are dining as dogs will — savagely.
"Sometimes, the simplest explanation is the correct one."
Absolutely, fundamentally, totally right. This country went wrong on DJT because it incessantly twisted the self-evident problems into arcane explanations for why he would be great.
Elect a man already convicted of five crimes and you get ...a criminal.
Elect a man caught lying 10,000 times and you get...a liar.
Elect a man who refuses to turn over his tax returns and you get... someone attempting to conceal something in his tax returns.
Elect a man who bragged about his predilection for sexual violence and you get ...a man with a predilection for sexual violence and contempt for women.
Elect a man who promised to wage war on refugees and immigrants and you get... alligators, snakes and snipers.
Elect someone who promises to "nuke anyone I feel like" and you get...the world's most dangerous man in office.
We are now in total free-fall because a group of people in this country-- a minority, as it happens-- listened to a man who threatened to do vile, incomprehensible, illogical, illegal and dangerously moronic things... and then did them.
People need to stop acting surprised.
THIS is exactly what was on the table on election day. We have a right to be well and truly furious with those who've backed us over this cliff. Because every crisis we're experiencing was promised during the campaign.
There is no magic wand that turns deplorable into capable. And it's going to take more than magic to save us.
The president may be a useful fool to any and all willing to exploit his patently manifest incompetence but the real tragedy is his own party’s abject complicity. America deserves better.
Once again this is when Pres. Trump's does the bidding for Pres. Putin. He would love chaos in the Middle East, eventually cutting off oil to the free world. Trump is always obsequious around the so-called democratic dictators. Trump has dreams about being able to stop minorities from voting. He also enjoys the separation at the border of families. Trump loves being a bully a pseudo-dictator in the United States of America. All of this Republican allies are of course to racists and fearful of the black man in America, and some day rightly so.
Mr. Bouie is correct, as far as he goes. But I would argue that most of these politicians also do not “overlook” his crassness because they like the underlying policies such as no immigration, as Mr. Bouie suggests. They, in fact, love the “in your face” racism, sexism and religious bigotry that he traffics in on a regular basis. When Trump trots out his hatred of the “other”, supporters salivate like Pavlov's Dog. The silence of Republican elected officials in the face of Trump’s hatred signals to these voters that they are all on the same page. And, thus, the politicians get to identify themselves as opposed to the “other” to their voters without actually having to say the abhorrent things that flow out of Trump like water from a fire hose. In other words, they get to be racist, sexist, and bigoted simply by association with Fearless Leader. And that is how you win an election in Red America.
I agree with Mr. Bouie: Republican senators and representatives all shave with Occam's Razor.
The impeachment inquiry is down to one question: What's the dough boy afraid of? Excuse me Ben & Jerry's but the line is too good to pass up. If the base starts asking that question, the rest will fall into place.
Another truism is "You get what you pay for"
A slick-talking guy who was running a Reality TV show and bank-rolling real estate ventures between bankruptcies and payoffs to porn stars is now running the government started in 1776 by actual geniuses LEAVING a monarchy and its State Church behind.
Thanks to the people who now see no difference between the way a dictatorship and a democracy "gets stuff done", they tell us they are fatigued by the actual requirements of its citizens by a democracy- they prefer the TV guy because he treats them as children.
1
As the Bible says: "Evil men walk on every side, when the vilest of men is exalted." Watching trump dispatch his venomous henchmen to other countries for forced favors....it's disgusting but typical for him. I so wish he was only a failing real estate developer again, making his nasty plans as a private citizen instead of using the reputation of OUR NATION to realize his mob-boss fantasies.
Do Republicans really like a blundering buffoon who has done a 180 in U.S. foreign policy, promotes Russian interests over those of our European allies, requests foreign interference in U.S. elections, abandons the Kurds to Turkish genocide and starts needless trade wars that bankrupt American farmers and now threaten a global economic downturn? Are tax cuts and conservative judges worth it? Or is it because a few GOPers are simply scared of being tweeted out of their senatorial sinecures?
1
I am not a supporter of Trump, but I think viewing him as Satan-incarnate is also a mistake. Yes, Republican support him because policy-wise, he’s delivering for the party. Is that so egregious? He is doing what he was sent to do by his supporters. Democrats are not always so lucky.
I think it’s a risky game liberals play painting Republicans as brutish, classless bigots. It makes them look like petulant children, and I for one am not interested in voting for that.
@Michael Cain
At some point adults hold people accountable. Trump was not elected president of the GOP although every single move and lie is to benefit them. You are applying a moral ruler "is that so egregious?" while trying to erase accountability. It doesn't work that way. Yes, acting like a brutish, classless despot for the good of the minority of a minority in a democracy is as you say: egregious.
1
@Kay Johnson if the Dems really want to stand by their "baskets of deplorables" redux trope, then they have only themselves to blame when Trump gets another four.
Soulless, spineless, feckless and reckless — Trump and his Republican enablers are made for each other.
1
They like what he does. Denies affordable health care , refuses to to stop coal and fossil fuel use which is destroying our air and water. Encourages division and polarization of our people and the world. To support this sick agenda i am disgusted to see the Catholics and Evangelicals supporting this and this is not what it means to be a Christian.
I agree with Mr. Bowie’s assessment. At this point, anyone who supports Trump has to be able to ignore his racism and xenophobia, his stated eagerness to permit foreign powers to interfere in our elections, and his dangerous ignorance coupled with megalomania that endangers our national security. Has this impacted my friendships with a few Republicans who are becoming ever more extreme in their views? When I hear people I used to respect parroting essentially neo-Nazi talking points on minorities and immigrants in order to justify Trump, you bet it shuts the door to friendship. People who support Trump like what he is doing and like what he says, period.
Well said and right on!
A quote attributed to Maya Angelou, "When someone shows you who they really are, believe them."
Another good column, Jamelle. When I see one by you I always read it and learn something.
Let's note the full extent of GOP policy preferences. If they are mostly in agreement with Trump, then they have no issues with the following (partial) list:
Children
—Separating asylum seeking families and putting children in cages (a practice that is continuing)
—Tear gassed children on the Mexican border
—Rolling back improvements in the nutritional quality of school lunches
—Reversed protections for transgender students
—Lack of any action to prevent future school shootings
—Refused to ban a pesticide that causes brain damage in children
—Dialed back protections for people who live near chemical plants, where 1 in 3 children live
—Closed the EPA office that focuses on children’s health
—Tried to cut off funding for a teen pregnancy prevention program
Environment
—Rolled back offshore drilling safety rules
—Rolled back EPA regs on water contamination near oil and gas pipelines
—Rolled back coal rules encouraging carbon capture
—Disbanded EPA science panel on air pollution
—Rolled back EPA rules on methane, releasing more carbon
—Dropped climate change from list of national security threats
Workers
—Restored the right of serial labor-law violators to compete for government contracts
—Cut taxes for owners of capital pay lower rates on “passive” income than workers do who earn wages
—Repealed rules for financial advisers to prioritize clients’ financial interests over their own
—Engineered a spike in health insurance rates
The lists go on and on. Reply with your own.
They do not care if democracy dies and we have a nutso authoritarian in the White House as long as they get their deeply unpopular policies.
Controlling women’s bodies and cutting taxes is all that matters.
Well said. Occam's razor applied. Ethanol is bad for the consumer and does nothing for the environment. But boy howdy, Cargill is happy. Boil it down one is left with people who care not for the little ones. They only care for the feeding of their bundlers and funders.
It is a culture war.
I keep telling my Aussie friends, some Americans are into :
- jingoistic Americana
- white power on some level
- gun rights
- regressive taxation
- Jesus
- Israel; and
- the lie that social/universal programs don't work.
For them, Trump is the man.
1
Watching the GOP and their supporters is like watching another version of "Invasion Of The Body Snatchers." Frightening at best.
Anyone being honest -- on either side of the divide, would confess that Trump and his Presidency have always had a freshness date and that, past that date, his presence and Administration would begin to smell and decompose before our very eyes.
For some, Trump was rotten before he took The Oath. For others, he was the sweet smell of a changing season.
But here we are and Trump along with his words, deeds, and ideas, as well as his approaches to change, politics, patriotism, and policy have the stank of putrid all over them (and for an ever-expanding swath of the body politic).
To the Democrats I say; "Press on, the journey's end is in sight."
For Republicans, I say; "Bring out your dead, now, please. The stink is just too much to bare."
John McCain is spinning in his grave - as are the founding fathers of our country.
"Perhaps it’s because they don’t think it’s wrong — or because they don’t care if it is."
Bingo!
Mr. Bouie,
You are right and I like the most, 'Perhaps it’s because they don’t think it’s wrong — or because they don’t care if it is'. Fear, shaming and don't care attitude for the country is a dangerous trend. Mr. Flake is a fake and coward. if he feels that strong why did he quit? Mr. McCaine did not quit and did not fear Trump. He won the election inspite of Trump's opposition. that is called guts and leadership. GOPs do not have those leadership even Paul Ryan. why did he quit - a coward! Such coward leaders are the most unpatriotic.
By golly, I think you nailed it! They're just fine with his misogyny and racism, also. They have no problem with the Russian connections, either, since they've been getting rubles funneled through the NRA. Some of them even spent the Fourth of July in Russia. It makes perfect sense.
We can only hope that the voters hold them accountable for their Trump imitation.
1
Republicans FEAR Trump, the answer is so clear.
Trump 2018: “I destroy the careers of Republicans who oppose me”
August 14th 2019: ABC News finds 36 cases invoking 'Trump' in connection with violence, threats, and alleged assaults.
March 15th 2017:
Journalist David Cay Johnston “Trump fans call & harass my wife & 1 of my children after I break story White House confirmed."
Oct 7th 2019 :
Republican Mitt Romney harassed on Social Media by Trump for calling out Trump’s abuses.
October 8th:
Republican Senator Ron Johnson get congratulatory mention from Trump on Social Media, because of his defense of Trump on Meet the Press television show.
Mitt Romney is a rare Republican that has no fear of Trump; the other Republicans shake in their shoes when Trump calls.
Trump 2016 " I could stand in the middle of 5th ave and shoot somebody...I really mean it".
Republicans FEAR Trump.
I believe it's more simply that Trump's voters like what he does and would rather back primary challengers that hew to the MAGA orthodoxy over more "establishment" politicians, and most GOP members know this all too well. Yes, Trump has pushed through a major tax cut, but that benefits his oligarch friends more than these GOP politicians, who will have a lot to answer for from their constituents if and when the economy takes a downturn. There are lots of conservative judges on the courts now, but any savvy GOP politician could have pushed through judges that fit the right "mold" without much controversy, even over filibusters. Same for spending cuts, especially for the early part of Trump's term when the GOP had full control of the government. I think many of them quietly wonder if they could have achieved more, like a fuller rollback of Obamacare, with a more experienced or savvy politician at the helm (and it's likely the answer to that is yes).
From my vantage point, many of these politicians really do live in a cave of fear of being labeled part of the swamp and getting an immediate primary challenge they would likely lose, so it's the easier path to follow the orthodoxy and get the wins they can, while they can.
1
It's telling to see supporters of the GOP comment on cherry-picked items they see as justifying the current state of American democracy. To be clear:
We are in a nation where the sitting president is trying to use his power as president to pressure foreign powers to investigate his political rivals in the next election for the presidency.
This is it. The GOP: fine. Trump voters: fine.
Democracy as it is written in our constitution (and defended by generations of patriotic men and women): dead. Shame on those who try to vacillate and twist reality to make this nonsense appear palatable.
We are in a make or break moment for our future as a stable, first world power. I'm not sure we survive this and go on to remain successful; and I am terribly concerned for the nation my kids will inherit because of it.
The essence of contemporary conservatism can be stated in its entirety as simply "What's in it for me!"
It can be parsed, spun, rationalized, etc, etc, to death, but it always boils down to "What's in it for me!".
And who is a better exemplar of "What's in it for me!" than the current occupant of the Oval Office? Name one.
Mr Bouie is absolutely correct.
4
However a poor role model he is, he fights. And the Democratic party has lurched so far left it is untenable as an alternative.
2
@Snowball
No, Dems have not lurched. That assertion is an erroneous, rightwing talking point. It's Republicans who have lurched so far to the Right as to have rendered themselves sympathetic to dictators. Republicans would rather vote for Lucifer himself, rather than a Democrat who wants to give the American people affordable healthcare and good, free educations.
1
Wrong analysis. People tolerate Trump because what the opposition is offering is even less acceptable. As Americans, we have no good choices.
4
Always a mystery to me that Democrats don't ram home the superiority of their economic performance: Clinton vs Bush/Reagan; Obama vs Bush - and keep on doing so.
The data is overwhelming. Obama rescued the nation from the toilet that Republicans flushed the economy into with their ghoulish war on Iraq and Trump rode his coattails after lying about the unemployment rate under Obama. Trump has created less jobs in his first three years than Obama in his last three. There is no upward tick whatsoever under Trump in the slope of economic improvement that Obama delivered the country, dating from the nightmarish days of 2008.
It is a no-contest but as long as Republicans continue to lie and obfuscate these facts, Democrats seem content to let them get away with it.
2
I give Republicans some credit and agree with the conclusion that "they don't care."
Take a Trump supporter living in Los Angeles. The only direct impact Trump's policies have is on taxes, since all other federal policies are insulated or blunted by state policies. Thus to this supporter, Trump=lower tax while all else remain the same. So Trump is a good thing.
Or take a Trump supporter living in a deep red place. There probably aren't many non-white, non-Christian neighbors who are hit by the anti-immigrant policies. Effects of climate change or trade policies haven't quite materialized. So nothing bad is happening. So Trump is not a bad thing.
Of course, this delay or insulation will not last forever. But, hey, things aren't bad right now for Trump supporters so why fix what ain't broke.
2
Not only do they like his very conservative policies but they also admire his boldness for breaking rules and lack of interest in political morality. We’ve seen other examples of their lack of political morality on a smaller scale, eg the Merrick Fgarland obstruction. Political morality is only important when the Democrats are in power.
2
Agree many Republicans seem to like what he does, but those I speak with also turn my every criticism of his actions into a criticism of a Democratic politician 'who did it first'. As I learned parenting, an unwillingness to correct wrong behavior is encouragement of that behavior in the future.
3
Of course they like what Trump is doing. They are not good people simply cowering under the table while Trump sprays bullets into our Constitution and converts our democracy into an oligarchy.
They are handing him the bullets and giving him cover while they attempt to stay out of the immediate fray. They are the worst kind of cowards. They don't even have the courage to take responsibility for their part in this mess. Instead, they're hoping their silence will serve as plausible deniability in case the MAGA people (who are now the Republican Party) ever sour on Trump.
8
Mr Bouie
The GOP base is held together by the mortar of racism. The bricks are the single issues and the wedge issues that can be held together by that mortar.
Look at any issue the GOP holds dear, dig a little deeper, and you will eventually find a racist root cause.
Gun rights, abortion, religious rights, social programs, health care, you name it.
6
They are just hoping that another 4 years will allow them to do away with Medicare, Social Security, Medicaid. Plutocrats and Kleptocrats are out of the closet.
7
Republicans stand by Trump because he is the lightning rod that attracts all the bad PR while they do what they always have wanted to do on steroids.
6
And it's also because the alternative of a Democrat president is (unbelievably) so much worse. Some of the things you want are better than none of the things you want -- even if Trump has to be reelected to get (or keep) them. And Elizabeth Warren (the likely candidate once Biden goes down for self-dealing, senility, or both) gives Rs absolutely nothing.
1
He is like a talented, boorish, flippant, offputting, misanthropic, womanizing cardiac surgeon. When it comes time to do the surgery, the only thing that matters is whether the person can cut.
2
Thugs get along with people reflecting their same character. It’s a fact of life and it applies to politicians too.
3
Yes, exactly. Republicans know which side their bread is buttered on, that's all they truly care about and Trump is all about bringing the butter. He increases military spending, increases profits across Wall Street and the industrial world by decimating regulations and cuts taxes for business and the 1%. Republicans know that those individuals and those corporations will support Trump all the way through to re-election. Despite all his crimes and what is certain impeachment articles in the House, Trump's haul of campaign cash dwarfed the $25 million raised by Sanders and Warren in the last quarter. That is because wealthy interests love Trump. When push comes to shove, if Trump is facing a progressive opponent, corporate America and the corporate news media will support the criminal, impeached, pathological liar who buttered their bread. Republicans know that.
2
This feels like the absolute truth. It is sad that the greed and self serving nature of this president represents what "conservatives" really want, but I think, sadly, that it rings true.
2
The GOP never expected to win in 2016. Period. Against all the odds Trump somehow delivered them the WH (and two date two seats on SCOTUS) not despite of his vulgarity and ignorance, but to their collective stunned surprise, because of his vulgarity and ignorance; so from the GOP perspective "whatever works" is fine. Paul Ryan on Nov 9 2016 that they had won on "Donald Trump's coat-tails" and so they did. In policy terms Trump has done nothing that any other Republican president would not have done, but any another Republican president riding on the coat-tails of the (almost bizarrely pro-Wall Street) Obama economy would be sky high by now simply by not having genuflected to Putin, Kim et al and wallowed in the muck as DJT does every day. As long as "whatever works" works they'll be behind him - knowing full well that they will never have to endure criticism of hypocrisy come a Democratic turn in the WH, because no future Democratic (or Republican) president could get away with what Trump has, or even attempt to. In Trump they have an extraordinarily crude, vulgar, self obsessed blunt hammer who may or may not end up in federal court, but by then it won't matter. "Whatever works" worked. Come what may.
3
My feeling is that. towards the end of Obama presidency, the popularity of the Congress was at it's lowest because of the systematic eight year long obstructive behavior by Republicans, with nothing getting done. It was in this light that enough people voted for Trump, believing that he will really " drain the swamp' that the Congress had created, and put the country on the right course..
Unfortunately, what we got was a president who won by deceiving American people by his false promises. As a result, the Republicans in Congress were emboldened to continue with their swampy behavior, making things far worse. The swamp is now much bigger !
It is my ernest hope and prayer that the well meaning people who cast their vote for a change in 2016 will now realize their big mistake and do what is right for the country this time in 2020. God bless America !
2
Another reason that Republicans stick with Donald Trump is that they need the truly "deplorable" segment of his support to preserve their political power. This segment, consisting of white nationalists, overt and covert xenophobic racists are emboldened by Trump's rhetoric and will withhold support from any GOP who opposes him. The GOP, since Nixon, chose to maintain power by "winks and nods" to this segment without any major concessions to their agenda. But, this move precipitated a gradual yearly move to the right which has, over 40 years, become the extreme position resulting in Donald Trump. The current GOP orthodoxy must die before a new one that is more aligned with the current demographic reality. I say the sooner the better for us and the world's sake.
3
Spot On - finally, a column that B Herbert might have written
Note: Republicans, many of them, actually want to destroy social security; when Trump proposes SS budget cuts, *that is what the GOP wants*
1
The Republican establishment like Trump because he stacks the courts for corporate interests and skews economic policy toward the wealthy. The everyday Trump voter, follows because the have been duped.
3
Okay, Mr. Bouie, Republican politicos agree with Trump on most things. But Mike Pence is, if anything, even more conservative than the current "president." Why not get you want without endorsing the violation of our laws and without indulging in rank hypocrisy?
1
I guess my only criticism is that I don't actually believe that Republicans senators are getting most of what they want... I think they are getting some of what they want, but are largely pidgeon holed into only criticizing the president in areas that don't matter to the base, like foreign policy. The problem is that the Republican party is largely separated by class. While the majority of donors and politicians are clearly patrician (with patrician interests), the voters that support them are (increasingly, thanks to Trump) middle and lower-class whites... with very different interest.
It's likely that few if any Senators favor Trump's absurd trade policy, yet they can't really come out against it... because it's popular with the base. Most Gop Senators are fine with an increased crackdown and invective against illegal immigration insofar as it doesn't actually stop illegal immigrants from providing cheap labor. Lucky for them, Trump is pretty feckless. They know that a wall wouldn't stop people from coming in, whereas cracking down on employers clearly would.
It's clear that GOP politicians have made their peace with Trump. For me, the question really becomes how long the coalition survives as wealthier, more reasonable, less racist whites are driven from the party. In effect, GOP politicians are in a long term vs. short term gambit. They are betting that the old coalition will come together again after Trump. I bet it won't.
249
@Jasonmiami
What most republican members of Congress want is free healthcare, the lifetime pension serving will get them, and any other opportunity to make money while they are in DC. Everything else is just doing what they are told to do by their patrons.
37
@magicisnotreal
Clearly, the Republicans who stand behind Trump will only continue as long as they see the polls and support for Trump hold in their district. If that should change(and their is evidence to indicate that is happening for some) whereby surefire re-election for themselves is no longer guaranteed and the Trump support is dropping, then you will see attitudes change.
It is clear, Republicans think only of their own well being and this is ultimately the perfect example.
22
@Jasonmiami Glad you mentioned the immigration issue. Wealthy Reublicans will still have their illegal nannies and landscapers, the hotel and restaurant chains their illegal housekeepers and cooks, and poultry industry their slaughterhouse workers and deboners, wall or no wall. This is where Democrats could call their bluff if they knew how to play hardball. They could demand universal E-verify with heavy penalties (and nothing else) in exchange for wall funding. The American working class would then see that Republicans are not protecting the jobs of American citizens at all but exploiting the cheap illegal labor for profit.
26
Finally, the words of wisdom. GOP, along with their base, are very acutely aware of what Trump does. This is what they elected and this is what they are going to support. They know the facts.
Expecting GOP lawmakers somehow awaken is naive at best. These people ARE the Trump's base, just as he is. They know about Stormy Daniels, they know he colluded with Russia, they know he pressured Ukraine, they know he is essentially murdering thousands of refugees - and - they like it!
So don't expect any kind of GOP renaissance. Right-wing will either brake this country or somehow something else will take over public minds (e.g. some other billionaire will take out a Facebook lease on public "consciousness"). But liberals are not the party that knows how to win this.
1
I have heard many lifelong Republicans say they will never vote again for a Republican or that they will not do so just in 2020. I have never heard a single Democrat say that they are changing to the Republican party or considering supporting Trump in the next election. There may be some degree of hope for the Democrats among those small pockets of defecting Republicans in 2020 if they can align themselves with a candidate who can espouse some of their particular concerns whether that Republican voter be a disenchanted farmer, an unemployed autoworker, an avid environmentalist or even a foreign policymaker or diplomatic career State Department patriot. The question is who that Democratic candidate may be and what strategy they may undertake to change the tide even by a ripple among these Americans.
4
@HMP
Never believe what people say, believe what they do. Will a super rich Democrat fearing a tax hike under Warren check the Trump box in the polling booth?? and who will know?)
Republicans should ask themselves, would asking foreign leaders for election help, obstructing justice, keeping witnesses from responding to subpoenas, immaturely mocking people and calling them names, saying he was the second coming of god and possessing a great and unmatched wisdom, caging children, and having a background of assaulting women and a background of bankruptcy, would all this be okay with them if President Obama had done these things?
The GOP had a fit because Obama wore a tan suit to work one day.
1
And don’t forget about his putting his feet on the desk or Michelle Obama’s attire.
In other words the base is still deplorable, and is represented by deplorables in Congress. And if Trump is meeting some objectives, then those conservative objectives are also deplorable.
3
There are always those who are willing to trade their birthright for a bowl of stew. I am reading "It Can't Happen Here" by Sinclair Lewis, and I wonder if it now may be happening here. What if enough Republicans in the Senate vote against removing Trump? What if the Democratic nominee is too liberal to win battle ground states and Trump is re-elected? And what about Trump calling on Ukraine and China to help prosecute the Bidens with his debunked trumped up allegations? What about Trump's accusations of treason, coup attempts and fraud against a House Chairman and even a legally protected whistle blower? What will happen if the Senate and America validate Trump's wrongdoing? More and larger wrongdoing. Maybe Trump's second term will feature a "reformed department of Justice" controlled by Trump that conducts political prosecutions of "disloyal Americans" (in government and, of course, in the "fake news" media - anything is possible with a compliant Supreme Court). Maybe an emergency declaration extending the President's term? Maybe a heavily armed version of Sinclair Lewis' "Legion of Forgotten Men" to enforce loyalty to Trump (possibly at the polls). Am I suffering from Trump Derangement Syndrome (TDS)? What seems deranged and outrageous today may one day seem ordinary. If you have not learned anything from Trump, and history, you should have, by now, learned that.
2
And they will reap a bitter harvest, because you can't rule a country of 300 million, much less defend it, without a moral compass, which the man at the top does not possess--it's folly to think this has no impact. It does and they are too blind to see it. The Democrats will clean up the mess. Again. The day will come when enough will be enough.
2
Republicans cheat and actively Implement voter fraud, and allow the Voting Act to go by the wayside because they know it's the only way that Republicans can maintain any semblance of power.
3
To break it down simply. A bunch of men whose job it is to look after the interests of the american people are not doing their jobs. Their only interest is in keeping their jobs, retiring to a cushy job as a lobbyist and hanging out in the Caymen Islands. Whose fault is this? Ours.
1
Well duh.
Trump is the GOP letting it all hang out. What he is doing is what they have been working towards for decades. With Trump, they don't even try to hide it any more.
It's always been obvious to some of us. The GOP's only real goal is tax cuts for the rich and the destruction of the government's ability to act as a check on them. Racism and bigotry is how they get their base turned out even as they pick their pockets.
Paul Krugman is wondering when the centrists will finally wake up to the reality. https://nyti.ms/2VobcZO
2
This also explains why the majority of Republicans still support and will vote for Trump, despite his abuse of the Constitution, which includes ignoring the separation of powers and limits placed on Presidential authority.
For 40 years, the GOP's anti-middle class, anti-working American policies have been clear. The GOP gains majorities by gerrymandering, dog whistling to racists and uneducated whites, and fulfilling promises to its true constituency, the corporate sector and the wealthy. Those constituents supply the cash that elects GOP candidates and, should "their" senator or congressperson retire, places her or him in lucrative jobs at conservative think tanks or on corporate boards,
The GOP allows Trump to ride roughshod over the Constitution because to continue to serve the interests of its true constituency, the GOP needs the votes of Trump voters. So long as he continues to reduce taxes, nominate conservative judges and destroy the EPA (and by extension, our environment), Trump will be defended and protected by the GOP.
Those who come when the whistles are blown will not abandon the GOP, no matter how badly the GOP policies wounds them economically- the GOP will deflect any blame by screaming "socialism!" every time someone - Elizabeth Warren, Bernie Sanders, Nancy Pelosi -tries to intervene.
Democrats must defeat the GOP at the polls. Despite gerrymandering, we are the majority. To save ourselves from Trump and the GOP, we must unite, and vote.
I don't blame anyone who voted for Trump in 2016. People wanted a change and Hillary was just the status quo. The real test of people will be 2020. In the face of what we have seen, can they still vote for Trump.
Using Trump as the conduit, Republicans have pushed an agenda that has been blocked for years. The achievement of the Trump years has largely been the work of Mitch. As a long time moderate, portfolio holding, tax adverse Republican, some of what has been done is an advantage for me. However, too much has been an offensive intrusion into democracy and an assault on the Republic. I did not vote for him in 2016, and find him the antithesis of everything I believe.
My question to quiet Republicans doesn't challenge their character, but simply asks, " how horizontal are you willing to be before you choose to once again to become perpendicular."
1
Yep. The Republicans in congress are getting everything they've wanted. Conservative courts, EPA rollbacks, etc. And most of them are spineless.
You're exactly right, Mr. Bouie.
Trump has taught me something essential: At least 40 percent of my fellow Americans are comfortable with a corrupt, authoritarian regime.
I won't forget the lesson.
Ever.
5
If they like what he does, they can move to Russia, China or North Korea. We want Democracy here. They can move and have one voice telling them what to do and how to do it.
1
Yes. I agree. The dump supporters say it's the economy, it's the migrants, it's the trade war etc etc..
But really dump supporters continue to support dump because they like what he does.
And this is why the rest of the world will never trust America again the way we used to. At the end of the day, I think this is good for the rest of the world, including America.
2
Too bad they cannot have a secret ballot. Until then we can only hope the GOP enablers may grow some sort of grit and nerve and do the right thing and rise above the cult of the trump and remove him from office for the safety and good of the Nation.
1
In my experience there are two types of people in the world.
Given that all of us have suffered, one group does not want to pass the suffering on. Their motto is "I suffered and I know what it's like; I want to reduce the suffering of others if I can.
An example would be Bernie Sanders' witnessing the death of his mom in a charity hospital and devoting his life to getting everyone healthcare to avoid such tragedies.
Others suffer and their motto is "I suffered, it's your turn now, too bad."
Their suffering does not result in developing more empathy. Maybe it actually reduces it. Sometimes they can show empathy in the particular, say with a friend, but not in the abstract, for example mustering empathy for children separated from their parents at the border.
We all know both types of people.
We live during a time when we are shocked to see the volume of people in the latter category, as they are finally unmasked.
841
@TM sadly, but importantly, there is a third type. Ones who gave never suffered but who wish to inflict suffering on others. The Marquis de Sade gave his name to that. An update to Trump, or Republicans oligarchs, would be appropriate. Trumpism?
84
@TM Also shocking is how many people claim to be Christian. While holding the bible in one hand the the flag in the other, they practice hatred of anyone who isn't just like them.
79
@TM If Trump were actually suffering as he whines he is, he might learn empathy? The man is too much of a narcissist to learn anything.
These Republicans who are bending a little are just playing to their aspirations of being elected again. I suspect their constituents are not in favor of yet another debacle in the Middle East. It looks like Trump will take us there sooner or later, so these guys suddenly have a conscience and speak out. Unfortunately, it doesn't really change the way Trump "runs" the Oval Office. His whims and whines do not seem to cause these Senators enough grief. They do not seem to realize that if they do not put some limits on this man the runaway train will actually wreck causing unbelievable damage as it speeds down this track.
22
This feels exactly right. Although arguing that Trump has actually delivered any spending cuts seems a bit strange.
The problem that republicans actually face is that Trump’s policies are not working. The tax cut created massive deficits but little of the promised economic changes. His trade moves have delivered far less than the Obama administration had previously negotiated. Our bully tactics have accomplished little while hurting many American businesses and our allies. The climate change denial seems dumber by the heat wave, forest fire, drought or storm. Illegal immigration has shifted from a problem being steadily reduced to a full blown crisis. Health care covers fewer people at much higher cost even while the industry is mired in scandal. Our infrastructure continues to decay without correction. Mass murders are a weekly event. Americans hate each mire viciously than any foreign entity. The Supreme Court has no credibility as a non partisan backstop
If they turn on Trump the entire Republican house of cards collapses.
So Republicans just lie to themselves and attack the facts with falsehoods. It’s all they have when the data is so damning.
Trump is assaulting our democracy. He has gone against everything that America stands for. I am a proud new American citizen who came here from a 3rd world country. Unfortunately, it's baffling to see America turning into a 3rd world country that practice namesake democracy. Republicans are supposed to fight for the people. However, they are choosing party over people. What a sad day in America!!
1
Brilliant.
Thank you for this, Mr. Bouie.
1
Trump is the Republicans battering ram. He is their puppet, not vice versa. Things are going great for them. They will keep going. Hopefully not beyond 2020.
I can't begin to understand what "Republicans" want. I agree taxes, regulations, small government etc. But the big part of their coalition is voters for religious and immigration issues, which had not been a priority until Trump who realized that those voterws were 50+% of the party, which is now his base. When you cut away all the propaganda and doublespeak, it is about those than own and those that work. The neo Aristocracy vs the peasants, as it has always been. If we can get the peasants to go to war for the flag, they are in; if we can get them to hate the foreigner they are in, etc. The Aristocracy is small, so it needs these angry white men fomenting about race, culture and their meager privilege to be in service to the big house. The next step would be for the Aristocracy to take over, by, as you imply, changing voting rules (oh they already have), and that may be just fine for McConnell the traitor or Jordan or Graham etc. Our norms and raison d'etre for our 250 yo experiment are at risk, but tell that to the guy who believes that Guatemalans may take his job and mans the "Wall" to keep America safe from their invasion. Whew! How could we be in this place?
Most definitely, fear is still the issue. Just at a more fundamental level than mere fear of losing a primary (although that is part of it). Fear drives conservative thought and action. Fear drives authoritarianism (I would define such as far right conservatism). Fear makes people afraid of change, of which all conservative policy is based upon.
Fear is the root cause of the current state of the GOP and why Trump is in office to begin with.
1
Each and every day another startling "trumpspeak" besieges the airways and sucks the oxygen out of the country. We all write, get involved and try to make sense of this madman. But wind up just shaking our heads.
Unfortunately, we now live in a dictatorship. Plain and simple. Run by Greed and a need to control everything and everyone. That's reality.
The POTUS needs to be removed now for dereliction of duty as does his sidekicks Pence and Barr. I could go on and on with other elected, appointed officials who have turned their backs on this country. For their own political and monetary gain. But why bother everyone knows. This is not just political any more. It's about survival of a democracy. We need to get back to representing all the people and the work that needs to be accomplished to ensure we live and work in a free thinking society. This will not happen if we continue the status quo. It's all in plain sight yet no consequences for the POTUS only for the citizens.
It always amazing me that Republicans like The Times' David Brooks has expressed such surprise about Trump taking over the party.
For at least the past 50 years, the main message of the party has been appeals to bigotry, racism, and fear of working class whites that minorities were getting things from the government that they weren't. Combine this with the age old view of the party that the wealthy always came first when it came to government programs and no one should be surprised about where it is now.
2
Grand Old Power loves Grand Old Power, like any corrupt, criminal political syndicate that's stolen power and will do anything to hang onto it.
The historical record of modern Republicanism is a rich record of cheating for a living.
From Nixon's 1968 fundraiser Annie Chennault meddling to actively delay the Vietnam War peace negotiations to his 1972 Watergate burglary to Reagan's 1980 campaign back-channel to Iran to delay the hostages' release to the outright theft of the 2000 Presidential Election to pandemic gerrymandering thefts of the House to widespread neo-Jim Crow laws that helped Trump just as much as Kremlin campaign assistance did in 2016, the Republican Party relies on subterfuge, law-breaking and massive systematic cheating to 'win'.
But GOP cheating alone isn't enough to 'win' because of Republican oligarchic public policy, so they employ the finest disinformation and misinformation networks in the world through state-corporate run TV and radio to implant a continuous stream of fear and loathing into their duped masses; hence, 40% of the nation supports a national shooting gallery, Christian Shariah Law, environmental ignorance and thinks that scary non-whites are coming to 'get them'.
Put it all together, and the Republican Party is a poster child for cruel Christianity, political criminality, cultism and duping the masses so they'll blindly support Reverse Robin Hoodism and oligarchy as long as they can hang on to their sacred white spite.
Nice GOPeople.
15
Republicans in Washington are like Republicans everywhere.
There were Republicans that held their nose on election day and voted for Trump.
In 2020 they will hold their nose..... and plug their ears.
They will be back for him to vote.
New Trumpers can't wait to vote the first time.
Their reasoning?
Look at the alternative.
Higher ....taxes, unemployment, government regulations, higher medical bills, immigration, and wars.
Lower....stock market and 401K's for the middle class, energy independence, home values, education standards.
So simple.
59
@Joe Paper The alternative? Lower taxes on the middle...higher on Trump and his wealthy 1% cronies, reinstating environmental regulations to protect our water and air, as opposed to allowing coal dust to flow in our streams and rivers and increased coal particulates into the air PLUS a concerted effort to fight climate change via stricter emission control and investment in renewables (science and interests of American people vs. denial and interests of fossil fuel industry), Opt in medicare for all which results in lower outlay for those that do not have a decent health care plan, immigration reform, finally, based on long standing traditions of America being a country of immigrants, even brown and black ones much to the right's chagrin, wars...well either fight ISIS with our allies and keep them over there or how many more 9/11's would you like to see. (Also, wasn't all of this originally caused by a Republican president who lied about WMD's? The rise of Al Qaeda and Isis both are direct results of destroying Iraq with zero plan as to it's rebuilding, as well as playing love games with MBS.)
I would also like to point out that the 2008 market and real estate crash and subsequent loss of a great many 401k's and home values once again happened during GOP years with zero regulation of Wall st. shenanigans..and energy independence via fossil fuels is a death wish.
So simple.
187
@Joe Paper
Actually, not so simple. The effects you like that come from Trump's and the Republicans' policies are mostly temporary:
Tax cuts for the middle class are temporary, and the effect of reduced taxes is reduced services, pressure on Medicare and Social Security, and rising deficit with the accompanying debt payment.
Lower unemployment has been a trend since Obama fixed the financial crisis created during (by) a Republican administration. Just look at charts generated by reputable sources.
Reduced government regulations might increase the bottom line for some companies in the short run, but they threaten the wholesomeness of our medicines, water, air, and our safety -- look at Boeing. This will badly affect those companies and every other living being.
Obamacare has given and protected the health coverage for millions. Our health care system is expensive because of its private profit motives and inefficiencies, not due to Obamacare. Trump has done nothing to improved things -- but he has reduced health care opportunities for millions.
Democrats attempts at comprehensive immigration reform -- the only thing that will work -- has bee stymied by Republicans.
Bush, Cheney, Rumsfeld, and their neo-Con groupies brought us the Iraq War and the consequences of that.
So, once you actually examine that which you list, you might see that you are being fooled by Republican talking points. Open your eyes, read widely, think carefully, check out sources. It won't hurt.
159
@Joe Paper
I disagree with your alternative assessment....
Taxes will have to increase due to the debt Trump has incurred-let's start with the excessively rich who won the tax cuts that everyone else gets to pay for. Unless his continued trade war creates a recession...which it looks like it might...employment will stay relatively steady....which party is looking to LOWER medical costs? Not the GOP. Immigration policy will just be less cruel--I have no doubt that the Dems can protect the border without creating so much outrage. Wars? seriously? Which party took us to most wars since 1990? GOP. Regulations that hold COMPANIES not taxpayers to account for dumping waste and pollution are a good thing. Stock market might stabilize under a different President...uncertainty is what Trump has created causing deep dips and tentative rises...My IRA has been on a rollercoaster since the election and essentially lost more than it earned. We could have energy independence with the growing green movement and have a planet left over for our children and grandchildren...and create a new market with new jobs to grow the economy rather than the limp along we have now. Education...do you honestly think Betsy DeVoss has done anything positive for education? Please. Home values would do well to stabilize...so they stop outstripping the ability of most people to own a home.
84
Bill Brown,
You stated that President Trump got one Supreme Court appointment since he has been in office. Actually he has appointed two Supreme Court justices. His first appointment was Neil Gorsuch and his second was Brett Kavanaugh. How can anyone forget the inquiry Justice Kavanaugh was subjected to by the Democrats. Their intimidating and unseemly behavior was inexcusable. I hope President Trump is given the opportunity of appointing more to the Supreme Court. They had better be prepared for quite a grilling but it will be worth it for our nation. We need to stop the progressivism of the liberals.
Well said. As the saying goes in the medical profession, when you hear hoofbeats, think of horses not zebras.
Absolutely true. I think that the great shock to the party is that Trump proved that a candidate and president can say out loud what the gop and it's presidential candidates thought that they had to lay between the lines, particularly on matters of race. Many fine people on both sides, I am sure.
1
If t rump were wearing the mask of blind indifference that his republican predecessors wore he would be no different than Reagan or either Bush. He can't wear that mask though because he has never been in training for anything other than the carnival side show he is.
But it is the mask of pure evil that t rump does wear that just might keep the U.S. a democracy. There can be no pretending anymore that what republicans have been selling for a half century is not a top down authoritarian replacement for our democracy.
Are there enough of US awake now? If not the election next year is liable to be our last election.
2
You missed the point. Tax cuts for the rich, adding to pollution, treating allies as thieves, cheating and lying have nothing to do with the republican cattle drive.
Make America White Again is the driving theme for the Republicans.
2
Of course, it's not just Republican lawmakers who have no issue with Trump's behavior, but the rank and file GOP voter as well. They support their beloved craven tyrant because they like all the horrible things he does -- his gutting of government services, his hatred of brown people, his casual disregard of laws and decorum, his misogyny, his vengeful rages, his illiteracy, his graft, his braggadocio, they love it all.
3
Trump is the flag-bearer for the causes many Republicans are sympathetic to, but are afraid to come foursquare up front as they fear defeat by thinking Americans. These Republicans are as afraid of the primary fires which will be lit by Trump as they are of their own shadow if they challenge any Trump action, and why do so when they actually like most of it. This Syrian/Turkish sellout of the Kurds may be the horse pill they have too much swallowing, but no tissues are needed for crocodile tears. Trump policies are a tissue of lies, and that is the only tissue needed for these faux patriots.
Yes, I wish the NYTimes would better address this. Republicans are often portrayed as separate from Trump. They are complicit in every one of Trumps actions and should be viewed as the same as Trump. Trump=GOP=Trump.
1
It’s the old, you can make a purse out of a sow’s ear but you probably won’t want to carry it to the prom, deal. The raw material of a good leader is a good person. In that light, Trump was doomed from the beginning. Trump represents the people you warn your kids about. He saw an opportunity and exploited it. To criticize el Supremo, a Republican has to be dying or retiring...that’s no way to have to live. If Trump makes a sharp turn, congressional republicans need rhinoplasty. So, it’s not him, it’s them! Or, is it? I know, it’s only Jordan, Gohmert, Gaetz and people like them, but still. And, why are those “people” in congress? Somebody’s sent them there. This is the real deep state. Incompetence all the way to the bone.
Republicans may like what Trump is doing. It’s their right. But they are making a mistake if they think that stacking the courts and SCOTUS with right wing ideologues will allow them to rule the country by fiat. No Democracy can survive if it is permanently ruled by a minority. And right wing ideologues are a minority. When their views become law, these laws will cease to be supported by the majority. And when that happens, the majority will, at best, push back and ignore these laws and, at worst, rebel against them. Neither of these scenarios is pretty . We will either have broad scale breaking of the law which will render the government unable to enforce them (one can jail ten tax cheats but no one can jail a million of them), or open rebellion with people in the streets with pitchforks.
There is really only one solution to keeping our democracy whole: Majority rule.
1
Republicans made Trump, of course they like what he does!
I don't think that they actually know what he does.
Are they aware that although he promised to protect Social Security and Medicare, his budgets cut them?
https://www.vox.com/policy-and-politics/2019/3/12/18260271/trump-medicaid-social-security-medicare-budget-cuts
1
As a "deplorable" Trump supporter I agree. As long as Trump continues to fight for patriotic working folks and stands against the progressive insanity of Democrats he's our guy.
38
There you have it. As long as people keep buying his snake oil and talking about what a great cure it is, Republican politicians will continue supporting him. They're all selling snake oil, after all. Trump is just better at it than they are. The wannabe con artists are in awe of the real con. I mean, who else would have figured out that the best way to sell snake oil is to brand it as snake poison?
156
I look forward to your endorsement of my blind allegiance to an AOC Presidency that shows wanton disregard for the rule of law.
Not that she would...right?
33
@Michael Dowd
This maybe news to you, but a lot of Patriotic people in this country did not vote for Trump. And they are Patriotic working people too.
199
Here is the simplest explanation: Democratic candidates' platforms are so far to the left that many people will vote for Trump for that reason and that reason alone. Just as virtually no one understood that Hillary would lose are the same people who don't understand why any Democratic candidate will lose.
3
@rocktumblr
If saving Social Security, not destroying Medicare, not cutting $4.5 billion in food stamps for people who are starving, not cutting $9 billion in healthcare for children, and not stealing elections with the help of Russians and Saudis are too far “left” for you, we’re in a lot of trouble. Because the alternative is the authoritarian and demagogue you like, and when you lose your civil liberties and your Social Security and your Medicare and good schools for your children, the Democrats may not look so far left.
1
The Republican party exists for the sole purpose of servicing the financial interests of the very rich, period.
As a Repub voter I know says by way of justifying Trump, "There's the person, and then there's the policy."
1
I do think that something should be done, in general, about the ability to lie your way to power. Perhaps some fact-checking authority with the power to fine, or take away a business or broadcasting licence... I don't know. Something. Lie-based manipulation is, literally, over the top.
Perhaps some unwritten code of ethics is developing as we speak. I am, as ever, an optimist.
Then we have to rise up and take majority of the Senate!!
3
The shortest distance between two points is a straight line and in this instance the line ended at the obvious...whatever maintains Republican power and a Republican agenda is good and all else is bad. So simple, so vile.
3
All of the GOP is complicit in keeping a traitor in the White House who is doing Putin's bidding and ignoring the threat from North Korea. It is a clear violation of the President's oath to be embracing and condoning a country that is determined to destroy our democracy. We are still at war with North Korea yet Trump treats their leader and his generals like they are allies.
To publicly state that our president believes Putin over all our security agencies and advisers is clear treason. Let the GOP defend impeachment based on treason. I dare them.
2
Thank you for this piece, Mr. Bouie. It's not talked about enough in the press: Republican congressmen and women love what this president has done.
Why wouldn't they? As you mentioned, policy-wise they are 90% in synch with Trump. The only problem they have is when his antics distract from accomplishing their policy goals. But they also recognize that his antics are what make him effective: would Trump have been able to accomplish all the restrictive measures against immigration without pushing beyond the limits of what is legal (even if he had to pull back at times, like with child-separation policy)?
The press likes to talk about the Trump administration's incompetence. This is wrong. Trump may be a chaotic leader, disorganized thinker and amoral man, but in my 46-year old lifetime, he has accomplished more right-wing goals than any other president.
6
It doesn't seem to have occurred to Jamelle Bouie that just as simple an explanation for why Republicans stand by Trump -- and far more probable -- is the alternatives to Trump.
It is like Hilaire Belloc's story of the little boy who slipped away from his Nurse in a crowd and was eaten by a lion.
His Father, who was self-controlled,
Bade all the children round attend
To James's miserable end,
And always keep a-hold of Nurse
For fear of finding something worse.
That is advice we can all profit from. If we let go of Trump, we might find ourselves being devoured by an Elizabeth Warren or a Kamala Harris.
2
@ Ian
And both those options would be an upgrade to Trump.
7
Ms. Warren, Ms. Harris or any of the other Democratic candidates are totally superior to the malignant cancer that is our president. I pray that he and the republicans in Congress are defeated in 2020. I pray that trump, his administration, and members of his family face justice and as appropriate, spend some time in jail.
@Ian Maitland Although this comment is silly and superficial, it does reveal a truth about many Republicans who support Trump in spite of his incompetence, mendacity, and unconstitutional actions. What most Republicans are really afraid of (like the Dad who tells his children to hang onto their "nurse" because they might be eaten by a lion) is the future. Ian, lion or not, the future is coming. Eventually, you have to leave your nurse and take responsibility for your own life. Trump's MAGA is really code for trying to go backward. To a time that some Americans remember as simpler and easier. But like all nostalgia, it is yearning for a past that never really existed.
Absolutely right. Trump is doing what the base AND congressional Republicans want and with a fervour not seen in previous GOP administrations who made at least a stab at trying to appeal to other Americans.
The Republican Party's preferred policies include making war on our environment, women, the poor and working Americans and Trump has delivered big time on all of these. Part of the campaign is, naturally, to pack the court system with right-wing ideologues and his success in this regard we will be living with for decades. And of course he has also further enriched the already rich.
Trump's abhorrent behaviour is a small price to pay for all of this especially when the base itself revels in it.
My only question is that with so much hatred and vitriol on the right towards liberals and everyone else not a member of the right-wing universe, how on earth are we actually the United States in any true sense anymore? What's left that we have in common? Not much it seems.
4
Sadly, but all too likely, Mr. Bouie is correct in his assessment of Republican representation today.
Mr Bouie's analysis also anticipates the futility of isolating the public's attention on the impeachment of DJT. DJT actions have been and will continue to be deserving of impeachment.
In Mr Bouie's assessment, DJT's impeachment (and possibly trial) accomplishes very little if Republican representation remains in the House, Senate and a majority of statehouses.
Only a sound defeat of the Republican party in the 2020 election and very possibly defeats in 2022 and beyond will resolve the Republican party's cognitive dissonance by removing from office the likes of Cornyn, Graham, McConnell, Nunes et al.
3
The GOP has been at this idea of Grover Norquist's a good while now--drown the government--and as the GOP controls the senate, just about the Supreme Court, the White House, governorships, etc., the states' rights for gun control and education, for originalism a la Scalia, and scaling back choice for women, tax cuts for the already wealthy, dodges for the amoral president, we are at the bottom in terms of policies and plans undertaken by a representative government. How much further can we fall? The Ukraine in the beginning and the Ukraine now.
Republicans are ok with Trump because modern conservatism is about short-term gain. Much of what Trump advocates for, whether more fossil fuels, or tax breaks, or injecting steroids into the economy, or getting rid of consumer o environmental protections, are short sighted. Most people can't, or don't want to, look too far into the future, or sacrifice now for possible benefits in 10 or 20 years for themselves or their children.
Lincoln was a republican that built the transcontinental railroad.
The modern republican party could never accomplish something as far-sighted that would benefit the country.
4
A big part of the GOP doesn’t care about the future because, in the end, they will be Raptured and the rest of us sinners will burn endlessly in hell. Mike Pence is marching at the head of the born again theocracy contingent. If Trump is impeached they will all get down on their knees and sing hosanahas.
@Scott Cole
Scott...you nailed it!
Not sure I agree. I think if Republicans could vote him out of office without paying a personal price they would do it in a heartbeat.
1
Spend a week in Oklahoma or Kansas some day and you will come home whistling a different tune.
There is a another category of Trump supporters. Moderates who are appalled by what has happened to their party.
I’m a Democrat. But I have Republican friends who felt the Democrats didn’t give them a good choice. Thus, since they’re lifelong Republicans they voted along party lines. And, yes, they have buyer’s remorse now. They will vote for someone like Amy Klobuchar, but they won’t vote for a progressive.
2
We'll see how they feel about that when the economy implodes.
5
You’re letting your friends off easy. What does it say that it was easier to elect a black man president than a white woman? No doubt Clinton was flawed, but absolutely every outrage we have experienced under Trump was utterly predictable prior to his election. As Denny Green might have said, he is who we thought he was. To blame the Dems for not having a stronger candidate is like Trump’s schoolyard mentality: I know you are but what am I. We’re supposed to settle for the lesser of two evils, not the greater. So shame on your GOP friends.
Trump is not a conservative in the fiscal sense. The deficit this year is $780 billion, largely due to the tax cuts for the wealthy.
He is to the right on the spectrum (and he is definitely on the spectrum), favoring big business and shunning social service. But he is a spender.
He is no president for conservatives.
2
@Thomas Eubanks Thomas: i'll let you in on a little secret .. No one in either party cares about deficits anymore .. the evidence speaks for itself unfortunately
There is no such thing as a fiscal conservative Republican. Reagan, Bush and now Trump, all presided over extreme expansion if the deficit with the approval of so call conservative GOP congressman.
@ Thomas
So where is the Tea Party now?
This is not an either/or question. Republicans in Congress back Trump both because he supports their plutocratic policies such as tax and welfare cuts, deregulation and appointment of business-friendly judges, and because they fear getting primaried. Big business does not like Trump's trade war or suppression of immigration of low-wage workers, but Republican pols do not speak out strongly against these things because they are supported by the Tea Party base. Foreign policy is probably not a major issue with the base. Surely it is possible to acknowledge that more than one motivation may be involved. The Republican party consists of two factions, the big-money plutocratic faction and the racist/xenophobic/religiose "base" and their real interests are quite different. This obviously causes some conflict.
1
President Trump is one of the few presidents in recent memory who actually delivers on his promises. People like this new phenomenon.
He has been tackling the immigration problem of people crossing over our borders who have no right being here. Some call these undocumented persons but they are illegals who are breaking our laws. He has been dealing with the employment situation which has resulted in the lowest unemployment numbers in years. African Americans and Hispanics have seen their employment numbers rise significantly. People have seen their 401ks increase and they also have more spending power which enriches our economy. People are once again optimistic and joyful about their futures.
People are tired of all the Democratic investigations they have investigated such as the Russia collusion and obstruction case which resulted in no guilty findings from our president. They thought the Brett Kavanaugh inquiry was a waste of time and money which resulted in his innocence. Now we have an impeachment inquiry of President Trump conducted by the Democrats which will find them coming up empty handed once again. The Republicans want to continue their progress but their hands are tied as long as these pointless impeachment investigations are going on by the Democrats. This will adversely affect the Democrats at the ballot box in 2020. President Trump is bound to be reelected in 2020 as he has the support of the people.
1
@KMW Indeed Trump has brought immigration reform to the forefront again. He really has not delivered much, other than talk. He had ample opportunity to do the right thing and get comprehensive reform when "Chuck and Nancy," offered him the deal on DACA. Trump reneged. If you want to see the real Democratic position, look at the 2013 Senate Bill S744. It passed the Senate but Boehner refuse to bring it to a vote in the House because it would have passed.
The employment rates and stock markets are below the Obama Trend lines. The deficit is out of control in an up economy. future recessions will kill us.
And, Trump admitted to soliciting campaign interference from a foreign country. It's in the call records and the Mueller report. I'm sorry you don't see that as a problem.
5
When you say "people," you mean "Trump supporters" - a small, and shrinking, minority of Americans. Most "people" are tired of Trump - tired of his corruption, his ignorance, his vulgarity, his self-dealing, his sheer swampiness. Tired of a president who thinks he can thumb his nose at the Constitution. Bring on the impeachment!
It's worse than that. Republicans know that their positions are minority positions. The demographic tide turned against them years ago, and will only grow stronger. What power they have now, in the Senate, the presidency, and Supreme Court, is based on minority rule. The only way they can maintain power in the future, is by going full authoritarian. Trump is setting the legal framework for this now, and once it has been rubber-stamped by his Supreme Court, democracy in the United States is done.
8
It is true that Trump has delivered on spending its, lower taxes and conservative judges - but so would any other Republican president. Certainly, Mike Pence would.
Unlike most other Republicans, Trump has strong authoritarian instincts and detests minorities. The GOP has become an increasingly authoritarian party, so it is likely that they don't mind Trump getting Russian help in 2016, or trying to coerce other countries to help him win the 2020 election. Nor do they object to his weakening or maligning institutions which check his power, be it the FBI, CIA, DNI, or the media. It stretches credulity to believe that support of Trump's conspiracy theories, statements that the "Deep state" is conspiring against him, or claims of a "Russia hoax" by people such as Devin Nunes, Jim Jordan, Lindsey Graham and others is based only on fear of a hostile Trump Tweet.
As David Frum noted, "If conservatives become convinced that they cannot win democratically, they will not abandon conservatism, they will reject democracy”.
10
This seems to skirt around a more fundamental issue, power and how to keep it. From what I can see, many Republicans are tolerating this President because his base is fairly powerful but they are only useful for so long. To stay in power, there is a dance that is happening between the narcissistic impulses of this President and the fundamental ideological good. Right now, being viewed as supporting this President is far more important than any ideological concepts. This will change if there is a second term. Presidents tend to learn that their party turns on them only a few months into the second term and this is where we will see the ideological concepts being used again. Why? Not because they are useful for the Country, but for the preservation of power. Power and access to it is the game, nothing more. Republicans are tolerating this President to ensure power but they will only need him for so long.
2
I'm noticing something unsettling today, in comparing stories on the front page of the Times vs. what the Washington Post is carrying.
The Post seems to be putting forth stories that are undermining the administration, highlighting polls that reflect the encroaching and rapidly progressive support for impeachment, among others, while the Times is publishing op-eds like this one. I agree with many others here in observing this opinion may not reflect a majority stance.
Journalism right now, and for the last year or so since Jamal Khashoggi's murder, has been under attack. You would think all respectable newspapers would be at least emphasizing in their headlines (above the fold) that the majority of Americans are in fact encouraging the truth to come out, encouraging impeachment proceedings to continue to their logical conclusion, and to stop fanning the flames of what little support for the Orange One still exists. I strongly agree that there are probably a majority of Republican politicians who are completely exhausted and fed up with this charade of a "presidency."
Tell it like it is, New York Times.
5
It's clear to me that Trump's attitudes, behaviors and agenda please most Republicans. My question is, why are they so greedy and prejudiced against everyone who isn't like them? Are they all unable to appreciate a person's intrinsic value and potential, because they see so little of it when the look in the mirror, or around the dinner table?
Some Republicans of the past had ethics and standards of behavior. Sadly, they were a minority, and have since sold out completely to people whose actions prove them to be of barely marginal intelligence, and completely devoid of the standards for which the shorthand is "class". When people believe they cannot lift themselves up, they push others down and say "I'm the best, I won". Today's Republicans appear to be a bunch of not very bright people fighting over money and power who are disconnected from their humanity. They are severely impaired by their inability to honestly represent all of their constituents. They don't need votes; they need an intervention.
12
Mr. Bouie, you are correct, but not on the facts. Trump has given Republican voters and politicians what they want, but that does not include reduced spending. This is a key canard that you do no one any favors by spreading. Republicans want it all, spending and tax cuts. Trump is delivering that. But he is not cutting spending. If he did, his credit card economy, and his standing with his base, would drop precipitously.
4
Amen! The fairy tale that Republicans are just scared of Trump and need to summon the courage to stand up to him is a way to leave open a path for the Republican party to redeem itself. But it´s a fiction. They are standing with him, as you say, because they agree with him on policy. Gutting agencies, deregulating industry, revoking laws to protect federal lands and the environment, criminalizing undocumented immigrants and severely restricting the entry of asylum seekers and, not to put too fine a point on it, overturning constitutional rule in favor of a "unitary executive" as they call it. Otherwise known as dictatorship. Buttressed by voter suppression, extreme gerrymandering and god knows what kind of foreign interference in 2020. Trump is no aberration and not one single Republican now serving can ever redeem him or herself. It´s too late for that.
7
I've been thinking something similar to Bouie's op-ed for a few weeks. As hard as it is to believe for a country with such a strong democratic tradition, the conservative base truly doesn't care about democracy anymore. It's the only real answer. With changing demographics and a much stronger commitment by the Left to equal rights and more egalitarian representation, representative government has become a serious threat to conservative white power... so it's got to go.
To their credit, a record number of Republican lawmakers cannot live with this Faustian bargain, so they are leaving with their integrity tattered but still somewhat intact. They want no part in the history that will likely unravel over the next several years.
The danger now in Western governments is that when a right-wing party wins, it sets about dismantling the very system that elected it in the first place. Democrats should, of course, focus on winning the next election... but the threat from the Republicans/White Nationalists will continue to arise every 2 years until the battle of ideas is itself won, and the concept of illiberal government is definitively discredited.
4
There is no point in going after Teflon Don. His base and the Republican party will never admit or condemn him. Let him be who he is. And if Trump wins in 2020 then so be it. His voters deserve him. At the end of Trump's two term Presidency , voters will assess the state of the USA then and decide accordingly. At that time perhaps the GOP may even lose whatever little power they may have left. Who knows? Sometimes it maybe best to give them enough rope to hang themselves. Permanently.
2
This is a long-winded subject but the Republican, hardly grand, Party needs to reflect on: "Be careful what you wish for".
They drifted way away from true conservative positions and embraced a free-for-all rich people authoritarian government.
Deficit spending and not investing in infrastucture, health and education is hardly a true conservative.goal.
2
Listen folks it’s time to break up the country. It really is too large.
These republicans are taking our tax dollars. Let’s create our own union
3
Politicians are elected and stay elected by people:
Mitch McConnell = citizens of Kentucky
Donald Trump = citizens of USA
You can't separate them. If we don't like Trump and McConnell, we don't like most citizens of Kentucky and the USA. When those two go away, the citizens who support them won't.
2
Most Americans did NOT vote for Donald Trump, ergo your comment is entirely illogical.
This is the point I've been making for years. They don't oppose Trump because they like him. They share his values, love his results, and like his style. Congressional Republicans ARE his "base." They are not good people.
13
Since Nixon, much of the GOP has had this "thing" about feeling entitled to the White House. It's not a mathematically verifiable phenomena, but it's there. Great resentment is behind much of it, that's what put Nixon in there in the first place.
You could notice the anger immediately when Bill Clinton assumed the presidency in 92, immediately Hillary was attacked, later the impeachment when a censure was the appropriate remedy, on and on. After 12 years of Reagan/Bush a lot of people who were not very read in U.S. history came of age as Republicans and thought somewhat along this thread, as did many of the die hard uber right of the Republican party.
Fast forward, not that much has changed. Many were incredibly angry at Obama just for BEING there.
Overall the GOP is incredibly angry and will look the other way as long as they have the presidency. Even if it were mostly symbolic. They are all too aware of what a minority party they have become (probably permanently) and have in many cases personally lost their moral compasses in the name of resentment.
Not that it's going to "work" in the long run, but even the educated, been around the block ones, tend not to care. They live for the moment. And block by block tear down the country.
5
The reason Republicans don’t support Trump often in foreign policy is because their is no political cost to do so. Trump’s base will not vote out incumbents in a primary because they disagree with Trump on foreign policy. And while the base is mostly receptive to Trump’s desire to avoid foreign entanglements, the reality is they simply don’t care very much.
1
Wow, two editorials (Mr. Bouie and Dr. Krugman) that state objective truths on the same day. Well played gentlemen.
Patriots, citizens and voters the greatest human endeavor to create a more perfect union based on liberty and justice for all is squarely in your hands.
2
It's certainly tempting to generalize like this, but in my own experience, it does ring true. "My" Republicans, many who are real friends, people I've known for years, have turned a blind eye to so much of what this man and his administration have doled out. In many cases, it's affected our friendship, because in spite of their claims to support this or that charity, in the end their acquiescence to what is happening means one thing. They live for what is best for them, not what is best for us. Therein lies the difference.
1832
@A Centrist - "They live for what is best for them, not what is best for us. " This is what I see as well. I was once asked by a friend from India, what was the difference between Republicans and Democrats. I said the Democrats ask "what can government do for us", while the Republicans ask "what can government do for ME".
204
@AACNY
Thank you for your note, but I believe you missed my point. While not a progressive (and as such unqualified to properly represent the progressive view), I still believe in Lincoln's view: that government should be "of the people, by the people, and for the people", not of, by and for the few. Government shouldn't exist to make any individual "whole"; what it should do is make the good of our citizenry its focus - our entire citizenry.
104
@AACNY I'm very progressive and I don't need government to make me whole, not in any way, shape or form. But when I get old (soon) I will need healthcare, as will you. I see clogged highways, airports and trains (when I travel to many other countries, I do not). And I will not tolerate a president or political party who takes away peoples' children, and in such a haphazard and careless way.
143
Bravo!
3